[snowman]

There is no substitute for having some gut feel. Some cannot understand the computer model, no matter what it says. The only real way to REALLY understand a specific item, say a connecting rod is to break it down into its parts, get a feel for what is going on and then to go to the computer analysis. First of the same specific parts, and then of the entire rod.

One example is the connecting rod bolts and their attachment to the rod. Using the case of the threaded rod cap one can look at the stress on the rod bolt. But then look at the stress on the cap. That stress is distributed to threads in the cap. If the cap is asymetrical around the bolt, those stresses may cause a bending of the rod bolt. Bending of a rod bolt is bad. Why? Because one side of the bolt is now stressed more than the other. If the bolt is already at max stress, the bending will cause excessive stress on one side of the bolt and it will now break. The exact geometry of the rod is critical. The use of rod pins to prevent side forces on rod bolts is critical. All these subtle facts are not clear with just an overall stress analysis.

The simple, non exact, demonstrations I will present will help show where the critical areas of a connecting rod are and give some insight to why they are critical. Using your stress analysis, show why the paper, ie rod, will break at the sides and not the middle. Show that the rod will not deform (on the bottom side) under the tension condition, and explain why not. It can do nothing but add to my explanation of what is going on.

GO with it untill I am finished and then let me have it, but not before.