High Performance Connecting Rods

How Do I Choose the Right Connecting Rods?

Start with fitment specs, then pick beam design and material based on your power goals.

Check these specs before you buy:

• Center-to-center length that works with your stroke, piston compression height, and deck height
• Big-end journal size that matches your crankshaft's rod journals
• Pin diameter and wrist pin style, either bushed for floating pins or press fit
• Beam design, I-beam or H-beam, based on your power and rpm goals
• Material, such as forged 4340 or 5140 steel
• Rod bolts suited to your build, such as 8740 chromoly cap screw bolts
• Engine make and size, so the rods fit your block and crank

Use the Engine Make/Size, Overall Length, Material, and Wrist Pin Style filters to narrow the list. If you're changing stroke, match your rods to one of our performance crankshafts.

Planning the whole bottom end? See our guide to choosing a short block for your horsepower goals.

I-Beam Vs. H-Beam Connecting Rods: What's the Difference?

The difference is the shape of the beam between the big end and small end. That shape changes how it handles load and weight.

An I-beam rod has a cross-section shaped like the letter I. It's strong in compression and often lighter, which helps an engine rev. You'll see I-beam rods in many street builds and in drag racing, including Pro Stock-style designs.

An H-beam rod turns that section on its side, with flat sides and a thin center web. The design resists bending under high cylinder pressure. That's why many builders choose H-beam rods for boosted, nitrous, or high-rpm engines.

Either style works when you match it to your power level, rpm range, and bolts.

Whichever style you choose, confirm the small end fits the wrist pin in your pistons. If you're upgrading both, shop pistons and piston rings at the same time so pin size and style line up.

Forged 4340 Vs. 5140 Steel Connecting Rods

Choose 4340 steel for high-stress builds and 5140 steel for mild street performance on a tighter budget. Both are common in forged connecting rods, and both are a step up from many factory cast or powdered-metal rods.

4340 is a nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy steel. It offers high strength and fatigue resistance, so you'll find it in many racing and serious street rods. Many H-beam rods, and plenty of I-beam rods, use forged 4340.

5140 is a chromium alloy steel. It costs less, making it a practical choice for rebuilt street engines and moderate power upgrades.

Forging aligns the steel's grain with the rod's shape, which helps it resist cracking under repeated loads. Brands such as Crower build forged rods for performance and racing engines.

Material is only half the story. The bolts clamp the cap to the rod, so learn why rod bolts are critical to an engine build before you order.

SBC Connecting Rods and Other Engine Families

You'll find SBC connecting rods here alongside rods for big block Chevy, Pontiac, inline six, and sport compact engines. Filter by Engine Make/Size to see only the rods built for your block.

Options currently in this category include:

• Scat Pro Series and Pro Stock I-beam rods for SBC and BBC engines
• Lunati Signature Series SBC rods in a 6.000 in. length
• Lunati Racer Series I-beam BBC rods in 6.800 in. and 6.660 in. lengths
• Eagle SIR I-beam rods for Pontiac engines in a 6.625 in. length
• Speedmaster 4340 H-beam 6.000 in. rods for Chevy 194, 230, and 292 inline six engines
• Scat Sport Compact H-beam rods for smaller four-cylinder builds

Longer rods, like a 6.000 in. SBC rod instead of the factory 5.700 in., usually need pistons with a shorter compression height.

Building a small block? Keep our small block Chevy torque specs handy for final assembly.

Stock Replacement Vs. High Performance Connecting Rods

Choose stock-replacement rods if you're rebuilding to factory specs. Choose high performance connecting rods if you're adding power, rpm, boost, or nitrous.

Stock-replacement rods restore a daily driver, tow rig, or work truck without changing how it runs. Enginetech offers remanufactured rods for Dodge 2.5L, 5.7L, and 5.9L engines. You'll also find Ford 4.0L and 5.4L/6.8L rods, plus GM 2.2L and 4.3L rods.

High performance rods are built for loads a factory rod wasn't designed to see. They're typically forged from alloy steel, use upgraded cap screw bolts, and come in I-beam or H-beam designs.

Planning a power adder or more rpm? Upgrade the rods now, before a failure forces it.

Working on more than the bottom end? Browse engines and components for the rest of your build.

Shop all connecting rods at JEGS, or explore crankshafts and connecting rods to complete your rotating parts.