Nitride service for crankshafts

Mike Puckett

SCCoA Member
I was looking around the internet yesterday and I ran across this website:
http://shaftech.com/services.htm
I called them and talked for a few minutes. They can nitride a crankshaft for just under $200. The resulting surface hardness is at least a 60 on the Rockwell hardness scale. Those who have a crank that's been turned down 10 thousandths might want to consider additional nitride treatment to maintain the crank's oriiginal hardness.
 
wish i had the money to do this to the crank i just picked up off you just for that extra help!

whats everyone opinions about this!

thanks!
 
wish i had the money to do this to the crank i just picked up off you just for that extra help!
I wish I had found that website before I sold you that crank and I'd had it treated first. But then I couldn't have sold it for $50 either. Like I said earlier, if you change your mind, return it and I'll be happy to refund your purchase price minus the shipping charge I've already incurred. I asked him about nitriding my hard chromed crank and was told it doesn't work on hard chrome and it doesn't need it anyway. I'm still going to get it Mikronite treated though.
 
I wish I had found that website before I sold you that crank and I'd had it treated first. But then I couldn't have sold it for $50 either. Like I said earlier, if you change your mind, return it and I'll be happy to refund your purchase price minus the shipping charge I've already incurred. I asked him about nitriding my hard chromed crank and was told it doesn't work on hard chrome and it doesn't need it anyway. I'm still going to get it Mikronite treated though.

Mike,

Is this a process that only applies to a forged crank or will it also work on the 4.2 cast crank ?

David
 
Correct me if I'm wrong in this thinking, but don't we want to keep the metal plyable so it can "absorb" loading so to speak.. or a better term I guess is keeping the spring in the metal.

Wouldn't hardening like that take some of the spring out of it?

Just something to ponder.

Fraser
 
nitride is giving it a surface hardness not sure how deep I think .030" or so still leaving the center soft.
 
They are about 50 mi south of Toledo the guy told me, I can't remember the name of the town. Call them and ask 'em. David, that's a good question. You'd have to check with these guys, I don't have a clue. You'd think! It would make sense. I thought I read where the nitride on our cranks goes to .015???
 
I forgot how deep it goes but its only for surface hardnes really. Teh debate over what makes a good crank has been debated time and time again. Material type, forged vs billet...different types of forging...ugggg
 
Might have to see where they are, as it sounds like they are very close to me.
 
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Factory street cranks are typically nitrided for wear durability. There's also a surface finish spec that's important for both bearing wear and oil life. Both of these are usually ignored on the common parts store and machine shop reman cranks. I've run across some that the finish is so rough it will lift a fingernail and the part guys don't understand what's wrong. Crank journals shouldn't look, or feel, like brushed aluminum, lol.
 
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