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Input on which rockers I should use.

adk-roadrunner

adk-roadrunner

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Hey guy's I'm in the process of finishing up my 440 engine build so I can get it installed soon and I have a question about rocker arm's. I'm trying to figure out what I should do for rocker arms for my specific build. My engine is bored .30 over with Speed Pro six pack pistons L-2355F .020 in the hole, Forged crank, stock rods, Edelbrock E street heads 75cc and Comp Cam 21-671-4 284Hv .484 intake .484 exhaust. I was originally going to just try and run the factory rockers and just get proper length pushrods if the stockers aren't right but if I really need adjustable rockers I'll do that.
 
Unless you're going for some hp numbers, the stock rocker arms are good.
 
Thing is most budget oriented rockers are junk & cause more problems (by far) than they solve... And good rockers these days seem to start around $650 which is nuts... With budget arms if the roller trunion fails two things happen, tiny hardened steel needle bearing find their way into parts of your engine that really don't need tiny bits of steel floating around in... And when the roller falls out now the forked rocker rides on the retainer instead of the valve... This can quickly lead to a dropped valve..... Parts shown are Chevy, first picture I found.. I've seen mopar roller rocker fail the same way....

Screen Shot 2021-06-15 at 6.56.08 PM.png


Personally I'm a fan of Ductile Iron rockers, very simple, trouble free design... To bad no one makes them anymore... More money in making fancy parts....

I would consider searching for a set of Iskys...

I hear the Indy/Hughes stuff is decent, I know the Harlan Sharp stuff is good...
 
Just measure for proper length pushrods. You only need to get close with hydraulic lifters (.020-.060 of preload is fine for most) so if you need different length rods you should be able to find a set off-the-rack at the Summit or maybe 440source. Not too expensive.
Switching to adjustable rockers opens a whole can of worms; there then becomes more to it than just buying them and slapping them on.
I mean absolutely no disrespect when I say this, but IMO aftermarket adjustable rockers would be a waste of time and money on an engine such as you're building...and you'd likely still need to buy pushrods. It's not a good idea to compensate for a too-short rod by cranking the rocker adjuster way down..
That's a good chunk of coin that can go towards another part of your build.
 
Just cause I took a second look, Ford this time... Dropped a valve..

Screen Shot 2021-06-15 at 7.07.51 PM.png


Screen Shot 2021-06-15 at 7.08.06 PM.png


Screen Shot 2021-06-15 at 7.08.21 PM.png


Screen Shot 2021-06-15 at 7.05.45 PM.png
 
beanhead said:
Just measure for proper length pushrods. You only need to get close with hydraulic lifters (.020-.060 of preload is fine for most) so if you need different length rods you should be able to find a set off-the-rack at the Summit or maybe 440source. Not too expensive.
Switching to adjustable rockers opens a whole can of worms; there then becomes more to it than just buying them and slapping them on.
I mean absolutely no disrespect when I say this, but IMO aftermarket adjustable rockers would be a waste of time and money on an engine such as you're building...and you'd likely still need to buy pushrods. It's not a good idea to compensate for a too-short rod by cranking the rocker adjuster way down..
That's a good chunk of coin that can go towards another part of your build.
Click to expand...
I didn't mean to sound like I didn't plan on buying pushrods as well if I went rollers and was gonna try to adjust them to fit the stock rods. I'm not trying to cut corners though if I can save money or not waste it that's fine.
 
1 Wild R/T said:
Thing is most budget oriented rockers are junk & cause more problems (by far) than they solve... And good rockers these days seem to start around $650 which is nuts... With budget arms if the roller trunion fails two things happen, tiny hardened steel needle bearing find their way into parts of your engine that really don't need tiny bits of steel floating around in... And when the roller falls out now the forked rocker rides on the retainer instead of the valve... This can quickly lead to a dropped valve..... Parts shown are Chevy, first picture I found.. I've seen mopar roller rocker fail the same way....

View attachment 1124651

Personally I'm a fan of Ductile Iron rockers, very simple, trouble free design... To bad no one makes them anymore... More money in making fancy parts....

I would consider searching for a set of Iskys...

I hear the Indy/Hughes stuff is decent, I know the Harlan Sharp stuff is good...
Click to expand...
I 100% agree, either buy quality or don't do it at all. When building mine (solid lifters) I scored a set of aluminum rockers at a swap meet, I installed them to find a horrible contact pattern. I researched them and found they were a generic Chevy rocker made to fit a Mopar shaft which seems to be common amongst the cheap ones. I ended up buying Comp Magnum rockers, nothing else was changed and the fit was spot on, to this day no problems. I've also had great results with Harland Sharps.. you get what you pay for.
 
Yeah the stock design is pretty basic, but they are simple with no common failure points... The cam your using isn't very aggressive so I wouldn't look any further that the stock parts...
 
adk-roadrunner said:
I didn't mean to sound like I didn't plan on buying pushrods as well if I went rollers and was gonna try to adjust them to fit the stock rods. I'm not trying to cut corners though if I can save money or not waste it that's fine.
Click to expand...
You don't want to try and make up slack with adjustable rockers unless of coarse they're close. You ideally want about 1 thread showing under the rocker, the further beyond you get the more risk you run of breaking a stud/adjuster.
 
adk-roadrunner said:
I didn't mean to sound like I didn't plan on buying pushrods as well if I went rollers and was gonna try to adjust them to fit the stock rods. I'm not trying to cut corners though if I can save money or not waste it that's fine.
Click to expand...
Understood. I wouldn't consider it cutting a corner at all, heck I used the stock gear on a 440 with the XE274 cam and RPM heads a few builds back, with Edelbrock's as-supplied springs and that thing ran real good for thousands of miles with no issues. If the cam and spring rates aren't getting too agressive the factory stuff is pretty tough.
 
Building a new motor , and then using 45 - 50 year old factory used rocker arms and shafts ?

I guess that was the same question I had five years ago

Mopar Performance doesn’t make the stamped steel rocker arms anymore

Stay away from the Elgin junk

I don’t know the brand that Mancini sells

I opted for Made in the USA Sealed Power stamped rocker arms and shafts five years ago

Just checked at Summit Racing and the R829 is available on clearance

The R828 is not available
 
You’ll be ok with Stock rockers and stock pushrods with no need for machining down valve guides with that cam’s lift and not decking block or shaving heads much.

I went with a cam that was also not too wild to avoid expensive valve train parts and be easy on valves spings
 
Last edited:
I located an old set of Isky ductile iron rockers (with the hardened pad) and bought new shafts from RAS (his are actually made here in the USA)

I’m running a custom crower mech flat tappet cam.

simple, but reliable.
 
747mopar said:
You don't want to try and make up slack with adjustable rockers unless of coarse they're close. You ideally want about 1 thread showing under the rocker, the further beyond you get the more risk you run of breaking a stud/adjuster.
Click to expand...
Ya I was explaining that that was not what I planned to do as I thought there was a misunderstanding that I meant to buy adjustable rockers and not replace the push rods as well. Thanks
 
Bee1971 said:
Building a new motor , and then using 45 - 50 year old factory used rocker arms and shafts ?

I guess that was the same question I had five years ago

Mopar Performance doesn’t make the stamped steel rocker arms anymore

Stay away from the Elgin junk

I don’t know the brand that Mancini sells

I opted for Made in the USA Sealed Power stamped rocker arms and shafts five years ago

Just checked at Summit Racing and the R829 is available on clearance

The R828 is not available
Click to expand...
I just emailed Mancini asking them who makes their Mancini stamped steel rockers. I guess we'll see what they say.
 
vintage chromoly said:
I located an old set of Isky ductile iron rockers (with the hardened pad) and bought new shafts from RAS (his are actually made here in the USA)

I’m running a custom crower mech flat tappet cam.

simple, but reliable.
Click to expand...
How much did you pay for the Isky's if you don't mind me asking? I found a set that was missing a hold down and they still wanted almost 900 with shipping. Seems crazy when at that point why not just get Harland Sharp's.
 
I have two sets of Isky's on engines... One set I picked up NOS it the box, the other set had been run but not very long, they showed very little wear but had been used with pushrods that were to long & had marks were the pushrod contacted the rocker instead of the adjuster.. I bought both sets around 2001 & paid $100 for each set... These prices have gone nuts... I did see a set of Cranes on Ebay without adjusters for $400... which is also nuts but not $800 worth of nuts...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363431263471?hash=item549e30fcef:g:aYwAAOSwphxgw4xW


Like mentioned before I'd go with stock parts..
 
I emailed Mancini Racing and asked them who makes their stamped steel rockers and I just received an answer from them. They just emailed me back and told me Specialty Auto Parta, USA. I googled the company and when I clicked on their website they seem to be Proform parts. I've seen some of their parts including mopar roller rockers for sale on summit. I have no idea if their parts are actually American made or just imported Chinese stuff they are pretty cheap so who knows.
 
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