Hot Rods crank vs OEM

Mugen racer
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Mugen racer
Edited Date/Time 4/6/2013 8:56am
Hi, Anyone have any feedback on a Hot Rods crank kit for a 2006 YZ125. Not sure if I should go OEM Yamaha or aftermarket? Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Tony
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Racer92
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Racer92 4/4/2013 4:52pm
4/4/2013 4:52pm
Blue powerband !
kijen
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kijen 4/4/2013 5:16pm
4/4/2013 5:16pm
we run them in our yz 250's no problems....
zehn
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zehn 4/4/2013 5:32pm
4/4/2013 5:32pm
OEM is the best, but Hot Rods will work well too. Stay away from the Wiseco cranks though, I know A LOT of people have had problems with them
motomike894
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motomike894 4/4/2013 5:41pm
4/4/2013 5:41pm
Buy oem or rebuild your stock one with new rod and bearings unless need while thing.

Hot rod cranks aren't always balanced right we've had issues with them before they always work
But are noisy and vibrate worse sometimes or don't run perfect

I'd don't mess around if the rods just loose I get a oem or vesrah rod kit and have it rebuild if not I buy
Whole crank oem it's worth it.

The Shop

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Highsider
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Highsider 4/4/2013 5:44pm
4/4/2013 5:44pm Edited Date/Time 4/4/2013 5:47pm
www.crankworks.com

Ask for Phil.
He and I stood in the Phoenix pits as he named about 80% of the teams in one long double row that run his stuff.
slipdog
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slipdog 4/4/2013 5:52pm
4/4/2013 5:52pm
Highsider wrote:
www.crankworks.com Ask for Phil. He and I stood in the Phoenix pits as he named about 80% of the teams in one long double row that...
www.crankworks.com

Ask for Phil.
He and I stood in the Phoenix pits as he named about 80% of the teams in one long double row that run his stuff.
Shhhhhhhhh!!!
Highsider
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Highsider 4/4/2013 5:54pm
4/4/2013 5:54pm
Highsider wrote:
www.crankworks.com Ask for Phil. He and I stood in the Phoenix pits as he named about 80% of the teams in one long double row that...
www.crankworks.com

Ask for Phil.
He and I stood in the Phoenix pits as he named about 80% of the teams in one long double row that run his stuff.
slipdog wrote:
Shhhhhhhhh!!!
I don't recall any particular team names, of course!Cool
TerryK
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TerryK 4/4/2013 6:26pm
4/4/2013 6:26pm
I wont use Wiseco or Hotrods cranks. The run out and balance on them is notoriously bad and some wont even fit inside the crankcases. I've seen 5 thousands run out on main bearing journals. Thats bad with a capital B.

OEM only for this guy.
RandyS
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RandyS 4/4/2013 6:31pm
4/4/2013 6:31pm
They must be good.

Um OK
seth505
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seth505 4/4/2013 7:56pm
4/4/2013 7:56pm
I tried a wiseco crank in my rm125 and it lasted between 5-10 hours. Went back to OEM. Haven't tried hot raaaaaads
PADDY'S LAD
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PADDY'S LAD 4/4/2013 8:49pm
4/4/2013 8:49pm
I installed a Wiseco crank in my brothers 06 crf 250 (to save $100.00) big mistake , maybe 3 1/2 hrs total time and blam!
Spend the money on OEM you'll be glad you did.
TerryB
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TerryB 4/4/2013 8:57pm
4/4/2013 8:57pm
O. E. M.
MeyerLarry 4/4/2013 9:01pm
4/4/2013 9:01pm
Highsider's on the right track!

Crankworks.com

Ask for the Nim or the Dill special! Wink
(Did I say that out loud?)
jtiger12
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jtiger12 4/5/2013 1:35am
4/5/2013 1:35am
When my crf was ripping up the small end of the rod journal, I didn't want to put a lot of money into a new crank unless I could find what was causing the issue. I sent my oem crank to this guy I found on the internet. Not only did he do it cheap, but one year later I have 0 issues and no vibration. He even called around to his contacts to help diagnose my engine problem. Top notch customer service.http://www.kenoconnorracing.com/Crankshaft%20Rebuilds.html . Crank works was 3-4x the price ken delivered, and almost 100 $ more than an oem crank from service honda. That is no knock on them, you pay for quality and performance at that level of racing. It sounds like you are a weekend warrior, I'd go with the cheapest route.
1
ClassCClairVoyant 4/5/2013 2:37am
4/5/2013 2:37am
motomike894 wrote:
Buy oem or rebuild your stock one with new rod and bearings unless need while thing. Hot rod cranks aren't always balanced right we've had issues...
Buy oem or rebuild your stock one with new rod and bearings unless need while thing.

Hot rod cranks aren't always balanced right we've had issues with them before they always work
But are noisy and vibrate worse sometimes or don't run perfect

I'd don't mess around if the rods just loose I get a oem or vesrah rod kit and have it rebuild if not I buy
Whole crank oem it's worth it.
Ya, I hate to rip a company but I bought one and although it worked fine and lasted quite well, it was 1/4 lb heavier than stock. It spun up more slowly and vibrated more because of it. Luckily, I had a cut down rotor and that fixed both issues. You'd think they'd get that right but I've had the same problem with aftermarket pistons that were heavier too...
Bulldog
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Bulldog 4/5/2013 3:07am
4/5/2013 3:07am
We have used Hot Rod cranks in KTM 85, KTM 105, YZ125 and YZ 250. Never have had a Hot Rod replacement cranck go bad. I would not hesitate on using Hot Rod kits. I know that all of the bikes we have sold and currently own that have Hot Rod cranks a still going strong...
dogger315
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dogger315 4/5/2013 6:41am
4/5/2013 6:41am
I like OE the best, but Hot Rods is the best of the aftermarket IMO. I send them both out
(OE and Hot Rods) for balance.

The problem with Crankworks is their turn around time. It's up around six weeks now,
and no, it doesn't matter what time of year you send the work in because there is always
some series kicking off somewhere. An alternative to Crankworks is Surf and Turf
Racing. They do very good work with a much faster turn around. The catch is (there's
always a catch), they cost twice as much.

If you decide to go for a balance, you'll have to either send the rest of your top end (piston,
rings, pin, bearing, clips), or weigh all that on a gram scale and send that number in with
the crank. You'll also have to decide what RPM range you want for the balance.

One last thing, if your current crank is not damaged, just worn, you can send it to somebody
like Racers Toy Store for a rebuild. They will open it up, replace the big end bearing and
rod, check the pin in spec, then put it back together with better tolerances than OE. This
route would be the cheapest of all and you get to retain your OE crank. I source all of my
vintage work to them and they do great work, are fast and competitively priced.

dogger
BAMX
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BAMX 4/5/2013 6:59am
4/5/2013 6:59am
OEM is best but, I have a hot rods in my 125 with about 30 hours. I have nothing but good things to say about it so far.

Pit Row

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Suns_PSD
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Suns_PSD 4/5/2013 7:32am
4/5/2013 7:32am
It's not worth the small savings in this situation. BUY OEM!!!!!!!
Sheriff245 4/5/2013 8:01am
4/5/2013 8:01am
I have installed 3 hot rods so far in YZ125s, all with good results. I would have gone oem if they weren't 3 times the price. Hot rods are the next best thing after oem and don't cost much more than a rebuild, so you can keep your oem crank for later rebuild and you will have a spare.
njracer46
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njracer46 4/5/2013 10:28am
4/5/2013 10:28am
i used hot rods in my 85 and never had a problem with it. like people say, stay away from the weisco. i put one in my 250f after the stock one went and it lasted a season
njracer46
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njracer46 4/5/2013 10:31am
4/5/2013 10:31am
this is what happens when you use weisco, first pic is the stock one



kawasa84
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kawasa84 4/5/2013 10:33am
4/5/2013 10:33am
I installed a Hotrod Crank assy. (with rod) last year in a 05' KX 250, has around 25 hours on it, no problems at all, runs strong, I will use them again, and this was my first one.
Thomas Jefferson 4/5/2013 2:10pm
4/5/2013 2:10pm
has wiseco EVER produced a crank that did not fail prematurely?
Mugen racer
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Mugen racer 4/5/2013 2:30pm
4/5/2013 2:30pm
Thanks for the feedback guys.
smoker
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smoker 4/5/2013 2:49pm
4/5/2013 2:49pm
idk, but you can start WW3 if you go to thumpertalk and say, "I think wiseco cranks are better than oem".
Adam43
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Adam43 4/5/2013 3:37pm
4/5/2013 3:37pm
I've had good luck with Hot Rods cranks in multiple bikes, two strokes and four.

Always run Wiseco pistons, but have never tried their cranks - and haven't heard good things.
Mr. Ted
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Mr. Ted 4/5/2013 4:59pm
4/5/2013 4:59pm
Highsider wrote:
www.crankworks.com Ask for Phil. He and I stood in the Phoenix pits as he named about 80% of the teams in one long double row that...
www.crankworks.com

Ask for Phil.
He and I stood in the Phoenix pits as he named about 80% of the teams in one long double row that run his stuff.
Crankworks does some really nice work. They did both my son's 65 and my 250 2stk.
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 4/5/2013 5:47pm
4/5/2013 5:47pm
dogger315 wrote:
I like OE the best, but Hot Rods is the best of the aftermarket IMO. I send them both out (OE and Hot Rods) for balance...
I like OE the best, but Hot Rods is the best of the aftermarket IMO. I send them both out
(OE and Hot Rods) for balance.

The problem with Crankworks is their turn around time. It's up around six weeks now,
and no, it doesn't matter what time of year you send the work in because there is always
some series kicking off somewhere. An alternative to Crankworks is Surf and Turf
Racing. They do very good work with a much faster turn around. The catch is (there's
always a catch), they cost twice as much.

If you decide to go for a balance, you'll have to either send the rest of your top end (piston,
rings, pin, bearing, clips), or weigh all that on a gram scale and send that number in with
the crank. You'll also have to decide what RPM range you want for the balance.

One last thing, if your current crank is not damaged, just worn, you can send it to somebody
like Racers Toy Store for a rebuild. They will open it up, replace the big end bearing and
rod, check the pin in spec, then put it back together with better tolerances than OE. This
route would be the cheapest of all and you get to retain your OE crank. I source all of my
vintage work to them and they do great work, are fast and competitively priced.

dogger
dogger315, thaks for this post!

I'm sending him a 250X crank (actually, 2) on Monday...called him after reading this and was VERY impressed by his mind-set about cranks and "tolerances": I'm sending him a stocker for servicing and a fresh Hot-Rods ass'y for allignment.

So, again... thanks!

Manny

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