ok i will be building my bottom end soon. I will be striving to be able to handle around 475 to 500 hp. I was looking at windage trays and wandering if i need them. I was going to replace my rod and main bolts with arp. I was wandering which main fasteners to go with. didnt know if i need studs or bolts. which is better. let me know what u all think being summit has several different setups and types.

 

Ok first off if you plan on using the stock rod, I would highly suggest against it. They are notorious for breaking at the beam. If you do plan on keeping them at a minimum use an arp rod bolt and have the big end resized. As for a windage tray, yes they are a priority. As for the main studs, yes use arp main studs and have the main journals align honed, when using studs and not honing the main journal bores you run the serious risk of spinning a bearing. ALOT of people just replace the bolts with arp studs, check the bearing clearances with plastigauge and call it good. Then they cant figure out why down the road they spun a bearing, never thinking it was because they used a stud and didnt hone the main journals. The stud has a far different clamping effect on the main caps. Also I highly suggest a main girdle that ties all main caps together or sooner than later at your desired HP level the crank will start to walk back and forth in the main caps and what do ya know, another spun bearing.

 

i have heard the rods are fine. i will just go with all the other parts. and when you say big end resized, do you mean the rod end that connects to the crank.

 

Its up to you, but if ya break a rod you will cry. Yes the big end is the crank side. good luck

 

better change the block to a stronger one, because you would really be pushing it on 400-500hp even with girdles and windage trays, your taking a risk and your at the limit, that mean it could just randomly go boom, its a time bomb waiting to happen, just do it right the first time, and get a stronger block, then go from there