I'm putting together a low compression setup for a buddy and i'm using eagle rods and ross pistons..My question is, when I go to put the wristpin through the Eagle rod it's real tight and feels as if it needs to be tapped in..When I did my setup the wristpin slid right into the rod..If the wristpin was to be tapped in, how do you make sure its in the center of the rod so its not sitting of to one side too much..

 

If its a floating pin, it should slide in smoothly depending on temperatures. You could put the wristpins in your freezer for a while to help get them in. I don't recommend tapping them in with any force... a press if you must...

 

check with ross and see what they recommend and see what type of pins they are. Some need to be pressed in

 

you might have to take your vargas tool and de-burr the edge of the bronze bushing on the small end of the rod. Sometimes the sharp edge prevents the pin from sliding in.

 

this might not be the case with your eagles

BUT

i was told by a reputable machine shop that eagle rods sometimes are a little tight with the clearances on the wrist pins

if they have to be pressed in, then i think thats too tight. Its a floating wrist pin. heat will only expand the metal more and cause less clearance, and less 'floating'

try some assembly lube on the pin and see how easy / hard it is to thread into the piston