Conn. Rods/Wrist pins

[magart]

As I've said before, my mechanical experience is in the heavy truck trade, and at  that, engine experience is even more limited. Most Cat, Cummins, and Detroit Diesel wrist pins are full floating pins that are held in by a retainer ring and are relatively easy to change. Most automotive pins are a press fit in the rod and float in the piston. My question is this: what is the best way to change them? Is there a fixture available from ,say, Snap-on to use with a hyd. press. I saw a feature in a Mopar mag that showed a special "rod heater" that heated the small end red-hot to get the pin out. This doesn't strike me as a wise idea, plus it's impossible for me to do in school. Any suggestions???

[Jim_Lusk]

Yes, there is a tool to use to support the piston in the press. A friend of mine made his.

[moparteacher]

There is  a manufacturer that makes a c-clamp like device with different inserts for different pin diameters. It does not require a hydraulic press. I've never heard of heating a pin for removal, only installation.

[bOb shingler]

i've always used a press and a couple of sockets, one to support the piston and one to press the pin out with. you can also press the pins back in this way. the rod heater is for removal only.

[NYrr496]

We had a rod oven at a shop I worked in many years ago. The small end of the rod gets heated and then you press the wrist pin through the piston, rod and into the other side of the piston with your fingers. No press required for assembly. Takes a lot of practice to get them right. I got many of them stuck part way during the learning process.   When we were really busy and had a few engines going together at once, my boss used to place a torch in the vise and heat the small end of the rods with that while us younger guys used the oven. It was important not to overheat the rods, just get them warm enough to open up a little.

We had all different fixtures for the press for disassembling press fit rods and pistons.  Since we rebuilt everything in that place, we never re used pistons once they were pressed off, but I know it can be done.

I really like floating pins.