TOPIC:

At 8:52 minutes into the Millyard crankshaft video (link below), he drills a hole in the crank and inserts a pin. 
Is that step normally performed as Kawasaki pressed cranks are professionally welded?

AFAIK, Kawasaki didn´t insert any location pins or welded roller bearing cranks.

99% of factory roller bearing cranks are just pressed.
Performance roller cranks are either welded, pinned or both.

zed1015 wrote:

99% of factory roller bearing cranks are just pressed.
Performance roller cranks are either welded, pinned or both.
 

Are the processes shown in the Millyard video typically followed when a "factory roller bearing crank" is professionally welded?

Is such a welded crank then considered a "performance roller crank", or are additional steps necessary?



 

The term, performance roller crank, is not used around here, so there may be a definition I am not aware of. At any rate, there several performance upgrades commonly done on roller bearing cranks, depending on the owner’s budget and intended use.
I think a majority go for indexing, trueing and welding. That insures that the crank is straight, that the throws are the correct number of degrees apart and then it is all welded together.
A race bike may also have the crankshaft lightened, have special rods installed. APE even offered a knife edge option that was a real work of art.

TexasKZ wrote:

The term, performance roller crank, is not used around here, so there may be a definition I am not aware of. At any rate, there several performance upgrades commonly done on roller bearing cranks, depending on the owner’s budget and intended use.
I think a majority go for indexing, trueing and welding. That insures that the crank is straight, that the throws are the correct number of degrees apart and then it is all welded together.
A race bike may also have the crankshaft lightened, have special rods installed. APE even offered a knife edge option that was a real work of art.
 

With today's exorbitant cost of shipping excluded, what $hould a person expect to pay for a J-model or ZX1100A crankshaft professionally welded?

TexasKZ wrote:

The term, performance roller crank, is not used around here, so there may be a definition I am not aware of.

 

No! 
It's just another term for a roller crank that's been indexed and welded to resist twisting when used in "performance" applications and that can mean anything from a hopped up streetbike to an all out drag bike.
 

zed1015 wrote:

TexasKZ wrote:

The term, performance roller crank, is not used around here, so there may be a definition I am not aware of.




 

No! 
It's just another term for a roller crank that's been indexed and welded to resist twisting when used in "performance" applications and that can mean anything from a hopped up streetbike to an all out drag bike.



 

Hey now...that was a profundity from our fellow KZ rider who hails from Cypress, TX and was born 11 Feb, 2021 according to one current forum profile.

BTW, I very-much enjoy reading TexasKZ's posts, regardless his claim of being a two year old.

daveo wrote:

TexasKZ wrote:

The term, performance roller crank, is not used around here, so there may be a definition I am not aware of. At any rate, there several performance upgrades commonly done on roller bearing cranks, depending on the owner’s budget and intended use.
I think a majority go for indexing, trueing and welding. That insures that the crank is straight, that the throws are the correct number of degrees apart and then it is all welded together.
A race bike may also have the crankshaft lightened, have special rods installed. APE even offered a knife edge option that was a real work of art.



 

With today's exorbitant cost of shipping excluded, what $hould a person expect to pay for a J-model or ZX1100A crankshaft professionally welded?

 

On the APE web site they list #LC808 "complete rebuild and welding 4 cyl roller cranks" from $1000

www.racecranks.com/

I guess it depends on whom is doing the work, some guys will be cheaper if it is just welding and no further upgrades. I would think a straight weld job may start at the $300 range.
Used welded cranks on Ebay are usually going for about $400.
 

John Pearson (Pearson Racing) in Dayton Ohio

Stan Gardner (in Maine?)

These are the crank guys recommended by the racers on GSR.  I've never heard a bad thing about them.  From what I have heard, no personal experience, Falcon is not the place to send a crank anymore.  

Falicon WAS great back in the day  Full superlite crank maxed out was  500 Bucks.  Welding locally in Detroit  was 100 Bucks
I havent heard anthing positive about Falicon  since  owner sold out .
Pick one of the above Ed mentions  or APE

The corporation that also owns Wiseco also bought Falicon years ago. They moved all the equipment from Clearwater to Ohio the last I heard. That same corporation also bought JE Pistons and Carrillo!!! I don't think they ever opened up Falicon again. I believe Dover Diversified was the name of that large corporation. When Tom Falicon owned it they did excellent work. After the new owners took it over they ran it into the ground. Last I heard Tom Falicon bought a Christmas tree farm complete with its own narrow gauge railroad on the property!!!!