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Ford FT Crankshaft / Repair / Shoot-Peening
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 3:24 pm
by Large_911
Hello All,
I am doing my first Ford FT engine build (391), and had a question about the crankshaft. My question pertains to the # 1 & 5 rod journal area per the attached pics. My feeling is that the notches in there are NOT factory. Would anyone have any idea why these provisions are there? I have a complete 361 FT on its way (out a school bus), but I purchased this 391 crank separately. Please see questions / comments below:
1) Why the notches?
2) This is a forged steel crank; can these notches be welded (not by me...someone w/ proper equipment & alloy), then contoured?
3) Per # 2, can anyone recommend a shop that specializes in crankshaft repair? I am really looking for a shop that would repair the notches, and shot-peen the crank. I am in southern NJ, but have no problem shipping this thing to wherever...just want it done right. More preferable, is a shop that will do what was mentioned, plus cut it and balance the whole thing (external).
Thanks in advance! I forgot how much I used to love this forum...been years!
Re: Ford FT Crankshaft / Repair / Shoot-Peening
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:09 am
by BCjohnny
No FE/FT expert but those notches look like at least one other 391 crank I've seen, so unless it's the same one ......
Otherwise looks like typical factory fixturing clamp points to me
If it's really bothering you just blend it into a complete radius rather than a three sided notch, but it's not exactly a highly stressed area where cranks break .... ugly notches are common on many cranks in that location
Re: Ford FT Crankshaft / Repair / Shoot-Peening
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:54 am
by Large_911
BCjohnny wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:09 am
No FE/FT expert but those notches look like at least one other 391 crank I've seen, so unless it's the same one ......
Otherwise looks like typical factory fixturing clamp points to me
If it's
really bothering you just blend it into a complete radius rather than a three sided notch, but it's not exactly a highly stressed area where cranks break .... ugly notches are common on many cranks in that location
Thanks for the feedback -- I feel a little better. Yeah, I never saw notches like that. I definitely would want to radius that area for sure.
Re: Ford FT Crankshaft / Repair / Shoot-Peening
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:30 am
by Baprace
Large_911 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 11, 2021 3:24 pm
Hello All,
I am doing my first Ford FT engine build (391), and had a question about the crankshaft. My question pertains to the # 1 & 5 rod journal area per the attached pics. My feeling is that the notches in there are NOT factory. Would anyone have any idea why these provisions are there? I have a complete 361 FT on its way (out a school bus), but I purchased this 391 crank separately. Please see questions / comments below:
1) Why the notches?
2) This is a forged steel crank; can these notches be welded (not by me...someone w/ proper equipment & alloy), then contoured?
3) Per # 2, can anyone recommend a shop that specializes in crankshaft repair? I am really looking for a shop that would repair the notches, and shot-peen the crank. I am in southern NJ, but have no problem shipping this thing to wherever...just want it done right. More preferable, is a shop that will do what was mentioned, plus cut it and balance the whole thing (external).
Thanks in advance! I forgot how much I used to love this forum...been years!
Large_911 , I would not fill in the cuts on the rod journal , I have seen that type of cut many times , if you alter that journal then you will upset the balance of the crank , Now if that was my crankshaft I would have it balanced , because if one crank is out of a super duty engine and the other one is not super duty your balance will be off. If you look at the cuts on the journal there are no sharp 90* angles. JMHO
Re: Ford FT Crankshaft / Repair / Shoot-Peening
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:07 am
by Geoff2
Pretty sure those cut outs are machining targets, used to set up the crank for machining operations.
Re: Ford FT Crankshaft / Repair / Shoot-Peening
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:32 am
by Large_911
Baprace wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:30 am
Large_911 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 11, 2021 3:24 pm
Hello All,
I am doing my first Ford FT engine build (391), and had a question about the crankshaft. My question pertains to the # 1 & 5 rod journal area per the attached pics. My feeling is that the notches in there are NOT factory. Would anyone have any idea why these provisions are there? I have a complete 361 FT on its way (out a school bus), but I purchased this 391 crank separately. Please see questions / comments below:
1) Why the notches?
2) This is a forged steel crank; can these notches be welded (not by me...someone w/ proper equipment & alloy), then contoured?
3) Per # 2, can anyone recommend a shop that specializes in crankshaft repair? I am really looking for a shop that would repair the notches, and shot-peen the crank. I am in southern NJ, but have no problem shipping this thing to wherever...just want it done right. More preferable, is a shop that will do what was mentioned, plus cut it and balance the whole thing (external).
Thanks in advance! I forgot how much I used to love this forum...been years!
Large_911 , I would not fill in the cuts on the rod journal , I have seen that type of cut many times , if you alter that journal then you will upset the balance of the crank , Now if that was my crankshaft I would have it balanced , because if one crank is out of a super duty engine and the other one is not super duty your balance will be off. If you look at the cuts on the journal there are no sharp 90* angles. JMHO
Thanks. Yeah, the consensus here says the notches are factory, so I definitely won’t be filling them in. Definitely will be balancing this.