Connecting Rod Bolts

I am going to be doing an engine rebuild in the near future and am wondering if the connecting rod bolts need to be replaced or not?

As long as its not a 900/1000 series bike I believe the smaller motors all have rod bolts.
You could find out the factory specs and check them for stretch.
If youre going to change rod bolts leave the rod bolted to the crank and replace/torque them one at a time to make sure things stay aligned.
Might as well check the bearings at the same time.

That's the plan.

Full sweep of every component in the bottom end to make sure it is spec.

I have purchased a donor bottom end with only 15k Km. That go torn down last weekend and I took the con rods off, I just need to go through and spec it all out them decide when to tear down my current motor.

You do know that if you replace connecting rod bolts you must resize the rods after install ???

I do not, but from the looks of it I wont have to replace the bolts.

DFIGPZ wrote: You do know that if you replace connecting rod bolts you must resize the rods after install ???

Thats why I say to leave the rods bolted to the crank and use it as a mandrel,then just change them one at a time while leaving other bolt torqued.
I dont imagine hes going to be winding this little bike enough to hurt it.

whats involved in re-sizing them?

If the bolts are not a one time use item I wont replace them. The FSM hasn't mentioned replacing them.

Kinda confused by all this.
If I don't change the bolts and just want to check bearing clearance. When I am done can I just re torque and good to go, or is their more to it than that?

Re use the original bolts and re torque on reassembly with a spot of Loctite on the threads and you will be good to go
There is nothing to "resize" whether using new bolts or not.

My Clymer (lol) says in the high performance section when hoping up the motor you should send out your rods to RC Engineering and have the rods heat treated, shotpeened, the small ends fitted with bronze bushings and new HD bolts fitted........ I remember RC being big on this in their early catalogs and always planned on having them at least shotpeened and new bolts fitted but am thinking its not needed. If I would have slit the case and went with the 810cc kit I think I would of though. (Not saying you should).

I remember Lorcan runs turbo rods in his 750 and are reworked from the factory but not sure what is done to em.



I also remember (maybe Yosh??) or maybe just Cycle world talking of a big name (racing team) replacing theirs with chevy small block bolts as they are close but need just a little machining ...... this of course would be nuts and just relaying what I read.

Check them for stretch while theyre torqued down on the crank,if theyre in spec check replace bearings if needed and put it back together as long as crank is good.

PLUMMEN wrote: Check them for stretch while theyre torqued down on the crank,if theyre in spec check replace bearings if needed and put it back together as long as crank is good.

Pretty much what my Service manual said for the rods on a Zg 1400 motor. It said to use new rod bolts, check the strech and measure bearing clearence with plastic gauge. Absolutly nothing about resizing the big end of the rod.

Changing bolts DOES require resizing the big end of rod period. I have done many on my 750 turbos run a dial bore gauge on the big end before and after the new bolt and it WILL CHANGE.