Can anyone tell me why I should spend anywhere from $160 to over $200 for some roller rockers? I am installing a new hydrolic cam, .484 lift (I believe) new lifters, probabaly new springs, I have an Elder. Intake and 750 carb., 373 gears, 4spd trans, hooker headers, 2.5 inch flowmaster exaust, and MSD kit.

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Can I just replace what I have (which is stock) or do I have to replace anything else with them?

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=2459&prmenbr=361

[ 05-06-2003, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: Johnso ]

Smoother operation of the valve train results in less friction and more HP ( I believe it's advertised as a 5 HP gain if you are talking about the roller-tipped rocker arms ).

And 12 to 14hp if a full fulcrum roller body.

Spames pretty much summed it up eaisly. Smoother operation of the valvetrain reduces the working friction of the valvetrain and basically frees up the power lost from the friction. This equates to HP.

It also reduces the valveguide wear significantly which will give your engine more longevity in efficient operation.

Also, depending on the material of the body itself, will effect the valvetrain harmonics. Aluminum is better in some way's but sometimes at the cost of strength. Unless you tend to buzz your engine above 7000rpm for any length of time, either steel or an aluminum body will do just fine.

Tom - I would think most gains with full roller rockers can be attributed to the true ratio of the rocker itself. Stamped steel factory rockers are said to be 1.5:1 but in reality they are 1.4ish which means you don't see the full advertised cam spec's. My as advertised 224 @ 050 .525 cam is more like 222@050 .508 with stamped steel. I agree that the smooth operation of roller is a big benifit. And that they are a nice performance and all around enhancement to an engine.

I don't put them high on my list without knowing what they are going on. I look at them much like a K&N air filter, msd ignitions and electric fans. If you have a goal and a budget they are items you can live without and still be sucessful.

I see so many guys spending hundreds of dollars on these items and they can't aford better heads or a good cam, things that would help the most.

I would not buy the Proforms simply based on all the bad stuff I've read about them here.

I know you can replace factory arms with roller tipped rockers, but I'm not sure if you can go to a full roller without modifications.

Who has the roller tiped rockers? And do the heads have to come off to install these?

I have comp cams cast steel roller tips 1.52 ratio. They just bolt on, fit under stock valve covers and work great in all the engines I have built lately. They make valve adjustments much more precise/easier with my solid lifter cam IMHO.

Aluminum arms frequently use poly locks and require tall valve covers. The higher ratio rockers will likely require pushrod hole modifications on stock heads. I personaly do not like the look of the stamped rockers with the roller tip but I have no experience with that style. Love those Comp Cams cast steel roler tip rockers though! :cool:

-Mark.

Originally posted by Johnso:
Who has the roller tiped rockers? And do the heads have to come off to install these? Crane makes good ones here's a link to them from Jegs. And no, you don't need to take the heads of to install these, but you obviously need to know how to re-set your valves. I would stick with the 1.5 ratio:
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1230&prmenbr=361

Thanks, everyone has been a huge help in helping me build my 68 for the first time.

IMHO,don't waste your money on roller tip rockers..theres no performance gain to be found there.