Pistons R Pistons

["Bruce Hevner" <scramblr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>If it is just a stock rebuild and $ are a concern, I would go with the
Badger over the Keith Black.  If I recall correctly, the Keith Black pistons
for >AMC run a .930 floating pin which means you have to bush your rods.
This can cost about $200 for the parts and labor.  Add that to the cost of
the >pistons and you are better off buying a set of pressed pin forged
pistons.  Not worth the extra $ for a piston that is only slightly better
than a cast >Badger piston.  I have Ross forged pistons for AMC that will
cost about the same as the Keith Black pistons by the time you are done
bushing your >rods and they are a much higher quality piston.

I agree, I forgot about the crazy way KB has adapted their CHEVY pistons for
use in the AMC. I like KB's in general but I think this was cheesy on their
part. If a customer wanted to adapt their Chevy piston for use in an AMC on
THEIR part, that's one thing. But to require THAT much modification FROM the
customer to use THEIR part??? No thanks,, I don't like that.
I have used ROSS pistons in the past and they are a thing of beauty that
work as good as they look. They were very helpful in making up custom
pistons for my race Toyota engines. I don't recall a single failure.
One thing I do slightly disagree with is that KB's are "slightly better than
stock". They really are a good bit better at resisting skirt galling, and in
strength. This is one of the main reasons many of the imports use "Hyper"
pistons in their Turbo motors. We saw this a LOT in the Mitsu 2.6 engines.
The stock pistons would gall the skirts, even in a stock engine. The "Hyper"
pistons NEVER galled the skirts. And "in general" they will tend to be
lighter than forged pistons. So IF they were a "bolt in" replacement for the
AMC motors I WOULD recommend them as a heavy duty upgrade. As it is,, I'll
take Ross, I have also had good luck with BRC pistons. I did NOT have good
luck with Wiesco,, but that's another story!!
Bruce Hevner