jaoviedo

Hey guys, how much did you pay to have a trunion upgrade kit installed? Recently did a cam swap and was quoted $375 for the install of the trunion kit. Any Input is greatly appreciated.

leadfoot4

Are you looking for the entire job done, or just the trunnion kit installed in the rocker arms, after you pull the rockers from the engine?


(if you were closer to me, a LOT closer, actually, I'd do it, just the trunnion bearing replacement, that is, for $50)

tommypenguin

There's a guy on ebay that I bought my btr trunnion kit from works for rpm transmissions and sold a set of rockers with the trunnion installed for 300$shipped with a 50$ core refund for your rockers. Plus you install them, which is a piece of cake if you can access your crank bolt and rotate it.

jaoviedo

Well, the shop quoted my for the entire job but they did mentioned that it would be 3 hours of labor time.. which I have a really hard time believing. I quickly told them no. And to answer your question, yes I would be able to remove the rockers if that will save me some money.

bigmackloud

For what it's worth, it's not that hard to do yourself if you have a press. (a simple arbor press from HF is fine, some even use a bench vise). Not required (I didn't use it) but Comp makes a tool to help keep everything lined up, might be helpful.

Here's a video I made while installing mine.

leadfoot4

I've disassembled my rockers twice. The first time was to install the Comp Cams bearing upgrade kit, and the second time, was to install the Straub bushings.

I was lucky, a number of years ago, to score an Arbor press, when my employer was having a "garage sale". Having that, makes the job so much easier, as it allows you to hold the rocker arm such that you just press the bushing vertically, which makes it a whole lot easier.

Summit Racing sells a tool of some sort, that makes it easier to use a bench vise.

jaoviedo

Thanks for your help!!! Looks like I will be doing the job myself this weekend. Do you know what tommypenguin was talking about? When he mentioned having to access the crank bolt??

bigmackloud

When installing the rockers bolts, depending on the position of the camshaft, some valves would be opening. Thus as you tighten the rocker bolt, you are compressing the valve spring, and that puts a lot of stress on the rocker bolt threads in the cylinder head. So it is recommended to rotate the motor so that the camshaft is on the base circle for the rocker you are installing. (when the cam is on the base circle, the valve is closed, and thus you aren't compressing the valve spring).

This video may help.

leadfoot4

When I did the swap the first time, I pulled the spark plugs, so I wasn't fighting compression in the cylinders, and still had the OE damper in place. Understanding that I didn't want to fight the tension of valve springs, when tightening the pivot bolt, I rotated the engine so both valves on each cylinder were in the closed position, when I worked on that pair of rockers. IIRC, the OE crank bolt is a 24MM hex.

Shortly after I did this work, I swapped out the OE damper for an ATI piece. And then after that, when discussions on this website began to discuss the failure of the Comp Cams bearings, I decided to install the Straub bushings. However, with the ATI damper in place, retained by an ARP bolt, I couldn't get a wrench in there, to rotate the engine.

Therefore, I "bubba-ed it", and reluctantly loosen/tightened the rocker pivot bolts, no matter what position the valves were in. That was 3-4 years ago, and so far, so good......

neutron82

if you have stock cam and springs you really don't have to worry about rotating the motor, a little blue loctite on the rocker bolts is also something to consider