Straighten 45" flathead rods

[Buster]

Need to check 45" flathead connecting rods for straightness. Searched for 96181-26 Piston Squaring Plate (ebay, etc) but no luck finding one I have wrist pin dowel for checking alignment on big twin but will not work on 45 flathead Does anyone reproduce these Piston Squaring Plates or how do you check for straightness using another method. Thanks!

[kitabel]

The plate is any flat piece of metal (as long as it's exactly parallel) that fits across the entire spigot opening, so that the skirt lands on it.

[T. Cotten]

I used a fixture made for that, Buster!


image_30345.jpg

Sorry its an old fuzzy photograph, but straightening and aligning is fun!
(More discussion at http://virtualindian.org/1techflywheel3.htm)

As Kitabel points out, a surface plate and feeler gauges take you most of the way; The rest depends upon your resourcefulness and patience.

Still please wait until both ends are re-fit, and don't forget to demagnetize before assembly,

....Cotten

[kitabel]

That fixture is better, since the plate assumes that the skirt edge is exactly flat and parallel to both the case deck and piston pin.

[T. Cotten]

My AAMCO Model B "Connecting Rod Aligner" is only a convenience, Kitabel!

Great if you do it often, but it only allows inspection of the rod to itself.

Once installed all the way to the cases, you're going to have additive external variables;
Manuals describe straightening in the cases, and I even got away with it more than once...

deckchek.jpg

But I must only endorse it for inspection, and advise against any tweaking while assembled.

....Cotten