We make a fully custom ball bearing crankshaft

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In this episode we try creativity instead of destruction (but then nobody said you can't have both).
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[@MrMopar413]

The Germans used ball baring crankshafts in the V-12 Panzer and Tiger engines in WW2. The crankshafts where bolt together design. It took a incredible amount of design, machining and assembly to pull it off but they did. The tank engines ran on gasoline, 7 to 1 compression ratio and 16 litter displacement pumping out around 700hp.

[@leehuynh8973]

I went and looked this up and that crankshaft from the Maybach HL230 is definitely a bolt up design! its nuts that the whole crank is circular in the entirety of its design

[@performancecyclespecialtie6104]

Used in vw also. Needle bearings

[@youretheChrist]

Interesting

[@davedarling4316]

I hadn't heard of VW crankshafts being built up, but a number of early Porsche cranks were. Especially in the higher-performance cars or race cars. The typical way those were done was that each piece was bolted through the rod journal onto the next piece. You'd slide the one-piece connecting rod (no need to leave space for rod bolts!!) onto the journal, then bolt it onto the rest of the crank.

[@gilbertwheeler160]

I was thinking the same thing with bolting it together .. . Doing like a gear design for the insert and cutout on the other to keep shape ... might have better luck with it holding together

[@Ben-ho3hv]

As a mechanic I love your crazy Ideas ! Honda actually build 9000 RPM engines like this for their first cars . I don't know all the details, but you're experts!

[@jasonbryan8357]

16:51 So cool to watch people push this kind of backyard engineering this far, man this channel is great!

[@JTL-DK]

LOL Motorcycles have been using normal roller bearing and needle bearings for crankshaft in many many years, so this is not that unusual...

[@bustjanzupan1074]

Those joints Should be Pressed together, and Not welded !!! ! !!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Pwy 🙂

[@geoffgunn9673]

Should have used split cage needle roller bearings. You could machine the crankshaft and conrod to suit and with a groove cut in the outer diameter you can still deliver oil to the wrist pin and cylinder walls.

[@hamstirrer6882]

I would have gone with either keyways/ an interference fit to lock the parts together, or using liquid nitrogen/helium to shrink and press the parts together with a really tight tolerance

[@stempo1]

Yes or spline

[@zerg9523]

Fellow engineer here… It would be interesting one to solve thats for sure. Keyways is a solid idea, maybe even brazed in place just to prevent any shock from the valve strikes. Interference fitting is a cool solution too provided your materials can meet the condition range. Interference fittings of the same material can have questionable reliability when heated… This often works better with dissimilar metals, where the contracted piece has a lower expansion ratio than the receiving piece… In this way the fit remains super tight throughout the expected temperature range. Note : Two different types of steel by example can have vastly different ratios.

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

Simple shank n slot would sufice

[@markpersaud5768]

I was thinking same

[@shawnsatterlee6035]

Umm.... Press fit. What's so hard to figure out here? How bikes are...

[@linuxguy1199]

Many dirtbikes, ATVs, lawnmowers, etc use needle bearings for the crankshaft to rod rotary connection. Upon doing some research I found that the typical surface bearings used in vehicles need a consistently high oil pressure to prevent damage. This also means that engines that routinely get tipped over, shook, etc rarely use these bearings as the engine can be oriented such that the oil pump receives no oil (ie. dirtbike wrecked on it's side). The needle bearings can survive this as they operate off the oil mist in the crankcase and do not need a consistent oil pressure supply to prevent wear (the film stays on the bearing much longer). Vehicle engines do not ever undergo random losses of oil pressure so the need to have bearings that can survive without oil does not exist, thus they can use the far cheaper surface bearings.

[@tpghl5225]

Yes all multi-piece crankshafts use needle bearings on the big end of the rod. Surface bearings need a small layer of oil in between the two surfaces or they will quickly get damaged. That small film of oil is critical

[@servicetrucker5564]

When there is oil plain bearings can take more load

[@linuxguy1199]

@@servicetrucker5564 Theoretically yes, however it mostly depends on the quality of metals used in the bearings.

[@177SCmaro]

Plane bearings also tend to last longer and can handle higher loads at a cost of increased friction.

[@howardosborne8647]

In those conditions the design simply uses a dry sump design where the oil is scavenged away from the sump and pumped into a separate oil tank. A second pump then pumps the presurised oil from the tank to the crank shell bearings

[@colestowing8695]

Props to Sergei for thinking to put some 2 stroke oil in the fuel... That's kind of brilliant👍

[@ARamseyGuy]

Like a rotary!

[@codyhatch4607]

Harley's have been using roller bottom ends forever, no need for 2 stroke oil in the fuel.

[@colestowing8695]

@@codyhatch4607 well, Harleys are designed for it. In this case they might have inadvertantly covered/blocked some oil passages. (PS I didn't know Harleys had roller bottom ends... That's cool)

[@codyhatch4607]

@@colestowing8695 Not when rebuild time comes. Ya they have dry sumps as well.

[@quartusbuys6831]

In a 4stroke it will only lube the inlet, exhaust valves and piston crowns

[@jasonbryan8357]

5:97 "a bit of fine tuning with a hammer" I love Garage 54

[@ScatManAust]

I rebuild engine and multi piece crank shafts and a hammer is exactly whats required. Usually a copper or bronze mallet. IT IS WHAT YOU DO to true up cranks.

[@matthemberry2156]

It works on single piece cranks too lol.

[@ScatManAust]

@@matthemberry2156 Yes that it does too, but I have only used a press and V-blocks for a single piece crank re work

[@bbracing3925]

Don't forget to drill a hole in the bearing race and match it up with the oil feed in the main journals.

[@Highstranger951]

Have you ever “drilled” a hole in a bearing race?

[@thewatchworks1372]

Indeed, make sure to get it in the center of the race so oil gets fed directly to the anti-friction elements! That will ensure bearing longevity!

[@bbracing3925]

@@Highstranger951 yes, - center punch the area and start small with a good set of carbide drill bits. A drill press is highly recommended for depth. I also center the bearing cage so that I don't knick a B.B. I work for a transmission shop, and I also work with dirt bike engines, drilling a hole in the bearing can be very helpful in old 2 stroke motorcycle engine "if done properly and patiently".

[@Highstranger951]

Y’all are full of shit

[@mikegreen2229]

Well, that’s the first time I’ve seen someone stick weld a crankshaft

[@JesusisJesus]

If they simply just fill the rod end and bearing caps with needle bearings to match the size of the original ones, they could have a “roller bearing” engine that revs like a motorbike, using an original crank and they would receive proper lubrication. Ball bearings will eventually seize without continuous lubrication.

[@tylermartin2631]

Facts man I thought that while they making the crank. Not the needle bearing thing but there are no oil passages in that crank at all with no lubrication on the bearings it’s of course going to fail

[@legros731]

Will not work the crank and rod are not hard enough for metal on metal bearings race are way harder than the conrod And you still need a cage for the roller bearings so you need a multi piece crank that is press fit and bike conrod are one piece normally And motor like the gsxr1000 use normal half moon bearings just like the stock Lada engine use

[@suzysuzuki8865]

@@legros731 they make split needle bearings. There’s two in my manual transmission.

[@actually5004]

@@suzysuzuki8865 Hear me out, now. What if you took needle bearings... and fused all the needles together to make one giant round piece and made the outer race part of the conrods and made the inner race part of the block and caps and drilled holes to pump oil into it, wouldn't that be cool?

[@rexxx927]

1000% correct!!!

[@lelandlewis7207]

Motorcycles use a press-fit pin and then you can do the final alignment in a jig with a dial indicator. You might also use a pinned crank, where a hole is drilled and a pin or bolt is inserted to hold alignment rather than welding. On the rods, using a needle bearing would give you thinner bearings to work with, but you need a hard enough surface for them to roll on.

[@clubsoda85cook55]

All of this is wonderful, the interactions between gearheads and shade tree engineers. My opinion just to throw one out there is that a multiple crank is possible using a splined press fit. I think where they ran into trouble was in the balancing, vibration caused their welds to crack. Many large industrial machines use splined press fit parts without issue. As far as the bearings go, 2 piece caged needle bearings would work if the conrod and end caps were lipped to keep the needles in and both were harden.

[@volvo09]

I like how you guys tear apart the project afterwards to find the failures.

[@jonathankaufold7503]

Absolute

[@ullyeus86]

And then explaining what's going on too

[@Chris-yy7qc]

There is a reason for plain bearings instead of ball/needle bearings. The contacting surface of a ball/needle bearing is a tiny spot. Meanwhile the contacting surface of a plain bearing is almost a 180° of the circle.

[@RaimarLunardi]

they should have used the "roller bearing"... (idk the name in english but you hopefully understand, instead of ball it's cylinders...)

[@mattmatt2822]

Exactly what i thought as soon as he said ball bearing.

[@UberLummox]

Though some 2-strokes have ball bearings. Must be something different there. I dunno. I'm just a body man.

[@norrlandstruggles9798]

@@UberLummox I guess it's because two strokes don't have pressurized oil circulating. Easier for the oil to move through a ball bearing I think

[@UberLummox]

@@norrlandstruggles9798 Ok thanks!

[@a1sloth1]

You fellows work well together in solving problems. Sticking with a problem until you solve it no matter how many failures is inspirational. Good work!

[@hunterross9615]

Hondas in the 60’s when they first started making cars did this on everything, it needed no oil pressure

[@1936Studebaker]

Drill almost right through each lobe of the crank shaft and insert roll pins all the way through, that should hold each section together. You could even tap the hole and cap it off with a set screw, use loctite thread locker for extra security and that way the pin has no chance of working it's way out.

[@Mr_Meowingtons]

Bolts.. roll pins twill shear..

[@SeanBZA]

Instead of a roll pin put a taper pin, then once it is held tight weld up nicely.

[@musthavechannel5262]

May be not make the holes perfect circles so the rotational stress is eliminated form the welds? I'm not a machinist so not sure how difficult would it be. Also taper the to be weld surfaces so there is a cove to fill with weld? Again, not a welder but intuition says that would be a way stronger weld. May be they did it already

[@harrywalker968]

NO.. it needs square mating surfaces,& or woodroof keys..

[@edwardevans7219]

YOUR LADAS REMIND ME OF MY OLD 1965 FORD FALCON, 6 CYLINDER, IT MOVED BUT NOT MUCH ELSE. THANKS FOR THE NOSTALGIA GUYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@dokterkarel]

it's insane how talented these guys are

[@Rob-fc9wg]

No! It's a talent how insane they are!

[@dokterkarel]

@@Rob-fc9wg also true!

[@gregmtech]

as you said ; both insane and talented ; in all the good ways ; now imagine how good the Buggatti engineers where and the fabricators 100years ago.

[@heliarc5186]

Yes Russians not to be under estimated. Also incredible electrical engineers also. Which took off doing similar tactics with electronics and motors "things that don't make sense/break laws of physics" and kept most of their discoveries secret.

[@MLFranklin]

The built-up ball or needle bearing motorcycle cranks I've seen have been pressed together.

[@DavidGragg82]

2 strokes have been using roller bearings in the crank, rods and piston wrist pin forever. Of course it’s because they are oiled through the fuel so no oil pump or oil bath for the bearings.

[@GroovesAndLands]

2 strokes have twice the number of combustion cycles - but they're half as big. Bugatti, Ferrari, Lambo, Mercedes, Lotus, BRM, Honda (and more) have all tried roller bearing bottom ends and NEVER get it to work right in a 4 stroke.

[@gs425]

@@GroovesAndLands Many motorbikes have roller bearing cranks. Not just 2 strokes, but for instance the original suzuki GS range of four strokes. Made them bullet proof

[@howardosborne8647]

@@GroovesAndLands But many high performance motorcycle manufacturers have made it work very reliably.

[@howardosborne8647]

@@gs425 I've been saying exactly the same thing as you have.

[@lmelnykowicz]

On top of welding, maybe drilling and pinning each joint would strengthen it up.

[@danielbriggs7110]

Just wrote similar myself 😅😅😅

[@oldleatherhandsfriends4053]

Needed to be splined together. Some snow mobiles have roller bearing cranks and they use keyways and slines to mechanically connnect the peices.

[@davisphillips7792]

First thing…. Awesome to see you guys! I think you did an awesome job fabricating a new off the bench (literally) crank shaft. I’ve always wanted to do the same thing. I figure machine the crank journals down the thickness of whatever needle bearings you find and then reassemble. That way the con rods and main caps don’t have to be thinner , or at least negligible machining on them. Thanks for sharing guys love your videos!

[@LeeSmith-dx7gg]

I think if the pins for the bearings were splined to mate with the crank throws and press fit then welded if may be more durable but I think you guys did a fantastic job for your first attempt.

[@nikosroussos1096]

What you should do next is to make a crossplane i4 engine by cutting and welding the crank as well as the camshaft for the new timing of the engine. I would love to hear a car with such a unique engine.

[@6agenthawk]

there was a rally car that used a crossplane for their i4 because it yielded better results in the corners iirc

[@user-qo3yy9nv1u]

Dude a cross-plane I-4 woukd sounds so cool

[@blackbirdpie217]

This has been done decades ago. An entry into the INDY races, it proved to be less reliable than plain bearings. Rollers just don't tolerate oil contamination or debris. But their solution was a split type bearing, like a clam shell bearing so the crank is forged and not welded. It's very entertaining and interesting to see it done in this video.

[@topfuelsuzi]

1970's era motorcycle engines used pressed together ball bearing crankshafts. For high performance duties the pressed together phases of the crankshaft had about 255% of the pressed journal. This was to stop the crankshaft going out of phase under high compressive combustion loads. Oil pressure failure did not mean a dead crankshaft. Very robust

[@AutomatedUser]

Ball/roller bearing crank has crossed my mind many times thank you for satisfying my curiosity

[@cliffcorbitt9494]

One day will you put a supercharger where the water pump goes and see if you can air cool a liquid cooled engine finally since we've asked a thousand times now???

[@B.V.Luminous]

It will work... Until it doesn't.

[@SwapBlogRU]

Hi. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever seen anybody making this sort of suggestion.

[@nickoloes]

Well I think more than a supercharger is needed. Maybe a couple air conditioning units could however

[@01DOGG01]

When you compress stuff, it gets hot. How much airflow would you need through those small spaces just to remove additional heat? I don't think that's possible for much longer than running it dry.

[@thehulkamaniabrother2.089]

That's a really stupid idea, and why they never did it.

[@slo3337]

Lighter crankshaft means less stored rotation energy. Use a heavier flywheel to fix idle issue.

[@stevenspaziani9159]

A very cool idea and it did work although temporarily. I have seen a roller bearing cam shaft something from the 60's I believe. It had a 2 peace bearing with some type of rollers inside and the halves were held together with a tiny spring like in a seal and allowed oil flow into the center of the bearing to lube the rollers. That's the only one I have ever seen and even a couple hot rod buddies never heard of such a thing. It was purchased in a whole bunch of old circle track car parts from the 50' to the 70's, sadly I don't know what it fits but I assume a Chevrolet. If anyone has ever heard of such a thing I would love to hear about it. But what I was getting at is, that would be the best way I can think of to make a ball bearing crank shaft and would it would definitely free up the crank shaft. Love your videos, you guys rock.

[@weasel884]

Lawn boy mowers were very well known to have a needle bearings in the crankshaft end it was very rare for them to ever have problems and would last as many times as you could get away with rebuilding the engine

[@kleetus92]

That's true, but it was also a 2 stroke with oil and gas being drawn through the crank area.

[@Iaintwoke]

Needle bearings were also common in two stroke small ends

[@jonpippen6998]

@@kleetus92 Ive got alot of 4 strokes that have ball bearing cranks with needle bearing rods. Idk why people keep talking like its a 2 stroke only thing.

[@kleetus92]

@@jonpippen6998 I've seen a few hondas with ball bearing mains, but never saw anything with needle bearing rods in 4 stroke. What engine/application?

[@jonpippen6998]

@@kleetus92 Look into gy6 150s Or CN250s or Linhai/vog 250/260/300s Just to name a few. Many many 4 stroke atv/bike motors are the same also. One piece cranks/rods (pressed together) with ball bearing mains and needle bearing big ends. No bearings on the small ends tho.

[@jacklarson6281]

my 50-cc scooter has needle bearings on the crank and wrist pin. the average rpm is around 6 to 10 grand. granted it is a single cylinder 4 stroke, but maybe using bearings on a small 4 banger might be viable.

[@poptartmcjelly7054]

bearings on the crank mains are quite common in motorcycles

[@Rudy97]

Ball bearings won't last on crank, needle bearings will (lots more surface area). Balls will quickly get flat spots.

[@SeanBZA]

@@Rudy97 Roller bearings will last though, like used on a lot of motorbike engines.

[@jwalster9412]

I wonder how much Performanceyou can get from a Lada engine just from adding EFI, ECUs, the ball bearings shown here, or even a turbo., but without swapping rods, pistons, or cranks.

[@gillespriod5509]

Every 2 stroke motorcycle has ball bearings for the crank and roller and needle bearings for the Rod, nothing strange, they work, rev very High and last long, Classic vespa engines last 100k km sometimes before rebuilt, and very powerful 125-250 bikes can last 50k with no problem, modern scooters are less reliable because cheap construction and the strain of the offcenter belt and CVT eats the crank bearings but they also can last

[@garyweber7139]

An old axel resplined and cut into the tolerances needed and broaching a channel in the counter weights for snap rings should hold together, also a bolt system could help with stiffness.

[@alasdair4161]

Take heart, your crankshaft was still stronger than a new Landrover crank.. similar lifespan too. Rather than welding, just make the journals and crankpins a press fit. That makes it much easier to assemble and correct any misalignment. You could also drill spit holes to cover the oiling problem.

[@howardosborne8647]

V6 Range Rovers are notorious for breaking the crank.

[@alasdair4161]

@@howardosborne8647 Oops, I meant Range rover...

[@BuddWolf]

My 1981 H-D has needle bearings in the lower end and you can tell when they go bad also. I had 78,000 miles on it and it was shaking like Charo(Latin dancer) and knocking like a diesel. Thanks for sharing the video post, best of luck 🍀to you, your crew and families ❤️

[@mann_idonotreadreplies]

Cool story bro

[@tonyv7660]

Vlad has a great mechanical mind. Always enjoyable. Greetings from USA.

[@WreckedRevival]

A lot of motorcycle crankshafts are press-fit with some being doweled and/or having keyways and use roller bearings on the ends and/or the middle as well. Cool approach to it though!

[@NIGHTOWL-jf9zt]

I've been thinking about how to create the crank shaft a little differently. Use a solid milled bar for the center and make keyway notches in it. The material for the counterweights, cut the ends in the appropriate place, drill and tap for bolts like the connecting rod caps. For the bearings, prepare the inside dimensions to fit the solid center rod, and press fit them into place. Balance the entire crank shaft. My idea means there will be weak points to break on the shaft like there were by welding individual sections with the bearings.

[@randyeller8139]

Wonder if you could spline the ends of the crankshaft sections and eliminate the need for welding. Might even be able to replace only the broke parts when it blew that way.🤔

[@ojonasar]

Was thinking that myself.

[@nunovyobeeswax4177]

I was thinking of splines with a retainer ring kind of thing

[@howardosborne8647]

There is actually no need to go to the extra complication of macining splined components just a simple pressed together interference fit is all that is required to do the job reliably. That is how most of the commercially made built up crankshafts are assembled.

[@sylwester8598]

13:31 God damn, this man knows what he is doing. In this stupid idea, the amount of knowledge, theory and physics used shows how great mechanic he is right now, we will see where he will be in 10 years!

[@TurboVisBits]

yup lol, figured since they were going to delete most of the crank oil splashing system he'd give it a chance with premix.

[@gabrielv.4358]

Agreed!

[@ASDASD34RDFS]

Yhea I was actually surprised he did that.

[@95Jester]

I love you guys! There is no other channel that could be compared to yours. Not just mind blowing, and well implemented projects, but expert skills and scientific explanation behind it. Greetings from Hungary! ☺️

[@elektro3000]

I haven't heard of any production cars with ball bearing crankshafts, but roller bearing cranks were definitely a think in the 50s and 60s. They are better than oil-fed plain bearings for high revs but loading them up at low revs will trash the bearings quickly. Roller bearings are much stronger and more durable for radial loads (which a crankshaft journal sees) but have very little side load capacity (which would be front-back loading in a crankshaft, and is unnecessary because thrust bearings take those loads). Another big difference is that roller bearing cranks always use open bearings, not grease-lubricated sealed bearings. The rollers and races need to be splashed with fresh oil. Grease and rubber seals will harden and break down over time. Oil will seep in and wash the grease away, but won't flow enough to properly lube the bearings. Also, debris in the oil will get trapped.

[@Digitalsharecropper]

You are not mechanics. You are engineers and artists. Master craftsmen

[@assolutobisonte7040]

Sergei, always thinking 10 steps ahead.

[@teebosaurusyou]

Inspiration would be found from '77 to '83 Japanese motorcycles with built up ball bearing cranks (heavy assembly fit of crank), ect. that stay together and straightened stock engines (with built up cranks) can handle many horsepower. HEAVY ASSEMBLY FIT, straightened and welded can handle greater than 1000hp.

[@howardosborne8647]

GS 1000 Suzuki and Z 1000 Kawasaki being just 2 examples where this works very reliably.

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

NTN has developed split roller bearings for automotive applications, including camshafts. These look like a great idea for reducing friction. Ball bearings are not good for lateral thrust applications whereas rollers are. Great job getting this done! The belated oil circuit confusion was entertaining. Might have to introduce some oil jets to splash the bottom of the pistons? Perhaps cross-pins through the intersections of the crank might have helped? Maybach and others successfully built tunnel crankshaft engines but these require bearing internal diameters larger than the crank throw. Doubt there is enough room to modify the crankcase for that in a Lada. Ever since owning a couple of Niva 4x4, I have always admired the simplicity and ruggedness of Russian vehicles. The Niva would often go places that vehicles costing 10x more could not. But they would have benefited from a 2 litre engine and maybe 300mm increase in overall length for road use. You could buy them new with a 2L Toyota diesel in New Zealand when Lada cars were taken in exchange for dairy products in the 1980s. A local company converted new Niva’s and they really were much improved by this engine. Love this channel - subscribed! 👍🏻

[@frederickjeremy]

I have thought of this for some years now. The solution i came up with for connecting the journals to the crank arms was a light press fit with machined splines, keyway, or some sort of interference rotational wise fit. A flat spot in the circle of both meshing parts. Then secure it together with a decent sized bolt and a beefy washer. I’ve dreamed of designing and building a stackable single cylinder heavy duty industrial engine like this. Design each cylinder so it could be mated to other cylinders either on end or in a v configuration.

[@killerdinamo08]

That's a very interesting idea 😃!

[@harrywalker968]

square mating surfaces, not round,,& woodroof keys.. or splined..this is why manufacturers dont do it..too much head fk & unreliable at 7000 revs..

[@Dp2011able]

Splined crankshaft with needle bearings was standard on Hirth aircraft engines in the -30s

[@Dp2011able]

Splined crankshaft with needle bearings was standard on Hirth aircraft engines in the -30s

[@kronk1623]

Can you try to make a cross-plane crank? Like the YZF R1?

[@Drainolordofsteves]

Suggestion for assembly of the crankshaft, you could spline the connected areas of the journals/ weights. Then either pin it in place or a bolt in the ends. Some 2 stroke cranks are modified like this so the pin/ pins cant walk out when making a decent amount of power or in high revs. They dont usually, but better safe than sorry.

[@ajroyle1075]

Exactly what I was thinking

[@dooby1445]

For backyard engineers, keyways instead of splines would be much easier to make. Are you saying a really long bolt would run through the entire crankshaft to keep it tensioned together? Almost like how a rotary engine block is clamped together? Interesting idea

[@ChrisGR93_TxS]

ball bearings are good and last forever on even rotational forces without major vibrations or temperature variations*. Crankshaft on the other hand have pretty hard rotational forces that depending the work* of the engine, shift dramatically. That's why they use oil pressure. Zero metal to metal contacts, minimum friction, runs cooler and the oil works as a dumping material to absorb any vibrations coming from the rods

[@tinkeralexander5639]

I'm so impressed that you do such advanced research with simple manual lathes and mills. It shows true genius that you solve complex problems with basic shop equipment.

[@doesntmatter3068]

Your statement made me laugh so hard........🤣

[@madattheinter]

Is Sergei the son of Vlad? If so, it’s really neat to see them be able to work together. Even if not, they’ve got a great rapport and are a fun team to watch!

[@ronblack7870]

until sergei is drafted for putins crazy war

[@bobkonradi1027]

Back in the 1960s, several Top Fuel dragster teams experimented with roller bearings for their crankshafts. The results were that there was no performance increase over conventional mains. Upon thoughts about the result, it was concluded that the cranks floated on a thin film of oil as it was, thus eliminating drag, and so did the cranks when supported by roller bearings. At most, it was a wash, with the cost of converting to roller bearing mains not offsetting any minimal performance increase.

[@gabrielhoy6790]

Would you ever revisit this idea with modifications? I second using roller bearing. As to the crankshaft, tighter tolerances with a press fit, then drill and pin each point of connection to prevent unwanted rotation?

[@x1dave651]

Finally With ur video my lunch is going to be perfect 👍🏼

[@Topsiekku]

And my dinner

[@grovermatic]

I really want to know what Russian phrase translates to "guinea-piggery".

[@Kalashnikov47247]

Which minute?😂

[@E.Asinus]

They release the videos in russian..

[@user-bq3fw4ps2e]

Животное для опытов.

[@AndToTheRepublic4WhichItStands]

Pretty sure their translator just makes sht up as he goes 😂

[@wizrom3046]

Lots of motorcycles have roller bearing crankshafts on the conrod big ends, sometimes even on the little ends at the piston pin. My old 1976 yamaha 650 had full roller bearings on both big and little ends, such a well designed engine. 👍

[@twl197860]

They used to use a multi pieced crankshaft in top fuel dragsters . They used splines to aline the pieces then a couple of tack welds to keep them from sliding out .

[@cartman20000]

This was what I was thinking seeing them put this together, it would make it a bit stronger using splines, instead of only just welding it together.

[@reedvending2384]

The concern I have is it appears that sealed bearings are being used. Would not bode well for lubrication

[@SeanBZA]

They will get lubricated, no issue there.

[@GroovesAndLands]

@@SeanBZA You don't think? Have you heard about the Porsche IMS bearing problem?? Don't used sealed bearings on engine internals.

[@justinjennings6836]

Ive thought about this forever its amazing to see it done.

[@Kingsoupturbo]

I was thinking maybe you could cut down a lada block to use as a jig for the crank welding\pinning to access both sides. Great video, look forward to an improved version, high compression, roller bearings, welded cam.

[@paigelooney6117]

Love garage 54 these guys are epic

[@thomasbradley4868]

I would love to see you build a rotary motor .

[@joe125ful]

Rotary Lada engine?:)

[@jonathanbrazeau970]

I've done this before, you need to make each part of the crankshaft mate using a square or keyed end that inserts into an equivalent recess on the other, this way, they "lock" into place, then you put a bolt through to tighten them. :)

[@WXSTANG]

Should have placed a small hole in the bearings for lube supply. If you don't have that there is an oil bypass in the filter area which will dump excess. That means no supply to the critical parts.

[@williamaittala7700]

many years ago a company called SPG made roller bearing crankshafts for VW and Porche... you need a modified oiling system as the roller bearing require a lot more volume

[@Tore_Lund]

The Saab 96 had ball bearing crankshaft, some old Morris's did too.

[@williamaittala7700]

@@Tore_Lund did not know that.... I just know that they (roller bearing crankshafts) are very expensive and engine blocks/cases have to be specially modified to use one if its not made that way from the factory

[@Tore_Lund]

@@williamaittala7700 They also had to be overhauled every 50.000km, if I remember correctly, but that as 1950' tech basically, materials today might be better, The Saab was two stroke, so it was obvious to use roller bearings like in a moped engine when there was oil in the gasoline already.

[@no-damn-alias]

This has been done before by automotive companies. Even with today modern engines there's about 6% of fuel saving with roller bearings. The problem is the assembly is rather expensive and noise and vibration harshness is a big issue with them What Ford will do on their 1.0Ecoboost mild hybrid is to install a roller bearing on the first crankshaft bearing pulley side. So to cover for the bigger loads due to the high torque there because of the belt starter generator. Gives about 2% fuel saving too overall. But they have to go long ways to reduce NVH

[@konradcomrade4845]

I think that is a good idea for Ford, but as these engines become more expensive, who can afford them. They are not high-priced Mercedes models! Maybe they could make this special crankshaft and the motor block so tough, that it lasts for 2 or 3 cars. Then sell the first car and lease its motor, so they can get the used motor block back later on and put it into the next model ! Silly idea maybe? I am having a Ford Tourneo 1.0 Eco boost, 95000km, frequent oil-changes ( twice per year) the engine is a little bit louder, than when new.

[@no-damn-alias]

@@konradcomrade4845 no in 1972 VW thought about something different. The long term car. So after 10 or 15 years the dealer could swap you in a more modern drivetrain or update other stuff instead of buying a whole new car to protect the environment with less material and energy usage. Guess where that idea landed in the end

[@LeeSmith-dx7gg]

Also balancing would remove the excess stress. I’m sure that had a lot to do with the failure. Hope you decide to keep working on it. I want to see it rev up and run!

[@ElectronikHeart]

Multiple pieces crankshafts are used in two stroke engines. And they are not welded but are strongly press fit. And they seem to be holding pretty well.

[@heshtesh]

My 901cc snowmobile engine is all roller and needle bearings and 190 hp. and it starts every time lol.

[@bigk3024]

@@heshtesh yeah, unfortunately that's not made for longevity

[@pauls5745]

i thought the engine sounded like it needs a higher rpm idle because the crank's rotating mass is a lot less, would need a heavier than stock flywheel to compensate

[@cornelius6304]

Let’s all drop a like for Garage 54’s top notch content.

[@kennethcohagen3539]

You could use woodruff keys to hold everything in place, then weld it together. You could also drill the main bearings to get more oil to them. The rod bearing aren’t going to get oiled though.

[@denisaljic]

Common... Hondas first production car was the S600 convertible that came with a Roller Bearing Crankshaft. Try this again if you guys have the time. If the oiling is done right and the balancing of the Crankshaft too, then you will have the most reliable Lada in the world!

[@martynwatson4929]

The webs and pins should have been a press/interference fit, no need to weld. common practice on old multi-cylinder motorcycle engines revving to 10,000 rpm. Suzuki gs1000 to name one.

[@creepingjesus5106]

See also Kawasaki cranks, Allen Millyard must have a hundred videos showing his custom ones. Brilliant idea, and like you say, they can rev some. But are they ever a chore to fix!

[@GroovesAndLands]

@@creepingjesus5106 Pin-together cranks work fine on 2 strokes, where the combustion pulses are half as strong but come twice as often. 4 strokes? Not so much.

[@howardosborne8647]

@@GroovesAndLands Wrong! There are loads of reliable high output 4 stroke motorcycle engines that run ball and roller bearing cranks without reliability issues.

[@brianmurphy8790]

I would have press-fit and pinned the crank together. Bearings will soon overheat with no oil flow through them.

[@nickc6332]

These guys are really good fabricators. I absolutely love their experiments and the name of their channel. It's hard to give these guys good ideas. They've got the resources and know how to do almost anything. But it has to be cost sensible and produce a decent amount of content.

[@MerpSquirrel]

Man that 2 stroke oil trick reveal. I love that he solved for the issue he was fishing for already. Awesome work.

[@austinmaxi]

Cross plane 4 cylinder Crank should be next! Also, Pressed Interference fit the Crank and rod journals into the webbing / counter weights and then cross pin them. No chance of them moving..no warpage from welding either. Lots of 2 stroke multi cylinder motor bikes use press fit cranks with ball bearing journals..

[@bradykay9322]

I've always wanted to see this done in a 4 cycle motor... you guys really are the best.

[@otisdavies1861]

How are you going to oil the cylinder walls and wrist pin bores. The main bearings supply the oil for the connecting rods and the connecting rods squirt oil onto the cylinder walls and wrist pins. You talked about oil cooling the piston skirts. In a 2 stroke engine, the charge of oiled fuel into the crankcase, it cools the piston skirts and cylinder walls. You had a great idea, but without oil holes in the connecting rod and main bearings, it will always have a lubrication problem. If you could use diamond carbide to drill oil holes, it could be a viable bearing set up. Great videos. They definitely give us reason to think of new unheard of projects. Thank you

[@twl197860]

Some Top Fuel dragsters used multi-piece crankshafts in the late 80's & early 90's . They used splines to keep them from spinning out of place .

[@michaelszczys8316]

I remember in early 1970s having an old Peugeot moped with tiny 2- cycle engine which had needle bearing connecting rod. I remember having it apart and trying to figure how they put the rod and bearings together on the one- piece crank.

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

Some truck engines & aero engines have roller bearing crankshafts, so they have been mass produced

[@jimmylanders2693]

standard rod and crank bearings are considered "frictionless bearings" since the pressurized oil makes a barrier between the metals. thats why they are used. 2-stroke oil may lubricate the cylinder, but the wrist pins still had no lubrication

[@bertgrau3934]

Carroll Shelby did the same thing in the 1960s, what he found was, the engine would crank over slightly faster, but it didn't make any more horsepower, or Torque. He concluded, that the bearings run in an oil film, therfore as soon as the oil pressure comes up, the roller bearings have no advantage over regular bearings. Mr. Shelby did that on a Ford 302 engine. And used an engine dyno to measure horsepower and Torque before and after.

[@billmoran3219]

You need to press together that crank , like how a motorcycle crank is done then pinned. Also the bearings are an issue , the Harley XR 750 used a bearing that the rollers were barreled shaped allowing for the side forces at big end of rod. Oil passages in crank would be a plus’s also.

[@thedoctor2102]

Try welding the crankshaft inside a sandblasting box filled with welding gas, that way you can just pull the nozzle off the mig welder and access more difficult part with with the mig welding tip.

[@GHuggins]

Bearings were attempted on cranks in Nascar engines like this. They don't hold up to compression and firing - beats them up. They also make needle rollers for cams, but have to idle very high for oil pressure.

[@jlo13800]

Funny car poppet valved loop charged 2 stroke hemi's use all needel roller cranks as the hemi is needle roller

[@msmeyersmd8]

How about roller bearings for all bearings except for the center main bearing. Use the center main bearing with a well oiled ball bearing to allow for thermal expansion while keeping the crankshaft centered. Like they do in large jet engines. Rods would use roller bearings too. High oil flow would be required for cooling but high pressure would not be required. Tolerances would need to be very tight. Higher quality metallurgy with minimal thermal expansion and strength. While retaining flexibility in the steel alloy would probably be required. In the block, crank and rods. It might up the cost just a bit? There would be weight penalty in using steel vs aluminum. That could be partially compensated by use of lighter secondary parts. Aluminum heads, fuel and oul pumps. All is ask is don't be BMW and use plastic anywhere in the engine. Maybe the intake manifold? But that's it.

[@newagetemplar6100]

Some good ideas , and agree . One of the problems will always be ‘pick up ‘ on the bearing faces and even if they could get away with a standard crank , journals would have to be hardened and ground unless split inner and outer races were used . I’m sure it can and has been done and would be a viable way . Problem is engine manufacturers make the excuse as ‘cost’. Funny though BMW have never made a decent engine since the e36 and 46 M3 , at least their Lada engine had a twin timing chain ! Bonus seeing as I’ve just done a timing chain on a poxy 2014 Bmw . Cam lobes 10mm wide , poorly designed plastic guides and a single cam chain no stronger than a bicycle. Crappy main and big end bearings , rubbish value train . All they had to do is copy a decent motorbike top end and job done 😡all down to useless cad designers, accountants and EU emissions regulations. If they didn’t put stupid gimmicks on the cars like heated steering wheels and saved a bit of weigh the cars would be more efficient anyway lol

[@msmeyersmd8]

@@newagetemplar6100 Thanks for the validation. When BMW went to plastic oil pans. I just gave up on them.

[@anonymousinc6330]

I initially predicted this thing is going to seize under load once it warms up. Lasted longer than expected. I wonder if bolting the journal / bearing assemblies between the crank weights would work better? Could possibly lubricate valvetrain / camshaft better by making a bypass tube through a filter offset such as a remote mount kit.

[@beaterbikechannel2538]

Following on, the Suzuki GS fours roller bearing cranks weren't welded probably because a motorcycle crank is a lot less stressed. Drive was taken from a gear cut into no 3 cylinder crank Web if I remember. The camchain was driven by a sprocket between cyls 2 and 3.

[@VirtualCryptid]

Awesome job! If you try again, I would bore and counter sink some holes through the webbing and pins, then either pin them in place, or bolt. Or pin and weld. That way you have extra strength!

[@jacobrodricson1554]

That was cool, could you grind a stock crank down to fit roller bearings into the clearance between the rod and crank then the crank could still lube the bearing you might need to fabricate some skirts to hold oil pressure.

[@jebuster38]

I think splined pins might have lasted a little longer then weld them where you can reach or use set screws so the bearings could be servicable. Great content, guys! I really enjoy your videos! You guys do the things I just get to think about.

[@tony69225]

You should drill very small holes in the bearings to get lubrication and cool down on the bearings. Plus you will get the oil splash under the piston. Try a normal crankshaft to get distribution of oil. I think you can try a bolt to bolt the crankshaft together at the bearings. Will be a little heavier but should add torque. You wel dial pins to keep it from turning and lock it in place.

[@brendangeraghty8865]

Balancing, or lack thereof, would have contributed to the crank breaking. Popping the seals of the bearings and letting them run full oil bath might help. Wishing you stability and prosperity, Comrades.

[@LegionGamingTV]

You guys should've made the crankshaft with splines like an axle, and put it together piece by piece. Would have been stronger, and easy to install. Good video!!

[@DarkDrai]

I am genuinely amazed at your ability to weld a crankshaft back together and keep it balanced. What is your secret? I MUST KNOW.