Roller Rockers

G

Gambler

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Dec 28, 2011
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Anyone benefitting from these.... power or just preventative wear from higher compression springs, rpm's, etc...

I found this quote on Torkteknology...
Reducing valve train mass (weight) has many benefits for a performance Cummins diesel engine. Less weight in the valve train allows the potential of turning higher RPMs before valve float sets in. As a general rule, every gram of weight reduction will allow you to rev your Cummins diesel by 35 to 40 RPM. Reduce your valve train mass by 10 grams and you have the potential of 350 to 400 MORE RPM

If this is true or at least in the ballpark, then wouldn't one benefit from roller rockers as well...
 
May try getting in contact with Zach at Hamilton Cams. I know he has tons of good info on that kind of stuff.
 
There's a bunch of vendors that make them to the tube of $1800 for a 24V set. The general consensus is they're not beneficial for the money anything but a big dollar, purpose built motor.

Harlan Sharp is the most common brand I've read about so far.
 
whitneyj said:
There's a bunch of vendors that make them to the tube of $1800 for a 24V set. The general consensus is they're not beneficial for the money anything but a big dollar, purpose built motor.

Harlan Sharp is the most common brand I've read about so far.
Click to expand...


This is what a buddy was told by Weston as well and he went pretty far and purpose built with his engine and was still talked out of "wasting" the money on them by him.
 
I probably should've posted this in a different area. Extreme engine tech???
 
Why? Search the forum. Nearly every single thread says they're a waste of money due to the actual cost of these things. Unless you're scratching for every ounce of power or reduced weight, the power to money ratio is radically too far off to make it worth the investment.

I've already gone round and round with this and I decided to save my $1800 for something that will make a difference.
 
I laugh when I see people say waste of $$...especially when you see their signatures...I'm not saying it should be at the top of the list to buy, but I think it could possibly be decent insurance is all. I realize most have a lot tied up in their trucks...The reason for the post was that I noticed quite a bit more wear on my rockers when I changed headgaskets and that's what started turning the wheels, you know...I have searched around a little and as you stated whitneyj, most say the same...
 
The rollers I had didn't have a roller bearing in them. They were a bushing style rocker, with a roller tip. You could have your stockers modified to take a bushing.
 
zstroken: I've heard of needle bearings being put in stockers are well, but I never ended up hearing how they were retained.

Gambler: I get what you're saying completely. In the gasser world people are blown away when everything ISN'T full roller, so seeing and hearing that it's not a sensible approach in the diesel world leads to a ton of skepticism. That said, rockers are cheap, roller rockers are not. If a roller rocker won't provide a fair amount of power/reduced wear for the price (which at $1800 isn't happening) then it doesn't make sense to go that route when there are other priorities that do make sense. Just my $0.02. Now with that said, if roller rockers cost half of what they do, I'd probably be all over them.
 
The bigger ratio can be handy when your head isn't done flowing air at ~.650 valve lift, the roller tip can reduce the rocker trying to "shove" the valve side to side in the guide.

I wouldn't take needle bearings in the pivot if you gave them to me. Bushings, or just the aluminum rocker. Bushings are a bit better than aluminum, but you sacrifice a bit of strength when installing bushings.
 
zstroken said:
The rollers I had didn't have a roller bearing in them. They were a bushing style rocker, with a roller tip. You could have your stockers modified to take a bushing.
Click to expand...

Not trying to push brands, but were yours by Harland? I've seen a few different companies that have them, just haven't looked into them to that extent on how they're made.

whitneyj, good point and I don't disagree...$1800 is quite a bit of dinero. I guess majority is all on preference..kinda like having 1 turbo, vs 2, or 3...
Granted, one gets to feel that seat of the pants with those modifications though...
 
9724VF350 said:
The bigger ratio can be handy when your head isn't done flowing air at ~.650 valve lift, the roller tip can reduce the rocker trying to "shove" the valve side to side in the guide.

I wouldn't take needle bearings in the pivot if you gave them to me. Bushings, or just the aluminum rocker. Bushings are a bit better than aluminum, but you sacrifice a bit of strength when installing bushings.
Click to expand...

So, you don't think the roller tip rockers are that well made??? I think I understand what your saying, especially in a highly modded engine, lift is good w bigger ratio, but your limited to strength?
 
I did find them for a 12v for $949...not trying to push products or websites...
 
Mine were made by a job shop. The reason I did them, was I wanted more lift, and a higher ratio rocker was cheaper than a new cam, and I gathered the benefits of a roller rocker.
 
You didn't say if you wanted them for a dd or competition truck.
I called Harlan Sharp a few yrs ago, was told they didn't recommend
them for dd.
 
9724VF350 said:
I wouldn't take needle bearings in the pivot if you gave them to me. Bushings, or just the aluminum rocker. Bushings are a bit better than aluminum, but you sacrifice a bit of strength when installing bushings.
Click to expand...

Want to explain why you wouldn't do needle bearings?
 
In general applications, I've seen plenty of needle bearings fail and destroy everything around them, and contribute plenty of metal shavings to the oil. Bushings may wear over time, but you can catch it before it self destructs without warning.

Needle bearings have several small contact points with the pivot shaft, where bushings have a large contact point.

Due to the larger outside diameter of the needle bearing, the rocker arm has to be larger and heavier to be as strong as a rocker with a thinner bushing, or no bushing at all.
 
Blueboy said:
You didn't say if you wanted them for a dd or competition truck.
I called Harlan Sharp a few yrs ago, was told they didn't recommend
them for dd.
Click to expand...

I would be using them on a DD...why did they not recommend them on a DD? Cost comparison to benefit?
 
zstroken said:
If they come apart, you have a mess....
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I figured that was the case, just wasn't sure if there was something I was over looking: like the size of the needle bearing removing required material from the rocker versus a thin bushing.
 
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