When it comes to engine integrity, few names carry the weight of ARP - Automotive Racing Products. Founded in 1968 by aerospace fastener specialist Gary Holzapfel, ARP was born out of a simple but critical need: to prevent engine failures caused by subpar bolts. Today, ARP is the gold standard in high-performance fasteners, trusted by championship-winning teams across Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR, NHRA, and beyond.
From their California-based facilities, ARP manufactures every component in-house, ensuring unmatched quality control and zero-defect reliability. Their product range spans thousands of part numbers, covering virtually every fastener in an engine or driveline, including the all-important head studs and main studs.
If you're seeking a set of main studs or head studs, check out our ARP brand page here!
Why Replace Head Studs?
Head studs play a vital role in sealing the cylinder head to the engine block. In high-performance or forced induction applications, the pressures inside the combustion chamber can be immense, and factory bolts often aren’t up to the task.
Benefits of ARP Head Studs:
- Superior Clamping Force: Unlike bolts, studs allow torque to be applied via a nut, reducing twist and delivering more consistent clamping pressure.
- Reduced Risk of Head Gasket Failure: ARP’s proprietary materials (like ARP2000 alloy) offer exceptional tensile strength, helping prevent head lift under boost or high RPM.
- Improved Durability: These studs resist stretching and fatigue, making them ideal for engines that see repeated rebuilds or track use.
- Ease of Maintenance: Studs can be reused and simplify future head removal, saving time and labour costs.
Whether you're chasing horsepower or simply want peace of mind, ARP head studs are a smart upgrade for any serious build.
Why Upgrade Main Studs?
Main studs secure the crankshaft’s main bearing caps to the engine block, a critical job, especially under high load or RPM. Factory bolts can stretch or deform, leading to misalignment, bearing wear, or even catastrophic failure.
Benefits of ARP Main Studs:
- Uniform Clamping Force: ARP studs distribute pressure evenly across the main caps, improving crank alignment and reducing the risk of cap walk.
- Enhanced Block Rigidity: This added stiffness helps maintain power transfer and protects against distortion at high RPM.
- High Tensile Strength: ARP’s advanced materials resist deformation, even under extreme loads, making them ideal for high-output engines.
- Precision Engineering: Their threads are machined to exacting standards, reducing the chance of stripping or thread failure.
For builds pushing serious power or simply aiming for bulletproof reliability, ARP main studs are a must-have.
The Round Up:
ARP isn’t just another aftermarket brand, it’s a cornerstone of motorsport engineering. Whether you're building a track weapon, a road sleeper, or a reliable daily with a bit of extra poke, upgrading to ARP head and main studs is one of the most effective ways to safeguard your engine’s performance and longevity.