What aftermarket rocker arms are you running?

[Kern Dog]

My Charger has a 440 based 493 BB with 10.7 compression, Edelbrock aluminum heads, a MP '509 cam and 2" TTI headers. Besides some issues with detonation, it runs strong.
Apparantly I've been lucky all along. I've been running the stock style stamped steel rocker arms for years. In 2006 I did have a rocker shaft break, but since then I went with new HD stuff from Mopar Performance.
Now I have heard that "premium valvetrain components" are required on any performance build. Uhhh, okay.
So, in the interest of durability and reliability, I am going to replace the factory gear with some aftermarket adjustable rocker arms.  There are several companies selling them, from steel, iron to aluminum. I currently have the 1.5 ratio but am considering a switch to 1.6 ratio in an aftermarket set. Has anyone any real world experience with these ? One set from Crane is priced fairly at around $550 from Summit Racing. The Harland Sharp sets are unbelievably expensive though!

[ws23rt]

On any performance build? The valve train stresses come from the forces they feel. Stock shafts and rockers are designed to work with stock valve spring rates. If you have stock springs than heaver shafts and rockers would be for your piece of mind. Not to forget is what the advertisements say are to help get you to go with them. Changing the ratio to 1.6 will give more lift and more stress on the valve train but that is not a great deal.
I know my answer is not all you need to hear but it is the kind of thinking I go through when I consider getting something cooler/better.
As you are driving around on the street only you will know what is under the valve covers. If you want to race that that is different.

[Kern Dog]

Hughes engines states in their ads that stock Mopar rocker arms are often not even close to the 1.5 ratio that they are supposed to be. Many have been tested and found to be within 1.38 to 1.45. Imagine that you have a mixed up set of rocker arms in your engine with each cylinder getting different lift and duration for both Intake and Exhaust! A change to a true 1.5 ratio would likely result in a power increase.
Years ago, Mopar Performance had a crate 500 BB that used the 292/509 cam but listed the cam lift at .543. The math showed this to be due to 1.6 rocker arms.
They rated their crate 500 at 500 HP.
On another note: Over the years there have been a few parts swapped in and out of this engine. I have had stock type rockers the whole time. At one point, I had .060 head gaskets with a Comp XE285HL cam with .545 lift. A few years later I found that I had some unusual valve stem wear requiring 8 new valves. Fast forward to 10 minutes ago...I'm thinking that my geometry must have been messed up, causing the stock rockers to press off center of the valve tips.
Anyway....The higher lift of the rockers should provide a bit more torque and vacuum. I cruise at 2600-2800 RPMs at freeway speeds, so torque is key here.

[Cooter]

Yeah, gotta watch those roller rocker arms. Cheaper ain't ness. the way to go here. Seen WAY too many engines with needle roller bearings in the oil pumps/pans.
I run the good ol tried and true Ductile Iron rockers. Are they outdated? Maybe. Are they heavy as hell? Maybe. But, I ain't breaking anything either. Engine's been together for over 17 years. (.600 Lift soild cam)

Crane has had some luck without breakage, but Harland Sharp has been around forever. I think they designed one of the very first roller cams back in the 40's or something. Same thing with Isky.
If I was inclined to run roller rockers, I'd be looking for something like T&D because they are proven winners. Expensive? Hell yes, but proven. They do NOT hit the Valve retainers on the most common size valves and don't require you to run "Behive" springs in order to run them. Many times, with huge retainers, you have to end up clearancing the Crane "Gold" rockers. As stated, once you increase the rocker arm ratio, so does the strain on the valve guides. I've seen too many aluminum heads with guides worn out due to Poor choice of cam, and 1.7-1.75 rockers to compensate by increasing the lift. While it has been done and to some degree of success, I wouldn't trust it on the street for any type of "Daily" driving. And old trick we used to use with the 5.0 mustangs was 460 rockers on the 5.0 liter engine. Cheap way to increase the valve lift, but we soon found out the guides paid the price.

[68CoronetRT]

I was recently researching this topic and ended up going with the iron ductiles Tried and true!

Just having issues right now getting them all to line up properly to the valve tips.... Which might mean I need new hold downs and possibly shafts, and then spacers of course!

But I'd say it's worth the piece of mind that they are a solid choice!

[Kern Dog]

I agree 100% that going cheap here would be a stupid move. Hughes engines rocker sets are American made by a company that specializes in Mopar engines. Their rocker arm sets also require an $85 dollar holddown kit. They also require different pushrods with a cup on the rocker end and a ball on the lifter end.

[firefighter3931]

I run Harland Sharp on My Indy heads but i'm also using a solid roller camshaft with 600+lbs of spring pressure. With a solid Roller your choices are limited. 

The ductile iron rockers work fine on just about anything but a solid roller and they are bulletproof 



Ron

[71charger_fan]

I've been running a set of Cranes for 19 years with no issues. I picked them up when they were still about $300. The HP build I was planning never happened, so they've been an unnecessary expense for me.

[mopar0166]

Comp Cams 1621-16 - Comp Cams Ultra Pro Magnum ChromeMoly Roller Rockers , is what im running.  not many options but i have a similar engine to yours

[cdr]

THESE are harland 's made for mancini .
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/b16alrowibih.html



Harland Sharp Roller Rocker
Arm Sets A or R/RB engines
MRE exclusive!
New bushed style rocker arm sets.
These rocker arms utilize the same
beafy body used in their roller bear-
ing models. Rocker arms, shafts &
spacers.

[charge69]

Of course, mine would be a little different but, I use new OEM rockers with a CompCams hydraulic roller cam setup. CompCams springs, hydraulic roller lifters,  and Manley SS valves with hardened valve seats.  Everything looks great, so far !

Those new OEM rockers cost me about 5 times what Mancini sells that Harland-Sharp setup for a 440 engine for ! Sure hope they last !

[Kern Dog]

THESE are harland 's made for mancini .
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/b16alrowibih.html



Harland Sharp Roller Rocker
Arm Sets A or R/RB engines
MRE exclusive!
New bushed style rocker arm sets.
These rocker arms utilize the same
beafy body used in their roller bear-
ing models. Rocker arms, shafts &
spacers.

Damn! That looks like a smoking deal! thank you so much. I have heard great things about Harland Sharp!

[Kern Dog]

Yeah, gotta watch those roller rocker arms. Cheaper ain't ness. the way to go here. Seen WAY too many engines with needle roller bearings in the oil pumps/pans.


Crane has had some luck without breakage, but Harland Sharp has been around forever. I think they designed one of the very first roller cams back in the 40's or something. Same thing with Isky.

I went ahead and ordered the kit from Mancini Racing. I was impressed with The Harland Sharp products I saw on the Summit racing site but the prices were a bit hard to take.  Thank you, CDR for the heads-up !

[firefighter3931]

THESE are harland 's made for mancini .
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/b16alrowibih.html

The Mancini/Harland rockers are very nice but are not comparable to the conventional Harland Sharp's. These rockers are bushed at the fulcrum as opposed to fully rollerized so they are limited in application. 

A fair comparison would be the Crane Gold's which are also only rollerized on the tip and bushed @ the shaft. Not for use with solid roller cam spring pressures but fine with anything else. Keep the open pressure under 400lbs and they will live long and prosper. 


Ron

[Kern Dog]

With the relatively mild camshaft and the fact that I don't rack up my miles a quarter mile at a time, I figured that these would work fine. The Hughes and Crane rockers don't use roller bearings either. This car is driven less than 2000 miles per year.
I'll surely report back once I get them in.