Traditional rod and main bearing construction is based upon a three layer configuration composed of a steel backing, a copper-lead layer and a very thin overlay of babbitt material only .0005" - .0008" thick. JEGS Rod Bearings use just two layers, a high strength steel backing plus a bonded layer of "Alecular" bearing material .012" - .015" thick. Alecular material is an alloy of aluminum, tin, copper and several other elements. Because it is an alloy, it maintains its properties throughout its entire depth, delivering consistent and reliable performance. Both JEGS Performance and High Performance Rod Bearings are made from the same material and are sold in standard and oversize configurations (for undersized) rod and main journals. The High Performance Rod Bearings are micro-fine machined, have chamfered oil holes, and are narrowed for large radii cranks and designed for race type applications.
Features and Benefits:
Particle Embedability
More than half of engine bearing failures are caused by metallic particles which scratch crank journals and tear or weaken thin babbitt overlays such as in the tri-metal bearing.
Since JEGS Alecular bearing layer is much thicker than the babbitt overlay (.015" vs. .0008"), it provides eighteen (18) times more embedability than a tri-metal bearing to catch and hold particles so they don't scratch the crank journals. This is especially true for particles over .0004" in diameter which cause most of the damage.
Conformability
The much thicker layer of Alecular bearing material (.015" vs. .0008") allows the bearing to conform to problems such as metal to metal contact when there is mis-alignment present or the connecting rods stretch. Greater conformability means fewer bearing failures.
Temperature Resistance
The Alecular material's melting/fatigue point is over 11,000° F, almost three times that of the thin babbitt overlay in a tri-metal bearing (400° F). This means added protection against localized overheating due to mis-alignment, detonation, overloading, loss of coolant, etc.
High Load Capacity
Alecular bearings successfully withstand the stresses of high performance engines. All JEGS Bearings are made from the same metallurgical alloy, so the regular bearing user gets the advantage of the alloy developed and used in race engines.
Control of Wall Tolerance
Bearing -to- journal clearances on main and connecting rod bearings can be affected by several variables, all of which the engine builder must try to control. JEGS has removed concerns about inconsistent shell to shell bearing wall thickness by the use of statistical control methods to keep wall thickness to very limited variation. Other manufacturers produce bearings whose wall thickness at the crown can vary by up to + .00025". JEGS engine bearings have no more than + .00010" variation of the desired thickness.
All bearings are sold in sets.
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