Transplant

[James Montebello]

> What engines used roller bearings?  What applications?
> Shannen

A great many engines use roller bearings.  The bottom ends
of most two-stroke engines are all roller bearings. 

A good many four-stroke motorcycle engines have also been made 
using rolling-element bottom ends.  Harleys use them, most
four-stroke singles, and quite a few large displacement fours
made by Suzuki and Kawasaki used rollers.  Even on engines
with plain main and big end bearings, rollers are typically
used at the ends of the crankshaft, and in the gearboxes.

Porsche made a few racing engines that used roller bearing
bottom ends in the '50s, and '60s. 

In all cases, the crankshafts are multiple pieces pressed
together around the bearings and one-piece rods.  For very
high-stress operation, these bits would be welded together.
If the crank needed to be rebuilt, the weld was ground off,
and the parts pressed apart.

Most of these engines are not low power applications, either.
The two-stroke GP machines made today produce in excess of
400hp/liter unsupercharged.  The big roller bearing Suzuki 
and Kawasaki engines are very popular in drag-bike applications.

james montebello