MTFCA Forum

Does anyone know if Kohnke Rebabbitting is still in operation? I’m suspecting that I have a few bent rods in a newly done engine and would like to have them all checked. Herm had done excellent work for me in the past and I do know that his son was continuing the business after his passing, but haven’t had any luck reaching him. Also, who else is reputable for rod straightening nowadays?

Yes he in business and his name is John

Thanks guys. John sent me his cell number.

It's not rocket science to make your own mandrel to check them, they can even be realigned in a good 6" bench vice.

Dave, since you are sharp enough to be concerned about bent rods, you know how to avoid bending them during piston installation & removal.
I will say, I check every rebabbited rod I get before installing. Around 1/2 from suppliers are out of square/bent.
I have found bent rods in fresh rebuild motors that I had to go thru to correct builders errors.
Trust but verify.

I agree with John, even though you pay "good money" for re-Babbitted con. rods, one should verify that they are straight !

Stevens & KR Wilson both made superior tools for checking rods - I also have a flywheel attachment for setting magnet heights for my Stevens.

Luvin' the flywheel attachment.
I got some building to do.

I took the idea from the Ford Service Manual !

This is my Ausrtalian made set up for rod aligning. Instead of multiple round mandrels to take multiple sized rods, it comes with just 3 machined square mandrels. These can take rods as small as T up to large diesel truck rods. My local machine shop never had a use for their small one, so it was given to me. 10 years later my cousin found the matching precision vice used to straighten rods. Allan from down under.

I’d sure like to find one of these fixtures

The fixtures show up @ swap meets occasionally but, the seals are rarely with them & a hard find.
Simple, functional substitutes can be made from about a 4" notched square plate.