Ball hone

[37 chief]

I need to run a hone through my cylinders before I install the rings. I haven't used the ball hones, thought I might try one. If my cylinder is 4 in. how much larger hone should I use? What about grit size? I see 180-120-320-400 Thanks stan

 

[skyharborcowboy]

The hones are sized by a bore diameter. In other words there is a minimum size and a maximum size that each hone is made for and it should be on the label of the hone you are going to purchase. The grit has to do with the type of ring you are using. I believe the harder the ring surface the coarser the hone. Contact the mfg of the ring to see what they recommend. That is the best way to find out.

Joe

 

[george md]

Stan,

No spring loaded or ball hone will will
correct any of the taper or out of round
that always exists in a used cylinder .
For the money that a ball hone costs,you
can buy a good rigid adjustable hone on ebay
and it will do a good job . A Hall or Sunnen
or similar tool is the way to go ,I build
engines for a living.

george

 

[Tx Jim]

george,I'm under the impression that a ball(dingle berry) hone is used to deglaze a cylinder so the rings would seat not correct out-of-roundness. Tx Jim

 

[Anonymous-0]

Ballhones, dingleberries, must r-e-s-i-s-t the urge to comment!

 

[george md]

Jim,
I never put a straight hone in a used
cylinder that didn't need some correction ,
but some need very little. Any flex hone will
follow the contour of the cyl and not do any
improving.
I bought a flex hone many years ago , found
the only thing it was good for was cleaning out
rust from a cyl so I could use a good hone .

george