Clevite Engine Connecting Rod Bearing Pair

Clevite Connecting Rod Bearing Pairs: Race-Proven Precision for Every Build

When professional engine builders need a connecting rod bearing they can trust from idle to redline, they reach for Clevite. Few names in the industry carry the weight that Clevite does in this specific category — and for good reason. Engine connecting rod bearing pairs sit at the very heart of every rotating assembly, transferring the enormous forces generated by combustion from the connecting rods to the crankshaft. Get this component wrong and no other engine upgrade matters. Clevite gets it right, build after build.

The TriMetal™ Advantage

Most Clevite performance rod bearings use a special TriMetal™ design, first developed decades ago and perfected over time. A copper-lead alloy is added to a steel back, which is then electroplated with a white metal surface layer, producing an ideal degree of conformability, embedability, slipperiness, and fatigue resistance. Clevite TriMetal™ engine bearings deliver up to 40% better seizure resistance and can withstand over 60% higher loads for extended periods compared to competitors' bearings. That engineering pedigree is why Clevite engine bearings have been winning NASCAR-sanctioned races since the very first NASCAR championship in 1948.

Connecting Rod Bearing Series: Choosing the Right Fit

Clevite's connecting rod bearing pair lineup is organized into clearly defined series, each engineered for specific application demands:

• H-Series (TriMetal™): H-Series TriMetal™ bearings are engineered with a medium level of eccentricity, high crush, and enlarged chamfers for greater crankshaft fillet clearance — making them a great choice for high performance engines and the best starting point when unsure which series to select. H-Series rod bearings feature a Babbitt outer layer, a copper-lead alloy second layer, and a precision steel back capable of carrying loads up to 12,000 PSI.
• HC-Series (TriArmor™ Coated): H-Series bearings with Clevite's exclusive TriArmor coating carry the industry's only moly/graphite treatment. K/HC-Series bearings have a proprietary moly/graphite treatment applied to the bearing surface. The PTFE carrier material gives good low-load start-up protection, the moly serves as a high-pressure, high-load dry film anti-wear agent, and graphite provides additional protection across the broad range of temperatures — especially when oil flow is marginal.
• F-Series (TriMetal™): F-Series TriMetal™ bearings were developed for high performance and competition engine applications, utilizing a hardened steel back and a lead-tin-indium-alumina electroplated overlay applied over Clevite's cast bronze lead substrate. Their improved overlay increases seizure resistance 126% over conventional H-Series TriMetal bearings.
• P-Series: P-Series parts are the oldest series of Clevite high performance bearings, with rod bearings in this series typically having the greatest amount of eccentricity. Both rods and mains have high crush for maximum retention and a reduced overlay thickness to prevent overlay fatigue, with rod bearings using a hardened steel back for added strength and resistance to fretting.
• M-Series ("Micro"): Clevite "Micro" bearings make up the M-Series — special purpose bearings with a nominal .006" thick babbitt lining on a hardened steel back. M-Series rod bearings have been slightly narrowed at one end to provide extra fillet clearance without the need of a large chamfer.
• V-Series: V-Series bearings essentially duplicate the former Vandervell parts under the Clevite part numbering system , making them a proven option for builders who require that specific construction profile.

Application Coverage and Sizing Options

Clevite rod bearings come in a wide assortment of styles for a huge range of vehicles, from mild to wild, and are made to meet or exceed OEM standards for strength and durability. Rod bearings are available with or without dowel holes (HD = with dowel hole, H = without), giving builders flexibility for both steel and aluminum connecting rod applications. Standard, undersize, and extra-clearance options let engine builders dial in precise oil clearances for everything from a restored daily driver to an all-out competition engine.

Whether you're refreshing a worn street engine or assembling a purpose-built race motor, browse the full Engine Connecting Rod Bearing Pair catalog or explore everything Clevite has to offer across their complete lineup of engine components.