We all want America to be the leader of the Free World but some do not quite understand how or why we got where we are.

Let me educate you on this. Some say it is cheap labor over there. Nope. Wrong. They actually make pretty good money over in China and shipping from there to here eats up most of the rest of the difference. Yes, there are many there who are not getting paid much same as here and every where else but for the most part those that say they are not making any money over there simply do not know what they are talking about. The good quality parts and machines that come from China are paying good. China has invested billions in Automation, CNC machines, Robotics and new Technology. That has helped them for sure.

SO WHY ARE FOREIGN GOODS CHEAPER?

Payroll Taxes, Business Taxes and Federal Regulations, EPA Rules etc. Business laws and regulations that make it more expensive. We can even deal with that but we can not compete with the Taxes. Our Government.

So everything that is Made in America has a HUGE TAX LOAD built in. (Approx 50%)Things that come from China pay no TAXES and were getting a complete free ride. Until Trump put Tariffs on stuff from China they paid NO TAXES. You can import billions of dollars worth of goods and simply have to pay a $500 a year annual bond and about $200 US Customs inspection charge on each shipment. $500 a year plus $200 each shipment where we get about 50% of cost of our goods Made in America goes to TAXES. The way our Tax System is set up the Working man is paying for most everything while others get a free ride on the backs of the working man and women.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

Very Simple. Eliminate all Payroll Taxes and most Corporate Taxes and have a point of Sale tax. Then it does not matter if you are an Illegal Alien working for cash under the table, a topless dancer who makes $500,000 a year in small bills or if the goods you purchase are Made in America, China or any place else taxes will get paid on the goods when they are sold. QUIT TAXING OUR PAY AND START TAXING OUR PURCHASES. SIMPLE.

Our Government wants to stick the New World Order up us yet wants to keep old tax system that is not working now. Out Tax system worked great when everything of value was Made in America. Now other Countries are getting a 50% tax break on everything they sell here and we can not compete with that Handicap.

Going to a point of Sale Tax and eliminating Payroll taxes will eliminate the problem.........

Not exactly. Here is the problem to that, we have a Government that is spending out of control and no regards for the will of the American people. We all know that they would just look at it a way way to steal MORE money from us.

As some may have realized we have found the problem and it is the Government. The problem is our Government and our Taxes. Basically same thing that has destroyed many others.

That's a very good post and is true...

Our F'ing gov't thinks it's Robin Hood....and in the long run will destroy America playing this dangerous game....

We are losing our A-S-S to China.....and it won't stop until these morons in Gov't wake the h-e-l-l up....

Bless your Heart you just do not get it.

Every person all over the World tries to get the most for their hard earned money.

They take out 25% of your pay before you ever get it for TAXES. There is all kinds of Corporate Taxes and Regulations adding ANOTHER 25% or more to the cost of goods Made in America. That is built in to the cost of goods same as payroll and material costs. It has to be added in nothing is free.

Goods imported do not have that cost built in. Literally pay no TAXES. None. I can import $400,000 worth of goods and just have to pay shipping and a $200 US Customs inspection fee. That's it. Plus the one annual Bond of $500.
Trump did put some Tariffs in place but Biden has said he is going to remove them if he has not already.

Now you are right about terrible trade deals. Bill Clinton should have never gave China "Most Favored Trade Status" in 1994, that was the real start of our problems. At that time China pay was very low and quality was not that good. Many things have changed since then.

China taxes everything that comes into the Country a lot. There is a lot of BMW's, Mercedes, Audi's etc there and they cost about 4 times more to buy than they do here because of the import Taxes.
You said "Two... If China paid their exploited workforce, they would have their own consumer economy." They do have a huge consumer economy there. They have very nice Hotels, cars, houses, stores, malls and Restaurants. Business is booming there and the streets are in better shape than here in America. There is not as many pot holes in the roads, they keep the streets clean and sidewalks swept. One strange thing I noticed in China is Homeless people is not a problem like it is here. There are people that look homeless but they have a broom and sweeping the sidewalks or rags and wiping down the handrails etc. Everyone is doing something and not looking for handouts. I have been to China 3 times it sounds to me like you are talking from emotion and not on facts. I am talking from actual experience and not emotion.

While I am not for TAXING everything that comes into America we can not give them a huge TAX break on everything Imported while we here in America are taxed to death on what we build here. So it really is about Taxes.

I do not care how it is done. America is the Greatest Country in the World and I have been all over the World. America can compete with anyone and win as long as we are on Equal footing. Our own Tax Code gives everyone but us an advantage in our own Country!

Looks like someone deleted their post. Hmmmmm.

Back on topic....
I have learned that no matter how much you spent, or what materials were used, they all look the same after you have run over the rotating assembly.

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
Back on topic....
I have learned that no matter how much you spent, or what materials were used, they all look the same after you have run over the rotating assembly.

Lol, that is true but kind of wanting opinions on what is best.

Lunati was my choice until the buyout games began.

Lunati crank / Lunati rods / Lunati piston assemblies were awesome.

Pro Mod rods were the choice piece
.
Hank The Crank (HTC) with Lunati rods and JE's

Moldex

Callies

quote:

Originally posted by Curly1:
Bless your Heart you just do not get it.

Every person all over the World tries to get the most for their hard earned money.

You said "Two... If China paid their exploited workforce, they would have their own consumer economy." They do have a huge consumer economy there. They have very nice Hotels, cars, houses, stores, malls and Restaurants. Business is booming there.

Sounds good, you should move to china, instead of costing Americans their jobs, peddling your china garbage here.

Carrillo simply because it did not break in our case, it bent. We lost two new needles and seats pulling out for a round. Basically we hydraulic’d the motor. It fired up, cleaned up ran .04 slower at 6.83. We knew something was wrong...then found it. I believe most rods would have failed. Especially aluminum.

In my little 408 SBC, I'm using my second set of Howard's Sport rods (no longer made). They were American forgings. I'm also using a Callie's crank. I've had good luck with these two.

Just reading over this thread again and have some questions. It was mentioned that Oliver rods have been having issues? I've been looking into new rods for my stuff, going away from aluminum, and Oliver are one of the rods I'm looking at. I can't seem to find anywhere anything that is a concern with Oliver rods, and the two cases of rod failure that I did find the user blamed the rods, but it ended up being something else and not the rod. Any input is welcome.

We have run Billet Scat cranks(varying strokes) in the heads up car for years with no issues at all. SBC stuff fwiw, never had any issues ever with the crank. We have changed them out simply to change the size of the engine as we keep going smaller. The last couple have been sold to a guy in Hawaii with a fast bracket car and no issues with him either.

FWIW my bracket junk all have Bryants. Different engine combo(BBM)than the heads up car and a ot more stroke.

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoracer:
Just reading over this thread again and have some questions. It was mentioned that Oliver rods have been having issues? I've been looking into new rods for my stuff, going away from aluminum, and Oliver are one of the rods I'm looking at. I can't seem to find anywhere anything that is a concern with Oliver rods, and the two cases of rod failure that I did find the user blamed the rods, but it ended up being something else and not the rod. Any input is welcome.

I would take free Oliver rods and toss them in the trash!

Nuff said.

Crower rods and cranks
Lunati rods and cranks
Callies cranks and rods
Oliver rods

Even, Manley rods
Eagle cranks
Eagle rods and some of the better Scat stuff

My engines and friends/customers

Never broke any of them

Had a rod bolt break on a Crower rod but it was from a bad TQ sequence on that one

If you spin a bearing don't blame the rod or crank if it breaks or is torn up....

The last upgrade I did on my own engine was all Callies......crank and rods....

Doing another SB now and it will likely be Scat crank and rods.....the last one I did the crank was very nice and so were the rods.

650hp engine 7000 rpm

Pick your parts somewhat by the expected HP and RPM. You don't need a 3000 dollar crank in a 500 hp SB !

The biggest problem with some of the import cranks like Eagle was terrible finish work.....sizing all over the place and tapered....

The only powerglide input shaft I ever broke was a supposedly 300M from a big name trans builder......

Amazing... they always blame the rod don't they?

Rod bolts?? whats that lol Called improper yield and stretch. > Cycles.... Too many will get ya most of the time.

Callies crank and carrilo rods for what we have now with some boost. if it is just a bracket motor ( under 700 SBC or under 1000 BBC) then Eagle or manley should be fine.

I have a friend that had a couple of lightweight Windbergs in a 454 SBC and after a season and a half they both looked like spider webs when mag'ed, that was in a bracket application and big for a SBC.

quote:

Originally posted by SCDIV1:
Crower rods and cranks
Lunati rods and cranks
Callies cranks and rods
Oliver rods

Even, Manley rods
Eagle cranks
Eagle rods and some of the better Scat stuff

My engines and friends/customers... Never broke any of them

650hp engine 7000 rpm Pick your parts somewhat by the expected HP and RPM. You don't need a 3000 dollar crank in a 500 hp SB !

Eagle Crank in 650 hp sbc. Broke the front cheek at the 7/8 and came out the back of a SHP engine.

quote:

Originally posted by TOP38:


I would take free Oliver rods and toss them in the trash!

Nuff said.

Several others have said basically the same thing on other threads. Can you give us a little more information why you say that?

As for the broken Eagle crank above they are fairly low cost and not top of the line. I do think they will continue to get better as they are doing a large volume. I would not consider Eagle as Best Crank and Rods but I do think they have their place.

My next crankshaft will most likely be a Crower. Have a set of rods.
Bryant is out of American forgings, as is Molnar and Winberg. Their American steel units are the billet only. Crower has a few forgings left..
Bryant tried to buy the forge tooling from GM, but it was scrapped instead.
Speaking of regular SBC stuff only, this is what my shopping has revealed.

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
My next crankshaft will most likely be a Crower. Have a set of rods.
Bryant is out of American forgings, as is Molnar and Winberg. Their American steel units are the billet only. Crower has a few forgings left..
Bryant tried to buy the forge tooling from GM, but it was scrapped instead.
Speaking of regular SBC stuff only, this is what my shopping has revealed.

I was under the assumption that Molnar stuff was import made but don't know if that's correct