[Jims56]

1. Are roller tip rocker arms worth using, or is it just another sells feature?

2. Are full roller rockers worth the money on a mild street driven car? How much power can be gained? Over you stock stamped steel rocker arm.
Just asking. I'm curious.

 

[racerken70]

on a stock engine with stock or very mild cam I don't see the need or expence. going with a wilder cam with more lift where long slot rockers would be needed or higher engine speed. going with roller rockers may be a good upgrade. as far as power increase from the rockers themselves, I think it would be none to very little

 

[iequipu]

Picture the slot in a rocker arm. Picture that slot not being long enough to withstand a high lift cam and the travel of the rocker are bring limited buy that slot. If you missed a gear at high rpms you start breaking studs and bending push rods.Its not realy about increace in power but being sure your valve train can with stand higher rpms.Got it?

 

[Unkie]

Roller rockers

A couple of other plusses are the loss of friction between the roller and stock stamped version, both on the valve stem contact end and the ball and socket area.
Another plus is that they sure do look nice:sign0020:, but that point is moot unless you have clear valve covers.:sign0020:
The roller rockers are stronger, decrease friction, which can lower oil temp.
I bought a set of Crane needle bearing rocker arms back in the early 60's, they have been on every engine I've built, and are still going strong.
I initially installed them as I was doing some racing at the time, but to answer your question, I'll say on a mild, street driven car, the expense wouldn't be justified as far as any power gain.

Later,:burnout:
Jim

 

[Beachcomber]

R-O-L-L-E-R T-I-P Rockers

Even sounds cool to have'em . My experience, Installed the Comp Cams Roller Tip rockers on three of my SB Chevy's over the years and had to lower the idle RPM once I started it up. Even seemed to rev easier. That tells me that there is Less Friction. Less Friction equals less heat, Less wear = More power.
So simply stated I feel the roller tips are worth it not that much more $$.
Full Rollers rockers would have to warrant the application. Thats my story and I'm stickin to it.
Hot Rod Frank
:gba:

 

[55 Tony]

With my old cam and springs (Comp probably went overboard with the spring pressure), the stock rockers wore out the tips of all the exhaust valves and the intakes were barely salvageable. I got roller tips and since have seen no wear at all.

 

[volksnut]

Would say a stock rocker with SS valves need lash caps then? Isn't there increased wear if running stainless? Wouldn't that warrant roller rockers? Heck what do I know though.

 

[BADD55]

ROLLER ROCKERS!!!!!

**********:bowtieb: I agree with most of what has been said earlier!!***On a stock stamped steel rocker, as the valve is being depressed, it pushes on the valve stem, and pulls the valve inward toward the center of the engine!! This action wears on the valve guides and gets even worse with higher lift cams!***The roller rocker tip on the rocker allows the valve to be depressed evenly up and down, as the tip rolls back and forth evenly, on the valve stem!!!***Results are, very little if any valve guide wear, less fiction, more power!!!***How much power is gained, that's debatable!!!***I personally will always use them on my engines!!***milton:driver:

 

[NickP]

As with all things, budget VS.requirement (needed) and wanted - cool, if unwarranted just cost money.

 

[Jims56]

**********:bowtieb: I agree with most of what has been said earlier!!***On a stock stamped steel rocker, as the valve is being depressed, it pushes on the valve stem, and pulls the valve inward toward the center of the engine!! This action wears on the valve guides and gets even worse with higher lift cams!***The roller rocker tip on the rocker allows the valve to be depressed evenly up and down, as the tip rolls back and forth evenly, on the valve stem!!!***Results are, very little if any valve guide wear, less fiction, more power!!!***How much power is gained, that's debatable!!!***I personally will always use them on my engines!!***milton:driver:

That sounds like it makes sense, for roller tip rockers.For full rockers much of the decision depends on application.
Thanks guys.:tu

 

[55 Tony]

That sounds like it makes sense, for roller tip rockers.For full rockers much of the decision depends on application.
Thanks guys.:tu

I didn't mention, but at first I got full rollers but it's a BB in the stock position and I'm not sure if the heater would have to be moved when the firewall was modified enough to make tall valve covers fit with the motor in the stock position.

The comp roller tips I got were very iffy during their break in, someone else had much worse luck than me if you search for "chicken fried rockers" or something like that. Just make sure they get plenty of lubrication, don't run long at high rpm- let the rpms down often to be sure the oil doesn't get flung off and it runs down to the ball. You may need drip rails in the covers. However I did find one Hot Rod article about them and they say they are the best bang for the buck.

 

[GOSFAST]

Been doing the full-roller builds for years now, both lifter's AND "real" rocker's, for the 100% stock-appearing crowd.

We use Comp's rockers, usually the "Pro-Magnum" series, and 100% stock height valve covers WITH a single thick gasket in the program. A set of Crower's poly-locks on the exhaust's only, the intakes aren't an issue! They clear with no problems.

As of a few weeks ago on the roller cam platform, with the MkIV builds, we no longer have any need for setting cam end-play OR using any type cam buttons. We simply use the later MkVI stepped nose cams, this eliminates worrying about timing covers, etc. We can now do the early SBC's the same way, install a late style cam and set it all up with a thrust-plate. Very minor machining during the course of the build. No more buttons on this platform either. Makes our life much easier doing assemblies now!

(Add) Most roller rocker will add some HP due to the accuracy of the ratios, most factory rocker's (stamped-steel), both SB's and BB's, come up short on the actual final ratios.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Here's a shot of a finished (painted by the resto shop) full-roller build some years back, these had the cam buttons back then. We have been forced to use ONLY a single thick V/C gasket for years now, never had any issue with this? This is a '72 LS-5 stock-appearing unit!