- Home »
- Catalog »
- Engine Components- Internal »
- Bearings »
- Rod Bearings »
- Clevite Rod Bearings
Clevite Rod Bearings
Pontiac V8 Clevite Rod Bearings
The Suffix Is the Spec — Clevite Rod Bearings for Pontiac V8s
Clevite rod bearings are the line most Pontiac engine builders reach for first, and the reason is the part number itself — Clevite encodes eccentricity, groove pattern, clearance and coating into the suffix, so you can specify a bearing rather than just buy one.
Butler stocks two families here. The 758 series covers the factory 2.250" Pontiac rod journal on 350, 389, 400 and 455 engines. The 743 series covers the 2.200" big-block journal used by most Pontiac stroker cranks, including a version drilled for aluminum rods.
Browse Clevite Rod Bearings Products
Popular Brands:
More About Clevite Rod Bearings
1. 758 or 743 — which journal
Every part number on this page starts with one of two base numbers, and that choice is made by the crankshaft.
| CB-758, Pontiac journal | Clevite catalogues these as Pontiac 350, 389, 400, 455 rod bearings on the factory 2.250" journal. This is the set for a stock or turned factory crank, and for aftermarket cranks ordered with Pontiac journals. |
| CB-743, big-block journal | The 2.200" journal set, described by Clevite as a BBC/Pontiac stroker performance rod bearing. If your crank spec sheet says 2.200" BBC RJ, this is your family. |
| Do not mix them | A 4.250" or 4.500" stroker crank is usually on the big-block journal even though the engine is a 455. Read the crank, not the engine. |
2. H series or P series
Clevite publishes its own selection guidance and it is genuinely useful, so here it is straight.
| H series | Clevite says this is the best one to start with when you are unsure. Medium eccentricity and high crush, enlarged chamfers for greater crankshaft fillet clearance, made without flash plating for better seating, intended for engines that run the mid to high rpm range, and meant to use with cranks that have oversized fillets. Contact patterns should ideally cover two thirds to three quarters of the bearing surface. |
| P series | The standard Clevite 77 tri-metal bearing. Typically the greatest level of eccentricity, high crush for maximum retention, most fully grooved to maximise oil flow to the rod bearings, with reduced overlay thickness to prevent overlay fatigue. Clevite points these at extremely high rpm where rod bore close-in becomes severe. |
| Both are stocked in sizes | The 758 P series runs standard through .040"; the 743 P series covers standard through .030". H series versions are stocked standard, .010" and .020". |
3. Reading the rest of the suffix
Once you know the letters, the part number tells you exactly what is in the box.
| H | High-performance. N: High-performance narrowed, for greater crankshaft fillet clearance. Most of the performance rod bearings on this page are HN. |
| X | The bearing has .001" more oil clearance than standard. XX: .002" more. Butler stocks an HXN version on the 2.200" journal for exactly that reason. |
| D | The bearing has a dowel hole. On this page the HND parts are described as a BBC race rod bearing drilled for aluminum rods. |
| K | Tri-Armor coated. HG and VG: full angular grooved versions. V: lead-indium overlay. |
4. Extra clearance and aluminum rods
Two specialty situations that come up constantly on Pontiac stroker builds.
| Adding a thousandth | The .001" extra clearance sets exist for engines that want more oil at the rod, typically high rpm or a build that runs looser on purpose. It is a deliberate decision — do not stack it on top of a crank that was already ground generously without checking. |
| Drilled for aluminum rods | If you are running billet aluminum rods, the drilled race bearing is the correct part. Butler stocks it in standard and .010". |
| Check what you get | Whichever suffix you order, verify the assembled clearance on the bench. The bearing is only one variable. |
Give us the rod journal diameter, what the crank was ground to, and the rpm the engine will see. The Clevite suffix falls out of those three answers.
Not sure what your Pontiac needs?
Call our tech team at 866-762-7527. Tell us your engine, heads, car, and power goal, and we will put the parts together as one combination that works.