Connecting Rods¶
Link piston to crank. Their length sets the rod ratio (how the engine loads the cylinder walls), and their strength caps RPM.
What it is¶
The connecting rods join each piston to the crankshaft. Their key properties are length and weight, which together with the stroke give the rod ratio (rod length ÷ crank stroke), plus a maximum safe RPM.
Why it matters¶
- Rod ratio shapes how the piston accelerates and how side-load is applied to the cylinder walls. A longer rod (higher ratio) dwells the piston near top dead center and tends to be kinder to the engine at high RPM; a shorter rod is more compact but loads the bores harder.
- Weight adds to the reciprocating mass — lighter rods help the engine rev, heavier rods add inertia.
- Max RPM — rod strength is a classic redline limiter; like every part, its ceiling feeds the engine redline.
How to tune it¶
For a high-RPM build, favor strong, light rods with a healthy rod ratio. For a torque-focused street engine the rod choice is less critical — match strength to the RPM you'll actually use.
Rule of thumb
Rods are about survival at RPM more than power. Pick them strong enough for your redline, then let the head and cam make the power.
In the game¶
Rod selection on the Setup page contributes to inertia and to the engine's max-RPM ceiling.