I am NOT a proponent of the "Rope Trick" in the least, especially to achieve the bolt stretch spec for a fastener which is about an inch in diameter. Neither do I like any other of the work-arounds used for lack of a crank holding tool.

I have never run the numbers to find out exactly how much force needs to be applied to the end of a lever of any particular length to achieve the required bolt stretch (i.e., clamping force), but after heaving on a 3/4" drive Armstrong breaker bar, my gut tells me it is sizable. Just looking at the geometry of the internal engine components which are called upon by the "Rope Trick" to resist the force applied to the crank fastener tells me that whatever force is required is greatly magnified at the crank throw.

I don't know what forces the piston assembly is asked to withstand in an engine rated at 114 ft-lb of torque, but even with a safety factor thrown in, I suspect it is far less than the forces applied to it whenever its rotation is locked by some rope stuffed into the cylinder.

I don't know if applying the required torque at the crank fastener could flat the big end bearing, bend the connecting rod a bit, ovulate the gudgeon pin bores or, perhaps, distort the piston face.

I do know that the time it would have taken me to even begin to get a handle on all my unknowns was, instead, well spent on fabricating a stout crank deadman.

It's not what you know that bites you in the ass, it's what you don't know. So, I recommend to anyone who is doing a timing belt to beg, borrow or steal a crank holding tool; it will turn a frustration into an afterthought.


Rich