After market Cranks?

[TTriton]

I've asked this question before, but I figured I'd ask it here.. WHY is there no aftermarket Merc Cranks? Chevy has them Ford has them Lunati Cranks out cranks for a huge number of engine's including high reving 2-stroke ATV engine's but WHY no Merc V-6's or any outboard motor for that matter?

[Markus]

Maybe the volumes are too low to make it worthwhile. Forged cranks for Mercs and Yamahas would at least be attractive to me, though.

If you are looking for low-cost alternatives, there are remanufactured cranks out there. I have links to a couple of places on my links page.

[Instigator]

I am cuurently looking to replace a crank that I just "turned into a lamp" and all of the respected opinions I've gotten (crank grinders and Outboard tuners) say "DONT TRY TO RUN A REWORKED CRANK IN A HI-PO APPLICATION!" The builders I talked to wont warrant their work if they install a reworked crank. They say it is too hard to properly weld up to turn down. I have had good luck finding clean donors down in Fla. Several O/B salvage yards. If you shop, I think you can find a straight (stock) used one for around five bills. I have run into this in the past and I think the hardness (case hardened I believe) is the whole issue more than low volume. An O/B crank is way harder than an automotive crank. Hope this helps. Instigator

[FCnLa]

I thought they WERE forged. If the cranks are case hardened, I think that is a relatively simple process. It turns the surface into carbon steel. I maybe wrong on this. I have some books around here somewhere? that have the proceedures to do this.

[ODDD1]

I think the crank problem is a little more complicated than you guys think.....I have never seen a reworked journal last like i think it 'should' or like an undamaged one on the same crank. yes journals are case hardened before they are ground to size...a rather involved process, the finished hardened layer cant be too thin [will peel] or too thick [will pit/flake]...and if that aint difficult enough..if you take a stock new crank and checck its hardness and then run it you will find the same crank getting "work hardened"....the best cranks out there are used, unfailed, "field tested" parts....problem is unless you are the one takin the motor down alotta times you cant tell if the motor kicked a rod out...i've taken many out that looked just fine, but they go in the $35 a ton bin....just my opinion...anybody else got one?