CF Rods for your Commando?

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lcrken

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I couldn't resist posting this one from the latest SEMA show

CF Rods for your Commando?


I'm sure they'd be happy to make up some in Commando sizes. At $18,000 for a V8, it should only cost us $4,500 for a pair. Half the weight of aluminum for only a tenth the price of steel. What a deal:D.

Ken
 
Right, so that’s Ken, Dommie and me, just need one more taker and we’ve got a set of 8 ...

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D;)
 
I wonder how much a pair of those will help my hi-revving of 4k max?
Technology leaping great bounds. This stuff astounds me.
 
Jim at JS Engineering is , no doubt, ready to offer longer rods....:)
I wonder if we are really seeing the final efforts for fossil fuel engines.
 
I was just watching a video the other night and saw a top fuel Dragster only uses the aluminum rods for 8 passes. I guess at 11,000 H.P. that's about all they can handle, maybe these would last longer?
 
Did you guys not see the part where "they won't exit the block"? Maybe that just important to me...
Yes but you only need one rod as your bike only threw one
Two rods would be considered extravagant!!!
 
Pfffft.... CF is child's play... show me a set of carbon-nanotube laced rods, now we're talking!

:p
 
Did you guys not see the part where "they won't exit the block"? Maybe that just important to me...
Whilst that may be true, I somehow imagine carbon fibre dust in an oil marinade makes a fair mess!
 
Right, so that’s Ken, Dommie and me, just need one more taker and we’ve got a set of 8 ...

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D;)

Count me out Nigel, I detest anything in "Glorified Fiberglass" as much as I hate the term "Trick" for describing bits that people have been "tricked" into buying.
 
I noticed its patent pending - I don't think you can patent something just because its made of a different material - it has to show a mechanical difference or advantage. If it works then we'll hear more about it. But its no sale at that price.
 
It's not really a particularly new idea. Back in 1984 a group of engineers in the Engineering Resins Department of Amoco Chemicals Corp. developed a variety of plastic-based internal engine components that included things like rocker arms, bucket tappets, piston skirts, valve stems, gears and pulleys, etc. The most interesting for this discussion were connecting rods made of woven graphite fiber (aka carbon fiber) fabric impregnated with a high temperature polyamide-imide resin (trade name TORLON), compacted under temperature and pressure into plate, from which the rods were machined. They ran the parts, including the rods, in a Lola T-616 IMSA GT car, and managed to complete at least one of the races successfully, running for 2.5 hours in excess of 8500 rpm. That's all from a 1985 SAE paper, so I don't know how much further they went with the project, but there is probably some reason we haven't seen any of the products showing up in mainstream cars or bikes.

I recall seeing at least one other attempt at making connecting rods machined from carbon fiber plate, but don't have any info on it at hand.

FWIW, although this stuff is interesting, I think the most appropriate rods for our Nortons are either the stock aluminum/steel items or quality (like Carrillo) steel rods. The choice depends on the application. I like the steel rods for engines that will be highly stressed (racing or abusive street use), although the stock rods can be so used, as long as they are crack checked and/or replaced regularly. The only other affordable alternative is titanium, and my experience with them is that you don't really get a significant enough reduction in reciprocating weight to make them worth the extra cost. The design that would get my vote would be an aluminum/ceramic MMC material, but I don't see that happening at any reasonable cost in my lifetime.

Not much practical info for most Commando owners here, but still fascinating to watch new technology developments applied to IC engines.

Ken
 
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