Rod bearings?

['94RangerXLT420]

what is the best way to make sure they are seated properly?

 

[Explorin94]

First you don't actually seat the bearings. Bearing should fit in the rod and caps just by pushing them in with your fingers. If more force is needed you have the wrong bearings. Install the bearing in the rod and rod cap with a piece of plastigage laying on the crank inline with it. Torque the rod caps to the correct torque and pull the cap back off after the cap has been tigtened. Check the thickenss of the plastigage with the gage on the back of the package. If it is within the correct thickness (IE not too wide or too thin) wipe it off then oil the bearing with assembly lube and reinstall the rod cap and torque it again to what it needs to be. Then you should spin the crank and make sure the crank spins with out binding. This should be done after every main and rod bearing is torqued to the specs.

 

['94RangerXLT420]

where can i get the plastigage? cause my rod bearings didn't come with 1.

 

[gotmudd]

auto parts store should have it

 

[AllanD]

Plastiguage is a soft plastic "spagetti" that you put a cut piece of on the bearing journal.

you then install the bearing and cap and torque the nuts.
you then remove the nuts and the cap and bearing and using the scale on the outside
of the paper packing for the plastiguage you measure how wide it has been "squished"

This tells you the bearing clearance.

Be aware if you are just replacing bearings in a 4.0 on "General principle" that the rod bearings are typically the very last bearings to show any wear.

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