Hi,
The TR6 crank is FORGED STEEL, and is robust enough for years of normal
service. I had one in my car for the first 95k miles that had just about
zero wear on the rod and main journals, and it would probably still be in
the car (now with 130k miles) had I not (ahem) installed the thrust
washers incorrectly.
That said - unless you turn the motor to 5000 plus for long periods, the
crank should be fine for a long time. Many folks get by without turning
the crank for two or even three "refresh periods" of 50k to 60k miles and
then just doing a bearing swap (no regrind). Even if you have a bearing
problem, you can get away with a .010/.010 undercut and get another
100k-plus out of the crank - provided that the undercut uses proper
radiuses for the journals.
Regarding your NOS spare crank - if it's a real Triumph/Stanpart/BL NOS
piece, it's worth $150 or so provided that it has been stored properly. If
it has been stored flat, it's worth less because the crank will probably
need to be "straightened" before it's turned. But the point is that a real
NOS crank is worth more than the new cranks out there (IMHO) because you
KNOW it's built right and uses the proper alloy steel. I have at least one
of the new cranks out there, and it has a completely different "hue" (the
new ones are grey, the old ones are brown-ish) which leads me to question
the actual quality of the part.
At any rate, if you do keep the crank, store it "right" (upright) and
you're good for another 150k miles. If you find a new owner, squeeze them
for what the crank is worth ($150+) because NOS cranks are getting harder
to find. Oh - and don't forget to favor the racers because they actually
need the strength of the OEM cranks. :-)
regards,
rml
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