[Black 65 GTO]

Anyone out there have any first hand experience with CAT Rods? They also seem to make other items, such as roller lifters, that look incredibly familliar to other brands. They make a "forged steel" stock replacement Pontiac Rod that is pretty darn resonable.

[ June 08, 2002, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: Black 65 GTO ]

[Black 65 GTO]

Anyone out there have any first hand experience with CAT Rods? They also seem to make other items, such as roller lifters, that look incredibly familliar to other brands. They make a "forged steel" stock replacement Pontiac Rod that is pretty darn resonable.

[ June 08, 2002, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: Black 65 GTO ]

[Goatman]

http://www.pontiacs.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=144

Not sure if they're any good or not, but this thread was started by a guy who bought a set. I'm not convinced yet.

[MoJo]

I bought a set a couple of months ago. They look good. I also have a set of CAT roller rockers. Look fine also. The acid test is to used them and I'm not there yet. Soon

[MoJo]

Let me add, I purchased the H-Beam rods. They look very much like the Eagle or SCAT rods. Very clean pieces.

[ponchopete]

Supposedly, Scat, CAT, Eagle, Renegade, Pro-Torque, etc. all buy their rods of the same boat from China and just finish machine them at their respective facilities. Even if they don't come off of the same boat, they're still all Chinese rods. Look at how long the Eagle's have been around, and how much abuse they can handle. I don't see anything wrong with the CAT rods. If you get them, just make sure you have them thoroughly checked by your machine shop as you would with any other rods to make sure the finish work is up to snuff.

[Black 65 GTO]

For my future 389 build, these forged OEM replacements will probably work fine as I don't expect horsepower to be over 450-475.

It did mention that all of the OEM forged rods are magnafluxed, stressed relieved, and shotpeened.

From the CAT Website:

"CONNECTING RODS - 5140 OEM REPLACEMENT
All C.A.T. connecting rods are manufactured from high quality chrome moly forging steel. They are designed for heavy duty and high performance applications with strength 150% over OEM. All rods are equipped with 12 points nuts and bolts to obtain higher tensile strength.

All C.A.T. rods feature:

Rods and caps are forged separately from the highest quality steel to obtain optimum grain flow.

Surface hardness HRB 228-269 to ensure higher tensile strength.

All rods have been treated with magnaflux inspection, stress relieve, and shot peening.

Weight control for each rod within five(5) gram tolerance, and balanced for every set within eight(8) grams tolerance.

8740 bolts with tensile strength over 190,000 PSI.

Center to Center precision manufacturing with tolerances within 0.001" to obtain the best possible performance."

For the sum of $360.00, it seems like a pretty good deal for a stock dimension, forged steel rod.

[ June 08, 2002, 11:12 PM: Message edited by: Black 65 GTO ]

[LenCaverly]

I looked at their site and they have a good product line if the quality is there it would seem that their oem replacement rod would be good for engines putting out over 500 hp and probably at not much more than reworking a set of stock rods.Where did you get your rods ,direct or thru a dealer?
Len

[Goatman]

Originally posted by ponchopete:
Supposedly, Scat, CAT, Eagle, Renegade, Pro-Torque, etc. all buy their rods of the same boat from China and just finish machine them at their respective facilities. Even if they don't come off of the same boat, they're still all Chinese rods. Look at how long the Eagle's have been around, and how much abuse they can handle. I don't see anything wrong with the CAT rods. If you get them, just make sure you have them thoroughly checked by your machine shop as you would with any other rods to make sure the finish work is up to snuff.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">They all come from China, but from different factories and that can be the difference between low quality and high quality, from what I understand.

[Black 65 GTO]

Len,

I have not purchased a set as of yet. You can order direct from CAT. Their website has all of the information and pricing.

WWW.CATPEP.COM

Also note that they have Pontiac solid roller lifters for $135.00 a set!

[PONTIAC DUDE]

We handle and stock, Pro Torque rods. Same stuff different day.
Check the past Race Archives for how much abuse the Dude threw to them........... and they run upside down too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Black65GTO;

That "IS" a good price on lifters that we might have matched except that they won't have any Roller lifters for a Pontiac till late August.

[ June 10, 2002, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: PONTIAC DUDE ]

[Formula 400]

I've been wondering myself on this topic, one local speed shop here sells cat parts so i asked them about them, he said that yes infact all eagle, cat, prower, and all other rods made overseas are from the same plant, i also called and talked a while with eagle directly, i basically got out of them that they are made overseas at the same plant, but eagle gets the rods from them, does the own prep, then sends them out to be sold, the others are just sold outright, hense the lower price. i ordered a set of cat rods, and i also ordered a set of eagle, comparing the 2 they do look quite simmilar but a few things, the beams and rods over all of the eagle look better, also the bottom cap is quite a bit more meaty on the eagle, plus like eagle said they have there own special made ARP rod bolts, the cat has no names on them, but are not ARP. also there is a bit of a diffrence in weight, the eagle is a bit lighter also.............i also tryed this one a set of roller lifters, got a set of cat, got a set of crane, agian over all the crane units looked much better and more beefy and more cleaner made, also the side bars that connect the roller lifters didnt fit perfectly on some of the cat units but perfect on all the crane. one more item, im having some cat caps put on my block. machine shop said it took ALOT of time with them to get them round, agian quilty not that great, i've also heard alot of people getting the cat cranks and having to do alot of removing to get them to balance out right,.......................so in conclusion is the cat products good at the more expensive? NO, if your on a really tight budget and just want to get something to work, sure i bet there fine. but if you have a really expensive engine build going i would say go with the good parts and know you'll be ok, there are a few people out there having good results in 400-500 HP engines with cat parts, but i have not found any higher then that with the cat products. but i have with the eagle and better companys.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Hummmmmmm. Rod? 500hp?
How can you relate the rod to 500hp without any other factors?
I do agree the the part used is directly related to the hp/torque needed to survive.
But the figures used is dependent on application and internal weights.

You have to remember that these overseas parts are placed in the market because there is a demand. And in a lot of cases better then old used factory parts better then 20 years old.

Cat, Pro Line, etc, Rods for the money if properly checked work great in many engine combos.

Caps, haven't tried them, same deal. always used the Pro Gram Engineering Main Billet Caps with Great sucess.

Lifters? haven't had any to abuse. LOL.

Formula 400.
Good post with great info.
Stuff like this is what the boards are for.
One person can't test, compare and try every part out there.