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How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods #2940192
07/05/21 04:06 PM
07/05/21 04:06 PM
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hp383 Offline OP
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Just curious as to how one can visually ID the 6 pack rod from a standard rod?

RB motor in particular.


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Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: hp383] #2940199
07/05/21 04:22 PM
07/05/21 04:22 PM
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I never used six pack rods, they are from my memory 100 grams heavier than a standard 440 rod. They are easy to see the difference in size, just comparing them side by side. Because of that all real 440 six pack engines are externally balanced. Unless you really want a perfect numbers matching engine for a restoration, they have little use. A good set of aftermarket H beam rods and a light modern piston is far superior on any 440 combination street or strip. So if you wanted a real six pack rod in a regular 440, cost would include a balancer, weights for the converter, or a new converter, and machine shop labor to balance it. You could easy buy a set of good after market rods and have change left over. A standard 440 rod, with a set of ARP bolts will work great for any street 440 engine.

Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: jwb123] #2940207
07/05/21 05:02 PM
07/05/21 05:02 PM
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2951908 is the number forged in the beam.

Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: jwb123] #2940213
07/05/21 05:12 PM
07/05/21 05:12 PM
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hp383 Offline OP
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Originally Posted by jwb123
I never used six pack rods, they are from my memory 100 grams heavier than a standard 440 rod. They are easy to see the difference in size, just comparing them side by side. Because of that all real 440 six pack engines are externally balanced. Unless you really want a perfect numbers matching engine for a restoration, they have little use. A good set of aftermarket H beam rods and a light modern piston is far superior on any 440 combination street or strip. So if you wanted a real six pack rod in a regular 440, cost would include a balancer, weights for the converter, or a new converter, and machine shop labor to balance it. You could easy buy a set of good after market rods and have change left over. A standard 440 rod, with a set of ARP bolts will work great for any street 440 engine.


My main reason for asking is to determine if the external balanced, cast crank 1979 stamped RV 440 I have here to work with is using 6 pack rods (I have been told many times over several decades, that truck engines and RV engines were often assembled with 6 pack rods from Ma Mopar).

I don't know that I will have any budget to change rods at this point. I just want to know what I have for reference.


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Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: A727Tflite] #2940214
07/05/21 05:13 PM
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hp383 Offline OP
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Originally Posted by Transman
2951908 is the number forged in the beam.


Thanks !


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Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: hp383] #2940299
07/05/21 09:57 PM
07/05/21 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by hp383
Originally Posted by jwb123
I never used six pack rods, they are from my memory 100 grams heavier than a standard 440 rod. They are easy to see the difference in size, just comparing them side by side. Because of that all real 440 six pack engines are externally balanced. Unless you really want a perfect numbers matching engine for a restoration, they have little use. A good set of aftermarket H beam rods and a light modern piston is far superior on any 440 combination street or strip. So if you wanted a real six pack rod in a regular 440, cost would include a balancer, weights for the converter, or a new converter, and machine shop labor to balance it. You could easy buy a set of good after market rods and have change left over. A standard 440 rod, with a set of ARP bolts will work great for any street 440 engine.


My main reason for asking is to determine if the external balanced, cast crank 1979 stamped RV 440 I have here to work with is using 6 pack rods (I have been told many times over several decades, that truck engines and RV engines were often assembled with 6 pack rods from Ma Mopar).

I don't know that I will have any budget to change rods at this point. I just want to know what I have for reference.

From my memory. yes the Motor home engines had six pack rods.

Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: hp383] #2940307
07/05/21 10:14 PM
07/05/21 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted by hp383
[quote=jwb123]

My main reason for asking is to determine if the external balanced, cast crank 1979 stamped RV 440 I have here to work with is using 6 pack rods (I have been told many times over several decades, that truck engines and RV engines were often assembled with 6 pack rods from Ma Mopar)

You and a lot of other mopar racers and "experts" where told wrong.
Dodge stop using the H.D. 413-3 industrial and H.D. truck and marine motors in the Dodge motorhome chassis in early 1973 and started using the 440-3 engines that did NOT use the Hi Po six pack rods, they used a rod design for those motors.
I'm not saying that maybe some of the H.D. 440-3 motors didn't end up with some of them rods but all the ones I've had and seen didn't have the six pack rods in them shruggy
The six pack rods are way beefier in the beam and way heavier also down Once you see one you will never forget what they look like, especially when held next to a stock LY rod. I don't have any of them in my shop now as I sold all of them along time ago to buy better, stronger custom built BB Chevy type H and I beam long race rods up work
If I still had one I would take a picture of it next to a LY rod for all of you to see but I don't whiney shruggy

Last edited by Cab_Burge; 07/05/21 10:15 PM.

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Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: Cab_Burge] #2940322
07/05/21 11:26 PM
07/05/21 11:26 PM
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From FBBO - far right is the Six Pack rod. Center two are max wedge. Far left is 4 bbl. rod.

2E227BF6-87C4-45B4-B881-3AECF2640C2B.jpeg
Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: A727Tflite] #2940565
07/06/21 04:40 PM
07/06/21 04:40 PM
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The one on the left doesn't look like the ones I remember looking at, not wide enough on the beams shruggy twocents
All the 1970 and 1971 "six pack rods" I've seen, had and held and look a lot like the street hemi rods but with 3/8 bolts instead of the 7/16 bolts, not like any of those in the picture tsk. I used them in several original motors for stock rering, cam and lifters and valve job rebuilds.
On any and all my Hi Po serious builds I use new after market longer forged steel I beam or H beam rods with the 7/16 bolts up

Last edited by Cab_Burge; 07/08/21 09:12 PM.

Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: Cab_Burge] #2940600
07/06/21 06:29 PM
07/06/21 06:29 PM
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I have a 74 or 75 engine out of a motor home with big rods, low pistons and neutral balance balancer, truck manifolds

Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: A727Tflite] #2940806
07/07/21 12:26 PM
07/07/21 12:26 PM
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thanks for the picture comparing rods transman. up
i just sent a set of '62 max wedge pistons and rods to carlisle with my buddy.
i didn't know for sure what they were, but by the looks of the two rods in the center, it appears they are maxie pieces.
the pistons are junk, but the rods are usable.
thanks again ! bow
beer

Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: moparx] #2940845
07/07/21 01:57 PM
07/07/21 01:57 PM
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Early Maxie rod is 2406395. Later rod is 2406886.

If looking for more durability I would use the 886 rod over the 395.

Engineering must have seen a need to add weight. The beam has a thicker cross section and the area between the rod bolt and beam is thicker also.

Last edited by Transman; 07/07/21 01:59 PM.
Re: How to ID 6 Pack rods vs Standard Rods [Re: A727Tflite] #2941245
07/08/21 03:50 PM
07/08/21 03:50 PM
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hp383 Offline OP
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Thank you much for the pictures. That will come in handy.


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