mainecobra

Ok fellow corvette fanatics!!! I have a stock LS6 03 z06 with no plans to upgrade the cam. I have 29k on the car and for saftey and insurnace reasons and peace of mind ive decided to swap out the oem valve springs for a set of PAC 1218 valve springs. So now the question im having difficulty deciding is wether or not to install the compcams trunion rocker arm upgrade kit. Im reading as some people are having issues with the bearing wearing prematurely or a snap ring breaking. And also my mecahnic hasnt done a set of those so i would buy a set already prifessionally installed in oem ls1 rockers. But my question is do i really need to do this with a stock cam? I mean there are tons of stock z06's with well over 100k with zero issues and im sure those cars havent been driven easy and really most have oem valve springs also. Im 100% game on swaping the valve springs, but not sure if the trunion upgrade is nessasary or even worth the trouble if something goes wrong with the compcam trunion.

rodsvet

If I was pulling it down and changing the springs, I would do the trunions at the same time. Just a little insurance and peace of mind. Rod

mainecobra

But ive read some people have had issues with the trunion upgrade thats why im asking is it nessary and worth the risk of the upgrade having issues rather than the oem rocker set up.

CactusCat

That's the first time I've ever heard anyone saying they had issues with the trunion upgrade. I've had mine for over 3 yrs w/zero problems. I Googled the issue and found ONE part (a snap ring) that was found in the oil pan on the LS1 forum. That could have been caused by the installer or a variety of other issues. Go for it. They're highly recommended and a nice improvement over the stock stuff.

mainecobra

Ok thanks for the input helps me make my decison alot easier. I ordered the kit today actually but with my mechanic saying he hasnt installed these before im wondering if i should just go with the kits that are already professionally installed in the ls1 rockers. Just wondering if the ls6 and ls1 rockers are the same and i know my rockers have 29k on them and who knows on the ones im getting as they say they are used ls1 rockers reconditioned.

feeder82

Its a really easy install if the mechanic can change springs he can do the rockers an Arbor press is the best way to press in the new parts

CactusCat

My mechanic had never installed either and it was really easy.

warren s

The rocker arms are the same on the LS1 and the LS6.

The trunion upgrade is really EASY..... A fifty dollar arbor press and about 1 hour of your time to do the 16 rockers.

I have the PAC 1218 springs, stock rocker arms and replacement pushrods and trunion upgrade with a 228R cam, running great for 5000 miles so far. The engine sees 7000 rpm without any issues so far.

For a stock engine with the stock cam the trunion upgrade wont hurt, but i dont think its really needed. The 1218 springs do have more seat pressure than the stock LS6 springs so it wornt hurt.

mainecobra

Yea thats where im kinda at, i dont think its really needed with a stock cam but i want to do it right while im in there. I just dont want to do anything again. And as all you are well aware these z06's in stock form can go the distance with zero issues. And i want the same with these upgrades. I want to not touch the car again and just enjoy driving it. And i do like to drive the car like it was designed to be driven so i do rev the car to 7000 rpm's often. So i figure with the pac springs and the way i drive i should do the truinon upgrade. But like i said i just want many many trouble free miles like most stock z06's. And i figure i should do that even more so with having a better rocker and spring

old stingray

No,not needed.

neutron82

if you are already doing springs I would absolutely do the trunion upgrade as well... I don't hear about it much on this site but on ls1tech back in the day it was pretty common for guys to find needle bearings from the rockers come out of the oil pan when they changed the oil... I have had mine on for about 3 years with no issues at all, install was simple and I just used a bench vise and some sockets to press the new parts in

mainecobra

What year cars on ls1 tech did you hear of needle bearings coming out of the rockers? I have a 03 z06 and I havent heard of any issues with the rockers on these cars. I was just going to do the trunion upgrade because i was in there but im seeing more failures on those that oem rockers. And remember im all stock motor and cam so zero added pressure on any valve train components. Im doing the pac 1218 springs for sure but not to sure on the rockers. Seems like katech engine builders run stock rockers on there race cars. And im not racing mine. And my builder has never done these. So with a stock motor im not sure if i need to do anything more than springs. I sure dont want to have more risk putting in the trunions rather than oem rockers with the pac springs.

neutron82

it's been a long time since I've been on there in any of the tech sections but at the time I had an f-body so the ones I were seeing were 98-02 cars, pretty much the same as ours... what failures have you seen with the trunion kits?... I have comp but they are not the only company who makes them so if you aren't comfortable with comp then try another brand... do katech run the rockers 100% stock?... I agree there is nothing wrong with the stock rocker but the bearing design is not that great in my opinion

mainecobra

Ive heard of them on some earlier model ls1 camaros/ firebirds ect not on a ls6 motor. What ive heard is that the comp trunions have oiling issues
where they bind up and cause some serious issues, other issues ive seen is broken snap rings. Yes katech runs oem rockers on there cars. And i agree it is a better design but ive just seen some issues that freak me out a bit. And ive seen a bunch of z06' with well over 100k on stock rockers with 0 issues.

leadfoot4

My car is not a high mileage car, but I installed the Comp trunnions in it 4-5 years ago, and have NOT had any issues. I don't see how the snap rings could be breaking, because there shouldn't be any side loading on them....

I know that some people may disagree, but I looked at it as cheap insurance. For some reason, GM decided to go with the design of trunnion that they did, but the problem I see with the OE design, is it only allows about 180* of rotation, for the rocker arm. Beyond that, they lock up.

No, the rockers OBVIOUSLY don't rotate through an arc of that magnitude, but let's say the OE trunnion is assembled a little off. In an application where a cam with higher lift is substituted, it could rotate that trunnion to it's locked up position, causing a failure. Secondly, the OE bearing cups press in, but there's nothing to hold them in place, other than the friction of the bearing cup.

Again, there SHOULDN'T be any side loading, so the bearing cups SHOULD stay in place, but you never know....

mainecobra

Remember this thread applys to a stock motor and cam. If i was going to run a bigger cam than i wouldnt even be questioning installing the trunion upgrade. I agree its a better design , but lets realize that the not so good design in stock applications has held up well well over 100k. Plenty on z06's past 150k on stock rockers. So my question was more in stock form does it make sense to upgrade the trunions, as im looking at not touching the car again for many many miles.

mainecobra

And your right there is no side loading pressure. I think the problem is comp buys these snap rings in bulk from china and they are cheap and during install maybe someone open ls the snap ring a bit much and installs it and it breaks over time.

leadfoot4

As is my car. I don't like the idea of potentially questionable parts in my engine. I was actually considering the CHE "bronze bushings" instead of the Comp trunnions, but at the time, they were $$$.

mainecobra

Thats where im at i just dont want to increase my risk of anything going wrong as i am spending money to decrease the risk. So if im good for many miles with upgrading the springs since im sticking with a stock cam thats what id rather do. I already bought the comp trunion kit so its not about the money. If there is any risk of the comp trunion kit screwing up or if it really isnt worth even putting in with my stock motor id rather not

mainecobra

Well its good to know though that you have had them in for 5 years with no issues. Maybe some of my worry is my mechanic telling me he has never done them and he works at a big time engine builder here in maine. But another issue is we have zero performance shops here so i cant go really anywhere else besides him and i trust my guy. Other option is a few conpanies sell the oem rockers with the comp cams trunions already pressed in professionally. I could always go that route i guess.