Rocker Arms

[Wayne66]

Hey Guys and Gals,
Looking for your input and suggestions about what rocker arms to use in my new engine that is mostly street but hope to get a few passes with. Here is my combo thus far;
66 Belvedere 3700 lbs with me in it
440 .055 over, 4.250 stroke, 7.100 rod
flat top pistons
440 Source bowl ported heads
Indy dual plane intake with a Quick Fuel 950 carb
727 full manual, 3200 stall and 3.91 gears
I've been debating on weather to use needle bearing rockers (Harland Sharp) or bushed (Hughes).
Looking for more street longevity but still take some hits.
Forgot the cam, 245/251 @.050 duration, .573 lift hydralulic roller.

 

[Yatzee]

Hey Guys and Gals,
Looking for your input and suggestions about what rocker arms to use in my new engine that is mostly street but hope to get a few passes with. Here is my combo thus far;
66 Belvedere 3700 lbs with me in it
440 .055 over, 4.250 stroke, 7.100 rod
flat top pistons
440 Source bowl ported heads
Indy dual plane intake with a Quick Fuel 950 carb
727 full manual, 3200 stall and 3.91 gears
I've been debating on weather to use needle bearing rockers (Harland Sharp) or bushed (Hughes).
Looking for more street longevity but still take some hits.
Forgot the cam, 245/251 @.050 duration, .573 lift hydralulic roller.

I would go "bushed" simply because the needle bearing style have been known to deteriorate and cause flat spots on the needles. Bushed have an oil groove and against the hardened rods the bushings will wear first. They're also replaceable as are the needle style. I doubt there's that much friction drag from the bushings. You can buy needle and have them changed later to bushings by Hughes but I'm not sure about Harland rockers. I run needle style with fairly stiff valve springs so I doubt there's much "bouncing" impact on the needles but I will change them to the bushed style that offers a larger contact area against the shafts.

 

[Yatzee]

I would go "bushed" simply because the needle bearing style have been known to deteriorate and cause flat spots on the needles. Bushed have an oil groove and against the hardened rods the bushings will wear first. They're also replaceable as are the needle style. I doubt there's that much friction drag from the bushings. You can buy needle and have them changed later to bushings by Hughes but I'm not sure about Harland rockers. I run needle style with fairly stiff valve springs so I doubt there's much "bouncing" impact on the needles but I will change them to the bushed style that offers a larger contact area against the shafts. Oh, by the way, I run Hughes solid roller lifters and Trend rods.

 

[451Mopar]

I haven't used the Hughes rockers, but have the HS rockers on the 440/505 stroker in the '69 Convertible (440 source heads, build like your engine with a step smaller hydraulic roller cam), and on my friends 400/470 stroker (Edelbrock RPM heads, large solid lifter cam), and no issues at all with the rocker arms.
I don't know why the prices have exploded on rocker arms? Last year I bought the HS rocker arms for the Trick flow heads CSP-S70016KE for $877.99, and now they are $929.97!
On summits web page, looks like the HS S70015K (1.5:1 ratio) is $693.97, and the S70016K (1.6;1 ratio) is $828.09

Edit.. There may be a sound difference between the roller and bushed rockers?

 

[Challenger340]

Good V/Train Geometry is critical, and too controversial to get into here.
That said,
You can DESTROY the Best Rocker Arm with garbage V/Train geometry, and conversely, the 'el cheapo's can survive just 'puss with excellent geometry.... it's all in the assembly and attention to detail in controlling harmonics.

But it's only an HR ?
just say'in....
If you just want to take a 'magic marker' and color the V/Tip, then mock up the V/train and roll a few times looking for the .100" to .120" contact pattern centered on the valve tip ?
Then go bushed or Honed.

 

[GITEX]

Iv'e been using Comp pro Magnum 1.5 rockers for 4+ years without issue. But like Challenger said Geometry is crucial for longevity. Just my2cents

 

[Schober Motorsports]

I've never had an issue with my Harland Sharps... Pricey though.

 

[Cranky]

Over the years I've had some pretty sharp racers say to me that roller rockers (even roller tip) are not needed for 'mild' cams and that has been proven over the years on the dyno and on the track. In the early/mid 80's, I ran a totally Isky setup using a .660 lift solid roller and used their 1604 ductile non roller rockers with great results. These days I think their 1604 is a bit different than they were back then and if you go to Summit Racing, the pic isn't even close to what they are. They do require hardened shafts but there are stock shafts that are hardened too so if you have some extras, you can check with a file to weed out the soft ones.....
Found them....scroll down a bit to the B 383/440 section.

 

[lewtot184]

push rod geometry always gets lost in the fray.

 

[Cranky]

push rod geometry always gets lost in the fray.

Yes it does but at least that subject was addressed in this thread whereas it usually isn't.

 

[747mopar]

I like the Comp Cam Magnum rockers myself but would run non rollers before I'd buy a cheap roller. Harland Sharps have always been good as well I just prefer bushed over needle bearings but that's just me. Like what's already been said geometry is key which is why you avoid the cheap ones, only ever installed 1 set but boy were they off!

 

[Jackpot50]

Over the years I've had some pretty sharp racers say to me that roller rockers (even roller tip) are not needed for 'mild' cams and that has been proven over the years on the dyno and on the track. In the early/mid 80's, I ran a totally Isky setup using a .660 lift solid roller and used their 1604 ductile non roller rockers with great results. These days I think their 1604 is a bit different than they were back then and if you go to Summit Racing, the pic isn't even close to what they are. They do require hardened shafts but there are stock shafts that are hardened too so if you have some extras, you can check with a file to weed out the soft ones.....
Found them....scroll down a bit to the B 383/440 section.

I run these on my 440 with 440 Source heads no problem with a Hyd roller .545 lift.
PS, make sure pushrods are clear thru. heads

 

[silver67]

I've had the Hughes 1.5 roller tipped rockers since 2011

505 big block
585/600 flat tappet
928-16 Comp spring
Since 2011
Over 5,000 miles
One full season of bracket racing

Lash hasnt moved

 

[LemonWedge]

I’m not a fan of needle bearing rockers on a dual purpose engine. I’ve been using a set of ProComp bushed stainless roller-tip rockers on my solid FT with good success for years.

 

[383man]

I have been using these Hughes 1.6 roller tip rockers since 2011 and they are still working great. Ron