Clevite Auxiliary Heater Relay

Clevite: The Industry Standard in Engine Bearings Since 1919

Few names in the automotive world carry the weight that Clevite does when it comes to engine bearings. Founded in 1919 as the Cleveland Graphite Bronze Company, the brand set out to engineer precision bearings and bushings for the rapidly growing automotive industry. Over a century later, that mission has never wavered. Clevite pioneered the precision insert-type bearing in 1929 and introduced the revolutionary Thinwall bearing in 1930 — milestones that helped define the modern engine rebuild industry.

Today, Clevite operates under the MAHLE Group, one of the world's leading automotive suppliers, but the Clevite name remains synonymous with one thing above all else: engine bearing excellence. Whether you're rebuilding a daily driver or assembling a competition race engine, Clevite's extensive catalog covers virtually every application imaginable.

The Science Behind Clevite's TriMetal™ and BiMetal™ Technology

What separates Clevite from the competition starts at the metallurgical level. The legendary Clevite TriMetal™ bearing construction layers a hardened steel back with a cast copper-lead substrate and an electroplated white metal overlay. This three-layer design delivers an ideal combination of conformability, embedability, load capacity, and fatigue resistance that plain steel or aluminum bearings simply cannot match. Clevite TriMetal™ bearings are rated at 12,000 psi and have been shown to offer as much as 40% better seizure resistance compared to competing engine bearings.

For engines where original equipment manufacturers have shifted to aluminum block construction, Clevite's BiMetal™ line steps in with a 100% lead-free aluminum-silicon material — featuring significantly more silicon content than competing bi-metal bearings — for superior journal surface conditioning, wear resistance, and seizure resistance.

Proven Performance From the Street to the Track

Clevite's credibility isn't built solely in test labs. The brand's reputation was forged on the race track, powering NASCAR and Indy car champions for decades. That extreme-performance validation translates directly into the Engine Crankshaft Main Bearings and Engine Connecting Rod Bearings that everyday engine builders trust for street and performance rebuilds. Both categories are available across multiple bearing series — including the popular H-Series and P-Series TriMetal™ lines — to suit everything from mild street engines to all-out competition builds.

For those tackling a full engine rebuild or looking for the convenience of a complete solution, Clevite also offers Engine Crankshaft Main Bearing Sets and Engine Connecting Rod Bearing Sets that deliver all the bearings needed for a complete rotating assembly in one package. And for targeted repairs, Engine Connecting Rod Bearing Pairs allow builders to address individual rod journals without replacing the entire set.

Broad Coverage for Light Vehicle and Heavy-Duty Applications

Clevite's catalog spans light vehicle, performance, and heavy-duty commercial engine applications. From small-block and big-block American V8s to modern LS-series, Ford, and import engines, the brand's coverage is among the widest in the industry. Heavy-duty rod and main bearings utilize the same TriMetal CL-112 construction and carry durability ratings designed to exceed both light vehicle and commercial vehicle OE standards — making Clevite the go-to choice for professional engine builders and performance enthusiasts alike.