J conrod side play

[aumick10]

I am building a J crankshaft and having trouble getting a good conrod side play.
I have used flywheels and rods, with new bearings, crankpin and thrust washers.
Aiming for 0.006-0.010" side clearance, i need thrust washers that are 0.090" thick. Actually i need 0.098 and 0.083" shims to center the rods.I have used two different crankpins with the same result. This is much thicker than the std washers.
I could use flywheel thrust washers. What are peoples thoughts on using them.
The conrods may have some wear on the sides. This assembly came out of a running J that was installed into a set of JD cases. I didn't measure the sideplay before i stripped it down to check everything and swap cases.
Cheers

[knucklehead 61]

J motors don't like to be built tight, they prefer to be looser.

[T. Cotten]

My experience doesn't go back that far, Mick,..

So I must ask: Are J wheels "malleable" castiron like later models, or brittle like early Indians?

Thanks in advance,

....Cotten

[aumick10]

J motors don't like to be built tight, they prefer to be looser.

Thanks knucklehead 61. I can live with some extra clearance, but an extra 0,050" clearance seems a bit much.

[aumick10]

My experience doesn't go back that far, Mick,..

So I must ask: Are J wheels "malleable" castiron like later models, or brittle like early Indians?

Thanks in advance,

....Cotten

Thanks Tom.
They seem malleable to me, but i couldn't confirm one way or the other.

[T. Cotten]

The Factory hardened their malleable tapers by severely torqueing the pins quite deep, Mick,..

...If I remember Palmer's correctly.

If they are truly malleable, my first step would be to lapp the tapers with the old pin: https://virtualindian.org/10techfly.htm.
This will not significantly sink the new pin, but will certainly aid its 'true' and ease of draw deeper into the wheels.

It was taught to me that the pins stick in the tapers like spikes in oak, as the malleable iron springs open to clench upon them; Non-malleable castiron will crack from the crank taper to the main taper with a sickening sound.

....Cotten

[aumick10]

The Factory hardened their malleable tapers by severely torqueing the pins quite deep, Mick,..

...If I remember Palmer's correctly.

If they are truly malleable, my first step would be to lapp the tapers with the old pin: https://virtualindian.org/10techfly.htm.
This will not significantly sink the new pin, but will certainly aid its 'true' and ease of draw deeper into the wheels.

It was taught to me that the pins stick in the tapers like spikes in oak, as the malleable iron springs open to clench upon them; Non-malleable castiron will crack from the crank taper to the main taper with a sickening sound.

....Cotten

The first thing i did was lap the tapers Tom. One of the recesses for the thrust washers is deeper than the other. I don't know what that means, if anything. Next step is the measure the width of other female rods, see if i have a wider one. Last option is to use flywheel washers to set side play.

[T. Cotten]

... Next step is the measure the width of other female rods, see if i have a wider one. Last option is to use flywheel washers to set side play.

There's always another option, Mick!

You could always pick your worst rod, and replace the races.

The notion Mr. Palmer reported was that the Factory pulled the pins some sixty thou into the fresh tapers, if I remember correctly maybe.

So how much more on each side will get you in the range of the largest thrustwashers? (Different thicknesses to center the rods is the rule, not the exception, of course. But how do you know the true centerline until they are in the cases?

....Cotten
PS:I've zero experience with Js!

But I did crack a 101. Its the shop's shameful front doorstop.

[aumick10]

There's always another option, Mick!

You could always pick your worst rod, and replace the races.

The notion Mr. Palmer reported was that the Factory pulled the pins some sixty thou into the fresh tapers, if I remember correctly maybe.

So how much more on each side will get you in the range of the largest thrustwashers? (Different thicknesses to center the rods is the rule, not the exception, of course. But how do you know the true centerline until they are in the cases?

....Cotten
PS:I've zero experience with Js!

But I did crack a 101. Its the shop's shameful front doorstop.

I measured another couple of rods and their overall width is +- 0.010" of what i have. That would seem to indicate the issue lies with the wheels. I think i will put the main shafts back in and check the sideplay in the cases. Grandkids coming for a visit so time to take a break after i finish truing a wheel and get the kids 4 wheeler going. Cheers