Hi eberybody. I've got a quick question about wristpin bushings that I'm having trouble finding an answer for.

I know that stock dsm and evo rods have no buhing and are an interference fit between the rod and the wristpin.

I also know that aftermarket rods come with bughins, as they are not meant to be an interference fit with the wristpin, they float in there.

I want to fit pistons that were designed to have a pressed style rod, with rods that have bushings for a floating fit, by re-bushing the connecting rods with a bushing that is a thou or two smaller I.D than the one's the rods came with.


My question: Can I do this (somebody told me I can, so I've already desleeved 3 of the rods.)

Second question, should I use good ol AMPCO18? (C954) bronze bushing/bearing material, as has good shock loading properties, but is mainly used as a bearing. Or should I use some steel? Like the small end of the stock evo rods?

I have never heard of this mod but I haven't been into these cars all of my life, just the last 10 yrs or so.
My I Beams have a bronze looking bushing in them that Manley says they can replace for me, if needed. Just so you know what the big names are using.

Have you compared costs of doing all of this with just buying a set of good pistons to match your good rods?
Pistons are around $500. IDK what you would have in that set up after labor.

Just have the pistons machined for circlip grooves.

That's what I was thinking of doing (pistons machines for circlips) but I thought this would be cheaper and easier. I can probably do the machine work required for the bushings myself, but I cant do the machine work required for the pistons myself. So I'm not sure if anybody answered. Is it okay to use a bearring material for an interference fit like this? Or do you have to go the rout of machining piston grooves?

Up in the great white norh here the dollar has taken a significant plunge. A good set of forged pistons is going to cost me close to $1000, which is just too much for me right now, so I'm pretty confident this machining will cost less.

No, I don't not think it would be acceptible to use a bushing material for this application.

I have since discovered, it seems people don't do this, I assume for good reason. Thanks for the info everybody.