820 needle bearings vs cage bearings

[travis stevens]

hello everyone im currently in the process of building a modified 820 and would like to know if the (cage )rod bearings are good.... i have been told in the past that i want to use needle bearings but i can not find them anywhere... any info would be appreciated and also im going to be running an hr tillotson what should i set the timing at on this motor.... it will be gas for fuel thanks

[ted johnson]

Full compliment needles are better than caged. You just have to dig until you find some. Try Dave Bonbright at 707 938-8122, or Dave Fillman at Fillman Machining, david@fillmanmachining.com 610 310-7312. Louie Figone might be able to point you to some if neither of the "Daves" have them. louiemtb@aol.com TJ

[travis stevens]

Thank you sir

[REAR]

Travis,

How about US Power direct

R.E.A.R.

[ted johnson]

I heard some talk that maybe the old style needles waxed together in a strip on a paper backing might be reintroduced. If that's the case, it'd be really worth applause. That setup is incredibly easy to install. you turn the block head end down, run the piston down in the bore so there's a little clearance between rod and crank and slide the strip of needles off the paper into the gap. Wrap the free end of the strip around the crankpin and install the cap. After torqueing, a quick heat with your Harbor Freight heat gun, a squirt of oil and you're finished. I hoard these NOS needles on a strip like gold! Ron Cubel had a few of them, and very kindly donated them to me. I'm saving them for the next Bonbright 610. TJ

[Dick Teal]

You can buy the needle bearings direct from US Motor Power. Do not use the caged bearings.

The factory ordered the needles for vintage karters so we need to support them. They also ordered the single groove dual ring pistons for us.

Dick Teal