Rocker arm roller replacement!!!!! with pics!

[86Shelby]

I finally got back the first sample of what should be a viable repair for the worn rollers on our rocker ams! I think this will work out alright. It is a slip-fit in the rocker, while the stock stuff is a press fit. This one is made of stainless steel, not sure of the alloy, hardness, etc. They are designed to use the rollers and needle bearings from 8V rockers. Let me know what you think.

There is NO pricing of this as of yet, so don't ask. I'm not trying to be snooty, I don't know what the sample peices I had made will cost me yet.

Anyway, on with the pics.








They are nice and close fitting to the side, so there is no worry of it contacting the head when installed.

[glhs727]

Great idea, I'd like to hear more!!!

[Directconnection]

Good idea, but... #1) are you sure a slip fits is a better idea? Now the pin must rotate and the bore of the rocker is going to be a load carrying bearing surface. #2) SS is soft.

None of this may be a problem, but something to think about.

[WOP'R]

i would like to know how much the pice once you find out...also any thoughts on making it out of chrome moly or something as hard/harder?

[turbovanman²]

Nice.

I would do a few things. Either sell the pins by themselves, sell a modified rocker arm or modded customer one and knurl the one end so it doesn't rotate in the rocker arm,

[jay]

get em cryo treated too!

[86Shelby]

I'll look into having the ends knurled to see if it's feasible. Pretty good idea there. This was just the prototype, the real thing will be made of a harder material.

[turbovanman²]

I am not sure what material to use, I would just ask a metal place and tell them the intended application, they'll know for sure.

As for knurling yeah, I thought of maybe having a raised part but then that would take alot of machining. I honestly wouldn't have that setup so the pin can turn, I bet over time, it will wear out the rocker arm.

[86Shelby]

Still researching the right metal to use. Some say 4340, other want 17CrNiMo6(supposed to be a little harder than 4340).

Those SS pins are good for...well....not much.

[turbovanman²]

Those SS pins are good for...well....not much.

They look pretty,

[WOP'R]

any update?

[86Shelby]

Not yet. Still waiting to get them back from being heat treated. We decided on 4340. After I get them back I still need to put the car back together and spare time is in short supply.

[Turbo Joe]

so you heat treated the 4340 chromemoly? 4340 moly is way stronger than the rocker, and with the bearing being almost as wide as the pin, most of the load is spread pretty even across the pin. So are these pins gonna be availible as a repair kit? and when is someone gonna make some aftermarket rockers? 7075 or 4340 please?

[mech1nxh]

Very Nice!!

A thought here on the method of pin retention,
perhaps increase pin OD by .001-.0015 ?
(unsure of exact amount).
And freeze the pin, then assemble?

[86Shelby]

so you heat treated the 4340 chromemoly?

Yes, we did. We found that untreated 4340 didn't quite have the hardness to serve as a roller bearing surface. Damn strong material, but not quite hard enough on the surface. They tested at 60 rockwell where most roller bearing surfaces are 60-65.

We thought about putting some pieces in an oven and others in a freezer, but there wouldn't be enough clearnace in the bearing for lubrication and free movement.

As far as if this will be offered as a replacement, we'll see. I'm going to run them for a while on my car, then dissassemble a few. I'm not going to offer them without testing the waters first.

[turbovanman²]

Very Nice!!

A thought here on the method of pin retention,
perhaps increase pin OD by .001-.0015 ?
(unsure of exact amount).
And freeze the pin, then assemble?

That could work, my only negative would be the area is thin around there, it could maybe crack the pin hole?

[86Shelby]

.001 isn't enough to be a press fit(or snug fit for that matter) in the rocker. Although .001 is enough to make the roller difficult to turn. We used the same OD shaft measurement as the shafts from brand new 8V rocker arms.

Chad and I went through 4 or 5 different shaft diameters trying to get a snug fit on the rocker and still let the needle bearings do thier job easily. There wasn't a better fit than the 8V shaft specs. Thank goodness that stainless wasn't horribly expensive.

[86Shelby]

:and when is someone gonna make some aftermarket rockers? 7075 or 4340 please?

I might work on that next. I'm hoping to be able to take some night courses for CAD and CNC machining at the local community college this fall....and they will rent time on the machines to students! Higher ratio billet rocker arms anyone???

[2.216VTurbo]

I might work on that next. I'm hoping to be able to take some night courses for CAD and CNC machining at the local community college this fall....and they will rent time on the machines to students! Higher ratio billet rocker arms anyone???

Nah, who would want something like that ?

[turbovanman²]

I might work on that next. I'm hoping to be able to take some night courses for CAD and CNC machining at the local community college this fall....and they will rent time on the machines to students! Higher ratio billet rocker arms anyone???

I'm in unless the pricing is worth more than the engine,