Archive through July 10, 2013

[nbextermueller]

Mike,

I think you'll really like having a welded rear end. As long as you only plan on pulling. It's not going to turn very well.

I'm assuming you welded both sides of all 4 spider gears with at least a 220 mig welder. Your going to have a hard time no breaking it with that 25hp. I just saw a welded rear break the at our last pull, it popped, tore out the spider gears, and ended his pull with a one wheel spin out.

A spool from MWSC is the best bet, but they are expensive. And you HAVE to use their axles. I think they might make a mini spool that replaces the spider gears. Not sure how well it works.

But I'm on your side, weld it up and hit the dirt. Upgrade when it breaks.

Side note, does your club allow welded rears and a 25hp engine?

 

[nbextermueller]

We have a pull this Tuesday night. Anybody around the STL area I should be looking for? Keith? Haven't met you yet.

 

[nbextermueller]

Here some Cubbies play'n in the dirt at our last 2 pulls:

 

[nbextermueller]

And more here:

Come out and play guys!!

 

[nbextermueller]

what's interesting... is 3 years ago, a guy with pro pulling tires was still rare around here. Now a set of lugs is rare!

 

[kostendorf]

Nic,
Must have been your dad I introduced my self to. I asked someone at the VFW pull and they directed me to someone I thought was you. I can't afford a county fair ticket so maybe see you at the Lincoln county event.

 

[sforte]

Ready too pull Nic cya their!

 

[nbextermueller]

Keith, you've got an email. Steve. I'm ready to go. Did you notice we are starting at 6pm? Registration at 5pm?

 

[nbextermueller]

New pictures and event results can be found on my website as of today. Happy looking...

 

[thoffman]

Looking GOOD!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Nice!

 

[mhomrighausen]

VERY NICE!!!

 

[nbextermueller]

Very sharp Tom! I'd love to see a few more of the bad boy. Please!

 

[fcurrier]

Now I'll "Ask the Pros"
An auction site ad for a pulling engine caught my eye and the head was wholly attached with studs and nuts. Is there an advantage to using studs/nuts over using bolts?

 

[dfrisk]

FRANK - YES... even on full size race engines, industrial engines, most diesel engines... Studs & nuts provide more secure tightening than just bolts.
http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/hardware/head-stud-bolts

I checked ARP's website, they used to have great technical articles, but don't appear to anymore.

 

[fcurrier]

Thanks, Dennis! I'm in the process of re-heading 2 123's, mine and a friend's. They'll both get the same treatment with all new fasteners.

 

[nbextermueller]

The article in that link does a good job explaining the differences.

Are head studs need in a stock Kohler. More than likely NO. I think most guys use cause well, "racecars use them" and they want the cool factor.

If your experiencing head gasket failure in a puller, switching to studs may help. But in my 20 years of pulling, I have never attributed a head gasket failure because I used a bolt over a stud.

 

[rbeem]

Nic,
You are missing the biggest benefit of a head stud. I know most of us have had to heli-coil a block or two.
One attribute of the stud that cannot be duplicated with bolts is longevity of the cast thread in the block.
Studs can be installed as deep as possible into the existing tapped holes which is helpful for strength.
With repeated disassembly the stud remains in the block so the cast threads are not subjected to repeated wear and tear from head removal.
I use Locktite (blue)on the studs so they do not spin out every time, but can be removed as needed.
It's really not about cool or race car for me, just one more simple thing to ensure longevity of the block.

 

[dfrisk]

NIC - I don't know if Kohler built My K321 with all head studs & nuts up in Kohler, but it was that way when I picked it up 20+ yrs later in Campbellsport, WI, and still is today.

The diecast cyl head is the weak link in the Kohler engine sealing compression in. It heats up and moves all over the place. If you had a billet alum. head 2-3 inches thick on the block, studs & nuts would be the way to attach it.

IH used head studs on all their engines, FIVE per cylinder on 5.9 to 6.5:1 compression ratios, not a whole lot of cylinder pressure there, but it was the right way to do things... even 75 yrs ago!

FRANK - Don't sell the old cast iron Kohler blocks short. Company I used to work for made EXPREMELY high pressure (20,000 PSI and above) piston pumps with cast iron bases. The forged billet 15-5 H1150M stainless steel head & blocks were many times stronger than the class 30 gray iron bases, but the heads & blocks ALWAYS failed, never the base. look at these spec's, the mechanical specs are down a ways; http://www.aksteel.it/cataloghi/download/15-5.pdf

We used 2 inch diameter studs made from 17-4 PH H900 SS to tie the head, block & base all together. The forged SS billet would pull a conical section out of the head or block, but the studs would never pull out of the cast iron base. It shouldn't have been that way if you looked at the material spec's, but it was.

Really, IMO, with these old grd 8 3/8" head bolts or studs, unless you twist one off removing it, I've never really seen a need to replace them. They're not like today's automotive "Stretch to yield" bolts which are a one time use bolt.

 

[nbextermueller]

I am not against head studs. In fact anything beyond stock in my shop has studs (including my 600hp ford truck and my friends 2000hp, yes 3 zeros, fairlane that I help tune and maintain.) I just don't use them in my Kohlers. Although I have some K's that had a few in there from stock.