Holroyd BBC Rocker Arms

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Charley Downing

Bub,Terry just has to bit#h about something NHRA did. He has nothing better to do with his time.

I was just trying to find out for sure if they were legal before I spend a bunch of money on something that would get me thrown out sometime on the east coast. Wouldnt you guys all have a good laugh at my expense if that was to happen....LOL This dumb azzed x tech man dosent even know whats legal or not !! Its been 10 years or more since I had to deal with any of it but after reading this thread what is someone to believe?

[Terry Cain]

Originally Posted by Bob Shaw

The rule book says rocker arms can not be modified. I asked Wesley if I could modify mine so they wouldn't split and he said "no".

Does this also mean you can't open the slot up to accept larger studs?

[Bob Pagano]

Travis cant answer he is caught in the middle. The 502 rockers are not something new, they have been around for at least 5 years. You cant get the old long slots anymore, people have been refining the slots for years too. Cleaning the slot also cuts down on the breakage and cleaning the oil hole dose too. Clark's rockers address those problems and have been thru tech many times on diff engines both 396 & 427, Arnold Greene also has the same setup.

[X-TECH MAN]

This is beginning to sound like IHRA has the better idea and cheaper to.

[Grant Eldridge]

Someone asked, so here's a photo of Clark's rocker. The cross inside identifies the marine 502 rocker, the insert is shown separately to one side....Sorry, I don't have a photo of the special high strength stud and adjuster that are used with the rocker arms. I went to these after noticing that the stock sized ARP studs used with the Crane rockers I had been using were bending as I turned the motor over due to the high spring pressures we were using......
Grant Eldridge

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Grant Eldridge

Someone asked, so here's a photo of Clark's rocker. The cross inside identifies the marine 502 rocker, the insert is shown separately to one side....Sorry, I don't have a photo of the special high strength stud and adjuster that are used with the rocker arms. I went to these after noticing that the stock sized ARP studs used with the Crane rockers I had been using were bending as I turned the motor over due to the high spring pressures we were using......
Grant Eldridge

I take it that insert fits under the welds on the push rod side of the rocker arm?
That's a bunch of bull crap that this is legal. Not only is the part heavily modified, it doesn't even look stock when it's all done. I believe the rule book is clear on this issue. Either the rule book needs to be amended to reflect allowable modifications or the rule needs to be enforced.
I've long known about this 502 rocker swap but was not aware the rockers were welded and support bridges attached. Had this type of modification been specifically accepted in the rule book, I would have kept my car in D/S for it was the constant rocker issues that wore me out while at the races. The allowance of a T&D shaft rocker in SS is what pushed me over from Stock to SS. Sure makes it a lot easier to maintain valve train integrity.

Somebody should pull up the thread I started on Stock Eliminator roller rockers (it's been so long, maybe 5 years that I doubt it's even archived here). But the gist of it was that with all the other items allowed (Schubecks, tool steel lifters, billet cam cores, fat pushrods, 9/16" 502 marine, tool steel and premium after market cast rockers, etc.) it no longer made sense to run a stamped steel OEM rocker. Boy, was I chastised as yet another placing nails in the coffin of Stock! I also heard how I didn't know how to correctly fix the problem with proper geometry or cam profiles. Obviously, my pain of yesteryear is felt by many as there is a burgeoning industry that is allowed by NHRA despite how the rulebook is written.
As I was told, if you can't make your engine live under the guides of the rulebook, get out! I did, and the financial outlay has been huge. Seeing these "allowable" rockers makes me second guess my decision to get out of Stock as I know with what I know now, 10 thirties is not out of the question in D/S for me.
My long standing opinion is OEM configured or mounted roller rockers should be allowed in NHRA as is IHRA. That means Crane or similar brand stud or shaft mounted (replicate OEM mounting) aluminum roller rockers that generally speaking sell for about $279.00. I fail to understand the logic that this should not be permissible.

[Mike Taylor 3601]

I'll give my 2cents I know I will probaly regret it.
If the rules are stock rockers then I think they should be unmodified that you can see by eye.

If aftermarket was allowed then I say shaft rockers should be allowed,that way all brands should be on level playing field then, for example if it was stud mounted rule,dodges,buicks,fe's can't run studs,so then you have people fussing why can't I run shaft rockers like that dodge,buick or fe.

I think that would be fair to everyone,there are combo's that are at a disadvantage because of rockers now whether it is weaker design,non adjustable,yeah I know you can use adjustable pushrods,but that is real pain in the rear.

Personally I would like to see things stop changing.when was it 1986-1987when,cam/spring rule changed?


I like change, especially when they change it back to the way I liked it to start with.LOL
Mike Taylor 3601

[X-TECH MAN]

I would say that the NHRA tech dept. should take a closer look at what is being used and done in relationship of the current worded rule book. THAT was the point I wanted to know about before I was blasted in an earlier thread by a couple of guys. Although its probably no worse than all the cheated up head, intakes and lite assemblys being used today. S/S is looking a lot better.

[Bill Edgeworth]

They are legal for engines other than big block Chevy’s and have been for quite a while. And they don’t break just because of spring pressure; opening ramp is the predominant reason in my opinion.

[Mike Taylor 3601]

Why do you think it takes spring pressure?
We have to have higher spring pressures because of aggressive ramps that were put to use when spring rule was opened up.
I'm sure that when spring rule was changed it was not dreamed that spring pressures used now would ever be used on flat tappet lobes.
If spring/cam rules had not been changed there would be no use for the special lifters,modified rockers etc.
Mike Taylor 3601