If you’re serious about getting the most out of your engine, you’ve probably heard about ACL Race Series Engine Bearings. These aren’t just any bearings; they’re a solid blend of smart design, tough metallurgy, and precise engineering, all aimed at giving you what you need for high-performance driving. I’ve used these on my own builds, and let me tell you, they hold up like a champ, especially when you’re pushing those RPMs.

What really sets these bearings apart? For starters, they feature a high-strength overlay plate that’s thinner than what you might find in standard bearings. This isn’t just for show; it actually improves fatigue resistance, which is crucial when you’re wringing every last bit of power out of your engine. Plus, all the rod bearings come with hardened steel backs. This means better support for the bearing lining and improved retention in the housing—no more worrying about bearings shifting under pressure.

Another thing I appreciate is the increased crush on these bearings. It’s a small detail, but it really helps with retention. And say goodbye to flash plating on the back; that’s been eliminated to enhance heat transfer. When you’re at high RPMs, that heat management is key to keeping everything running smoothly. The increased eccentricity is also a nice touch, helping to tackle bore distortion and ensuring that hydrodynamic oil films form properly, which is essential for lubrication at speed.

Let’s talk specifics for a moment. These bearings come with 3/4 grooved main bearings, which optimize the load-carrying surface area and ensure that oil flows nicely to the conrod bearings. The tight wall tolerances mean you can maintain consistent clearances, which is what you want for performance. And they’ve even enlarged the ID chamfers where necessary, so they fit snugly against high-performance crankshafts.

In terms of sizing, you’ve got options: STD, 001, and 010. The oil clearance is standard, and they come in upper and lower half types. The material is tri-metal with hardened steel backs, which means they’re built to last. You’ll want to pay attention to the shaft and tunnel sizes, too—these bearings fit a minimum standard shaft size of 2.4992 inches and a maximum of 2.5 inches. For tunnel sizes, you’re looking at a minimum of 2.6522 inches and a maximum of 2.653 inches. Plus, they’re designed with a max wall thickness at the crown of 0.0758 inches and an overall length of 0.8661 inches.

These bearings are a perfect fit for a range of applications, including the Ford Thunderbird from 1983 to 1997 and again from 2003 to 2005, specifically the 8B818P-40 ACL Ford Prod V8 370/429/460 .40mm oversized trimetal rod bearing set from 1968 to 1998. If you’re looking to upgrade your engine’s performance, these bearings are definitely worth considering.