Cap Screws Vs. Bolts

The hallmark of many quality aftermarket rods is the use of a cap screw fastener system rather than the traditional OE-style nut and bolt. Though the best aftermarket nut and bolt may rival the best aftermarket cap screw in tensile strength, the need to machine spot-faces into the shoulders of the rod (to locate the bolt head) is a weak point your rods can live without. When cap screws are used, the shoulders of the rod can be formed to maximize strength

H-Beam Vs I-Beam

For years the battle has raged on as to which is better, an I-beam or an H-beam. In pure tension and compression, they are both equally capable, assuming equal cross-sectional area. But when you add the fact that some components of the combustion event attempt to screw the piston down the cylinder, the greater distance from the centerline of the pin to the edge of the beam gives the H-beam an advantage in resisting such twisting forces. We’ve seen both designs used successfully in a wide variety of extreme applications, so the jury is still out. Perhaps the biggest advantage of the H-beam design is that it gives the manufacturer more flexibility when sculpting the rod into the most effective form from a strength-to-mass standpoint.