RD rod bearings

[stanley]

I’m helping a friend get a RD 14 running.Both cylinders have some rod knock,confirmed with screw driver in plug hole check.Is there a new bearing available or does he look for NOS bearings?Are the needles or the cage more often the problem?

[frankr]

Needles just don’t go bad without complete destruction. I’d rather suspect worn wrist pin bushings. Fairly common on 25hp motors

[stanley]

Thanks Frank.If that turns out to be the case,does he need to find new rods or can the bushings be replaced?

[frankr]

According to the original design, you need to replace the rods. But of course, we know it is possible to make some new bushings from bearing material. They would have to be parallel with the big end bearings. Issue #2 is are the pins loose in the piston bosses?

[adam1961]

Without the book in front of me, I think the early RD rods were 375767. There are quite a few out there. Unless you are able to make the bushings yourself, I would expect that it would be more cost effective to replace the rods.

I can see if I have some good ones tucked away if you decide to go that route.

[Author]

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