Connecting Rods, How Important To Keep Set??

[Bampity]

Clearing out the garage here and I come across a box of connecting rods(and pistons) but the rods are not attached to the bearing caps...

How essential is it to keep them together?

Does it matter if I'm going to have the entire rotating assembly reconditioned/balanced?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

 

[JoshT]

They may be numbered. I know on my 4.0L both the caps and rods were numbered, can't remember about the 2.8L I did years ago.

If they are going to have it balanced and all it probably isn't too big of an issue. IIRC one of the things they do when balancing a rotating assembly is weight the parts and match them up as good as possible before anything else.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

Are they fractured rods? Fractured rods must be mated to the matching caps. Meaning the rods used to be one piece, then during the manufacturing process they snap the bottom off to produce the cap.

 

[Snoranger]

The rod and the cap are machined as an assembly... The caps have to be put back on the same rod and in the same direction.

 

[Bronco638]

The rod and the cap are machined as an assembly... The caps have to be put back on the same rod and in the same direction.

This. ^^