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Hey guys, I need to order some new roller rockers for my 454 build and would like your thoughts on which roller rockers are a good bet, and which ones I should steer away from.
The SS rockers are awful heavy and add a ton of weight to the valvetrain...regarding aluminum, have had no problems. If aluminum rockers will break, so will the SS ones...at the fulcrum and/or at teh tip.
I would not hesitate to install aluminum rockers.
One other thing, install long rocker arm studs if you are going with either aluminum or SS rockers.
long studs are used on all roller rockers...I don't have the length for the threaded portion, think they are .25" or .50" longer than std. studs. Bubba has been know to grind down the rocker arm adjusters to compensate for the longer stud...not a bright idea.
There is no compairing aluminum to chromemoly steel when it comes to
strength and durability. Aluminum rods in race engines are lite but do not
last long and have to be replaced. I have a Chromemoly crankshaft in my
18 wheeler has 1 million 300 thousand miles on the crankshaft still going
strong, I will not be replacing it with an aluminum crankshaft LOL.
Last edited by Little Mouse; Jun 4, 2006 at 09:57 PM.
The Crane Energizers will work fine. I literally ran 20+ years on my 427 with a set of them. Tons of street and race miles.....7500 rpm...all cams over .600 lift etc etc. The finally started to show wear....but were still working....a guy bought them at a swap meet from me to keep as spares!!
I have been using the Comp Steel ones on the 540 and I also have a set of 1.8 ratio Stainless ones for the intakes from Comp and they are fine. No issues. the bearing on them is huge. The design doesn't add weight to the valve tip end....
Crower makes real nice rockers too..cost more though.
Stay away from the ProForms etc etc.......cheap junk.
Pay close attention to valvetrain geometry on the AFR's. I've yet to hear of anyone yet who checked it that didn't find issues with the stud placement and had to work to get rocker centered on valve properly. They make a fantastic head....but they can't seem to drill holes straight on the stud bosses. Lots of folks end up cutting and rewelding the guideplates to get intake rockers centered.
They will run with stuff out of place....but it's best to get it right while you're at it.
I used Comp Pro Magnums. Love them, they take the weight out of the ends and leave the meat in the middle. I experience no float issues at all. I highly recommend them.
Crane energizer roller rockers, made out of vacuum die cast aluminum.
Cast aluminum VS Chromemoly steel. If you decide to go aluminum
cranes gold rocker are at least made out of extruded bilet aluminum.
Last edited by Little Mouse; Jun 5, 2006 at 12:15 AM.