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factory rocker arms and shafts vs roller rockers

moparjohnny

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give thoughts and opinions on both for 383 hi po eng. for street use only.thanks
 
Stock rockers are pretty strong. I know of alot of the cheaper roller rockers that are chinese and I would rather a good set of stock rockers than those. Many stories of needle bearing and pieces failing and breaking off into engine.....I'll take a good set of stock rockers any day over those for street use.
 
Mopar Performance offered heavy duty factory style rockers at one time...not sure they still do or not but they work pretty good. Street car with a mild cam or even one that's a bit more than mild do not benefit from roller rockers and imo, they are a waste of money. If you are wanting adjustable rockers, there are plenty of aftermarket non roller adjustable rockers that will work just fine.
 
If you swap rockers keep in mind that you'll also have to swap pushrods. So you've just increased your cost and you will likely see ZERO performance gain. For a "street use", spend your money elsewhere ... Mild cam, intake, EFI, etc, etc.
 
I've found the real advantage to a roller tip is setting up rocker geometry. any of the aftermarket adjustable rockers should have their ratio checked. all I've ever used had ratios higher than their rating and this could lead to a retainer to guide/seal issue. the '69 and later stock rockers are the better ones. I've used them all and they all have their plus's and minus's. in my opinion it just depends on camshaft and what the engine is going to be used for. another thought is; be careful of piston to valve clearance issues with a stock 10:1 piston and a 383 using a higher than stock lift cam and aftermarket adjustable rockers.
 
normally a mild cam using a single valve spring, the stock rockers are fine. When you go to stiffer valve springs (usuallt a dual spring) and more agressive cams with over 0.500+" lift, that is where I have seen the pushrods break through the rocker arm. The Mopar Performance HD versions were supposed to be stamped with thicker steel. I don't know about the sealed power and melling replacements, but at $10/each that is $160/set for stock replacement rockers (without shafts.) I don't know the quality of the less expensive roller rockers. The lowest cost roller tipped rocker arms I have used (mild hydraulic flat tappet cam 0.530 lift) were the old Crane Gold aluminum versions (1.6:1 ratio), the other engines (roller cam) have Harlan sharp or T&D rocker arms.
 
I have some rockers on my stroker with no roller tip but they look nice. I bought the car with the engine in it so I am unsure of what they are. They look kind of like the stock hemi type rockers or t/a rockers but they are aftermarket. My cam is .566 lift xe295hl and it seems to be fine but definitely not stock rockers for beefy **** like that.
 
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