To check bearing clearances...
Reading where a "Rod Vise" is used to hold the rod when torqueing the bolts to spec, or to correct stretch.

What do ya'll use to hold the rod? I don't have to buy a "rod vise" do I? What is so special about one? SHould I worry at all about damaging the rod when performing this procedure?

On the rare occasion I've done this I just put some blocks of wood in my vice and squeeze it down gently. Just enough to keep it from twisting when I go to torque the bolts. I put the cap on and just make the nuts hand tight before I put it in.

I'm sure that's not "technically" the best way to go about it, but for basic checking purposes it's always worked for me. Think about what happens when you torque the rod bolts with the rod actually in the engine- there's a few thousandths of an inch that the cap can squirm around between the crank journal on one side and the rod next to it. It's not in a "vice" inside the engine that holds them in perfect alignment, either.

i use a rod vise, i made mine for zero cost other than my time. guess it'd depend on what you have laying around. look at a pic of one, you wouldn't have to work for nasa to figure one out.

They sell brass jaws for bench viseses.

That's hard to say.

Well...right now I don't have a bench vise, much less a bench. Do have a cabinet type table in the garage, but I don''t think it's sturdy enough to handel a bench vise and its various uses.

I gotta birthday coming up...at least now I know what to ask for besides a 406 short block.

I found a pick of one. Pretty simple device.

http://www.madhousemanagement.com/tavia/cat1.html#c


ede,
What kind of materials did you use?


Edit:
The car magazines seem to preach about rod bolt stretch gauges...Do ya'll use these, or is torqueing to spec enough?

1x2 aluminum

Plastigauge is pretty accurate for bearing clearances.

So are micrometers and a dial bore gauge

plastigage is a joke and should be illegal for engine assembly

For a racing aplication id have to agree with you Ede but for a mild street motor itll get you close enuf. Especially for people who dont have the cash to spend on a mic set and a dial bore gauge. Some method of measurement is better than none at all.

yes anything is better than nothing. way back when i was cleaning parts for local racers to be around them the yall used plastigage and i thought it was the only way to go. then i built a few engines, mostly pintos, remeber them, and got to thinking mics would be so much better and finially about 15 years ago i bought a set and don't tihnk i've touched plastigage since.