Connecting Rod

A Connecting Rod also called a corn rod is the part of a piston engine which connects the piston to the crankshaft. Together with the crank, the Connecting Rod converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into the rotation of the crankshaft.

Normally Connecting Rods are forge manufactured and the materials used is typically mild and medium carbon steel. The ends where the Rod is connected to the X-head or crankpin have bearings which are made of white metal working surface and shims are used to make the necessary adjustments.

There are four bolts at each connection point which help for assembly and removal if the connecting Rod, and are tightened to their required torque using hydraulic jack.

Incase of auxiliary marine diesel engines which are 4-stroke engines the corn rod is constructed by drop forging and the material used in normally alloy steel and the a alloy metals being nickel, chromium and molybdenum. The bottom end connecting boults of 4-stroke engines often fail due to severe forces acting on them and this failure in turn can cause various structural damages in the engine in turn. hence it is very necessary to tighten the boults properly and keep checking for their tightness, lest one has to pay a heavy price for this minor negligence later on.