7/16 rocker arm studs?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 15
From: Wallingford Vermont
7/16 rocker arm studs?
Does anyone have a definate knowledge / first hand experience regarding the improvements of 7/16 rocker arms studs over 3/8? Obviously they should be stiffer, but are they really? Is it worth it to switch or should I just jump up to a stud girdle?
Is there anything special to drill and tap the head for 7/16 studs? The conversion seems easy enough to accomplish on a drill press, am I missing something?
And lastly, rocker arm stud girdles: are there any issues with these? How much height do they add (will an average "tall" Valve cover work)?
Is there anything special to drill and tap the head for 7/16 studs? The conversion seems easy enough to accomplish on a drill press, am I missing something?
And lastly, rocker arm stud girdles: are there any issues with these? How much height do they add (will an average "tall" Valve cover work)?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,752
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
I think if you run a stud girdle, the 3/8 inch studs will be fine. Really depends on the open spring pressures. I run a girdle under tall valve covers, 7/16 inch studs with no clearance problems.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
Originally Posted by DanZ51
I shoud have added: I want to be in the 420-440lb region open seat pressure. Would this warrant a stud girdle?
One thing to note is the part of the stud that screws into the head is 7/16 on both, whether it's 3/8 or 7/16 on top, so no modification needed to the head. If you're buying new rocker arms, it's an easy decision to make to go to 7/16 studs.
Dan
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 15
From: Wallingford Vermont
Thanks. That's something that crossed my mind (the bottom of the stud being 7/16), as I never remembered hearing anything about converting (machining) to the larger.
Anybody have any feed back (pro/con) regarding u-bolt style girdle VS. the twin-bar style?
Anybody have any feed back (pro/con) regarding u-bolt style girdle VS. the twin-bar style?
Last edited by DanZ51; Aug 22, 2006 at 01:00 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I bought three different 7/16ths stud girdles and evaluated each one. by far the Crane gold is the best. I do run the taller cast aluminum Dart valve covers because i'm running .100 longer valves and .200 longer pushrods along with the longer ARP 7/16ths studs because my springs are made for up to .780 lift.
this is my 427 small block - now back at the shop getting a bigger cam and new crankshaft
this is my 427 small block - now back at the shop getting a bigger cam and new crankshaft
