Roller Rockers in Stock Elim?

[ss wannabee]

I'm responding here since I'm not an active driver (yet).....I've got an idea that maybe nobody will like...Steve, I do agree that you need the roller rocker for your car and with all the stuff permitted now in Stock, it only makes sense....However I do agree with the Captain and Bob M. about where the Stock Elim. rules changes are taking the class....I believe that a Stock Elim. engine should have the same type or design rocker arm that came on from the factory....doesn't have to be a O.E.M. part number, just the same type, etc.....So what I'm proposing is how about a SPRING PRESSURE RULE??? ALLOW let's say an open pressure of maybe 100 lbs. or so over Stock O.E.M. specs. so that maybe we don't need to fork over the $$$$ for bigger this and high-tech that, etc. THE PROBLEM is mainly could it be POLICED properly? The number doesn't have to be 100......I chose it out of the blue...but should be a number that would give additional performance and somewhat reliability without having to go to mega-dollar engine parts....UNLESS you want to! So how about it guys! Of course some engines may respond to tons of extra spring pressure and some don't....and most Stock engine programs may have to go BACKWARDS a bit....but at least it would be a RULES CHANGE leading back to what STOCK should be!

[Oldtimer]

What you have to understand is that this problem has always been around, 30 years ago with stock-stock rules we still had a rocker breakage problem with BBC and it did not matter if it was solid or hyd. Even with the Crane rockers they still break so this is not a pressure related problem of late. Bob Pagano

[ss wannabee]

Wasn't aware of that Bob....need to get out more! What other engines are tough on rockers? Thought that the bigger pressures caused the problem....look at the pieces (and prep) needed to run the pressures! This is STOCK Eliminator???? Just my .02!

[SSDiv6]

Buick, AMC and Oldsmobiles also have the same problem. It is not only spring pressure but the rocker geometry, specially when you run a dwell lobe camshaft.

[Oldtimer]

Yes I am speaking about Stock BBC , I only ran SS two years with one of Jerry Steins Plymouths 71-72 and set the SS/EA record using stock rockers back in the day.

[Steve Calabro]

You would have to go all the way back to stock, not just " a little" or move ahead. Remember " just put it in a little" you know what happened!

[Woodro Josey]

Well guys, from what i hear, Roller Rockers ain't gonna happen!

[Stick Racing]

I may have a option.

Many years ago, a friend and myself were searching for a way to minimize breakage in manual transmissions and differentials. We sent quite a few gears out to have them frozen. This cryogenic process is suppose to 'relieve the stress' of the parts.
Can't say if it really helped, but it certainly didn't hurt. I would say on an average, any frozen gear lasted at least as long-if not longer-than the unfrozen gears.

Some months ago, I spoke with Mike Long of G-Force and asked his opinion on freezing the gears in his transmissions. He said they tried it and didn't really see any advantage in the process. However, he said the cryogenics did seem to show improved durability in reciprocating parts.

I had the same conversation with a friend who builds engines for late model circle track cars and he explained he had every connecting rod frozen in every engine he builds.

I bought a set of Crane Nitro Carb rockers some 10 years ago and had them frozen with those transmission parts. Last month I broke the first one of those rockers. It broke about the 1000ft mark. I shut the motor off. Had the car pulled to the trailor, replaced the rocker, got back in line. Red light in the final...Yes, that was luck. Or was it? I'd say they had 400 runs on them.

Maybe the cryogenics help. Maybe you just have to put X-amount of runs on them and throw them in the trash. I may run unfrozen transmissions but I will never run rockers that are not frozen!

Andy Stone B/S 1102

[Bill Harris]

I run a '71 429SCJ Mustang in D/SA like Vic Guilmino and I have also had a lot of rocker arm breakage in the past. Every couple of passes I would break a rocker, usually an intake (the 429 has a 2.25" intake valve which is pretty heavy). I also had a lot of cases where the "sled" fulcrum would split in two. A couple of years ago I bought a brand new set of rockers and fulcrums and had them cryo treated. I have not broken a single one of them (knock on wood). I don't race nearly as much as Vic, and he is making a lot more power than me so his cam may be a lot more agressive than mine. But I did find that the cryo treated rockers seem to be a lot more durable on my setup.

Bill H

[FlyingW]

From my experience and knowledge people like Woodro Joosey and Jim Waibel have been pushing for roller rockers for years and if icons in the sport can not get it accomplished, what make any of us think that we are any different ? We run stock for a reason, if we start making drastic changes like this we are eventually going to end up with no stock division at all and we will all be running super stock. With the rules the way they are racers must make the decision if they are to run stock or super stock, not try to race stock cause they think it is easier and try to change the rules to fit what they need, if you have to do that are you truly racing or are you being lazy?