Craftsmanship
Our team has been making connecting rods for 30 plus years. Many of our employees have worked at Oliver their entire career and everyday use that experience to make our rods better. In 2013, Oliver started a 2 year associates degree program in CNC machining with Baker College and Charlevoix High School, which our employees served as the foundation for the first class officially recognizing their hands on knowledge gained over decades of machine shop experience. A more knowledgeable workforce ensures every one of our parts are handled by not just skilled workers, but thoughtful individuals, who put greater care into every aspect of our production process.
Craftsmanship
Our team has been making connecting rods for 30 plus years. Many of our employees have worked at Oliver their entire career and everyday use that experience to make our rods better. In 2013, Oliver started a 2 year associates degree program in CNC machining with Baker College and Charlevoix High School, which our employees served as the foundation for the first class officially recognizing their hands on knowledge gained over decades of machine shop experience. A more knowledgeable workforce ensures every one of our parts are handled by not just skilled workers, but thoughtful individuals, who put greater care into every aspect of our production process.
Precision
Climate controlled to within 2 degrees our facility is a state of the art machining operation designed to achieve the tightest tolerances from every part we make. We continually invest in new equipment and fixturing to refine our production process looking for every opportunity to hold tighter and tighter tolerances. Our team includes journeyman tool and die makers, certified apprentices, CNC machinists, and CAD designers, all looking at how we can make the next .0001” (ten thousandth) improvement to our rods. As racers at heart, we know that every tenth we find gets us that much closer to perfection and makes us that much better than our competitors.
Precision
Climate controlled to within 2 degrees our facility is a state of the art machining operation designed to achieve the tightest tolerances from every part we make. We continually invest in new equipment and fixturing to refine our production process looking for every opportunity to hold tighter and tighter tolerances. Our team includes journeyman tool and die makers, certified apprentices, CNC machinists, and CAD designers, all looking at how we can make the next .0001” (ten thousandth) improvement to our rods. As racers at heart, we know that every tenth we find gets us that much closer to perfection and makes us that much better than our competitors.
Durability
Oliver has specifically chosen 4340 Aircraft Quality (AQ) material. Not all 4340 materials are the same. Our 4340 AQ material is made in the U.S. and each batch is certified as meeting Aircraft Quality (AQ) standards meaning that it is vacuum furnace degassed and inspected for cleanliness to AMS2301 standard. Our higher quality material results in improved durability and fatigue resistance.
Durability
Oliver has specifically chosen 4340 Aircraft Quality (AQ) material. Not all 4340 materials are the same. Our 4340 AQ material is made in the U.S. and each batch is certified as meeting Aircraft Quality (AQ) standards meaning that it is vacuum furnace degassed and inspected for cleanliness to AMS2301 standard. Our higher quality material results in improved durability and fatigue resistance.
Strength
More than just a better material, we have custom tailored our heat treat process to gain every advantage possible. At Oliver we use a special two stage heat treatment. The first stage is designed to “grow” the absolute best grain structure possible, critical for cyclic durability in use. In a 10,000rpm engine, the connecting rod goes through 166 complete cycles every second! After we’ve fully machined our rods, we then send the machined pieces back out to heat treat. During this second heat treat stage the Rockwell hardness is increased up to an optimal level of 38-41, a 20% improvement over our competitors. This process is specific to Oliver rods and custom tailored to get the highest performance from our material. The result is a connecting rod with higher ultimate tensile strength and yield strength.
Strength
More than just a better material, we have custom tailored our heat treat process to gain every advantage possible. At Oliver we use a special two stage heat treatment. The first stage is designed to “grow” the absolute best grain structure possible, critical for cyclic durability in use. In a 10,000rpm engine, the connecting rod goes through 166 complete cycles every second! After we’ve fully machined our rods, we then send the machined pieces back out to heat treat. During this second heat treat stage the Rockwell hardness is increased up to an optimal level of 38-41, a 20% improvement over our competitors. This process is specific to Oliver rods and custom tailored to get the highest performance from our material. The result is a connecting rod with higher ultimate tensile strength and yield strength.
Oliver Rods are Better By Design™
Oliver Rods are Better By Design™
Oliver Rods are Better By Design™
Oliver I-beam connecting rods feature our exclusive “Parabolic Beam®” design that reduces beam stress and delivers the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any connecting rod currently made.
Our Standard Light rods have been designed for the heart of the racing engine category. These rods represent the perfect balance between weight and strength. In applications where weight is the primary concern we offer our Ultra Light series. For those of you pushing beyond the limits where weight takes a back seat to absolute strength, our Speedway and Max series rods are the only answer.
All Oliver rods are precision-machined using only premium mill-certified aircraft quality E4340 chrome moly alloy, heat-treated to produce a 100% martensite grain structure.
The Meaning of "MADE IN AMERICA”
Oliver connecting rods are made in America, from 100% American materials by the finest craftsmen in the world: Americans. Throughout our catalog we proudly display the American flag and use the term “Made in America” in honor of that commitment.
For generations, “Made in America” has signified the quality, durability and innovation of the product that bore the mark. We believe that is still true today.
Our success is the result of years of continuous product development. Our rod designs have been refined with feedback from the world’s best engine builders racing everywhere from the biggest NASCAR venues to local dirt tracks all over the U.S. and around the world. Our experience cannot be copied. Our knowledge of what works and what does not is without equal.
We do not and will not cut corners. We utilize the best materials from the finest suppliers. We use best practices in design and manufacturing. Each and every Oliver rod is built with Craftsmanship, Precision, Durability and Strength.
The fact is, we build what are arguably the best connecting rods in the world using American craftsmen and American materials. Oliver connecting rods are proudly, “Made in America.”