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Here are my CHE trunnions with about 8000 hard miles on them. This is with a Torquer V2 cam (232/234 .600/.600) with PAC .660 dual springs and a 6500 rpm rev limiter. I use Redline 5w-30 which is a high zinc, ester based oil, so this may have helped. When I assembled the trunnions I dipped the bushings in oil and made sure they were coated liberally before installation.
They look good and do not appear or feel out of round at all. There was no transfer of bronze material on either the trunnion or the rocker. I feel good about these lasting a pretty long time, I drive my car pretty hard and I'm constantly near the rev limiter, hopefully they'll hold up just as well after I do heads and raise the limiter up to 7000.
The bottom of the trunnion is slightly polished where all the force is applied.
Here are my CHE trunnions with about 8000 hard miles on them. This is with a Torquer V2 cam (232/234 .600/.600) with PAC .660 dual springs and a 6500 rpm rev limiter. I use Redline 5w-30 which is a high zinc, ester based oil, so this may have helped. When I assembled the trunnions I dipped the bushings in oil and made sure they were coated liberally before installation.
They look good and do not appear or feel out of round at all. There was no transfer of bronze material on either the trunnion or the rocker. I feel good about these lasting a pretty long time, I drive my car pretty hard and I'm constantly near the rev limiter, hopefully they'll hold up just as well after I do heads and raise the limiter up to 7000.
The bottom of the trunnion is slightly polished where all the force is applied.
They look fantastic... Now I'll need to buy a set to replace the Straubs. I've noticed some fretting on the outside lips of the bronze bushings which appears to be caused by c-clip rotation, do you think a thin shim washer between the bushing and c-clip would help (like Manton does with its LS kit or do you think it's negligible)? One more thing, what "version letter" is stamped on the ends of you trunnions.
They look fantastic... Now I'll need to buy a set to replace the Straubs. I've noticed some fretting on the outside lips of the bronze bushings which appears to be caused by c-clip rotation, do you think a thin shim washer between the bushing and c-clip would help (like Manton does with its LS kit or do you think it's negligible)? One more thing, what "version letter" is stamped on the ends you trunnions.
I'm not quite sure what you're talking about as far c-clip wear, unless you're seeing something that I didn't notice, those lines on the front are just from the bushings being cut to size in the manufacturing process. I have a picture below from when I originally assembled them, if you look closely you can see the same lines. In the pictures I just posted, they are exaggerated by the lighting.
And to answer your question, I'm not at all worried about the c-clip wearing on the face of the bushing. And the version letter on the trunnion is "E-2"
I'm very glad I went for the CHE bushings the first time, I almost went for the Straub /Smith Bros. kit but the design of the trunnion had me concerned about the exact thing we're finding out about them.
I'm not quite sure what you're talking about as far c-clip wear, unless you're seeing something that I didn't notice, those lines on the front are just from the bushings being cut to size in the manufacturing process. I have a picture below from when I originally assembled them, if you look closely you can see the same lines. In the pictures I just posted, they are exaggerated by the lighting.
And to answer your question, I'm not at all worried about the c-clip wearing on the face of the bushing. And the version letter on the trunnion is "E-2"
I'm very glad I went for the CHE bushings the first time, I almost went for the Straub /Smith Bros. kit but the design of the trunnion had me concerned about the exact thing we're finding out about them.
C clips have a sharp and smooth side, made when they are punched.
As a matter of practice, whenever I install such , either as on the rockers, or into wrist pin bores, the sharp side goes "out". This helps the clip grip the groove face.
It also provides a smooth surface for the bushing, or wrist pin.
C clips have a sharp and smooth side, made when they are punched.
As a matter of practice, whenever I install such , either as on the rockers, or into wrist pin bores, the sharp side goes "out". This helps the clip grip the groove face.
It also provides a smooth surface for the bushing, or wrist pin.
FWIW - Regarding stock rocker failure, definitely read about it online.
However in real life in 21 years of knowing folks with LS powered cars and trucks and having one, i know exactly one person that had a stock rocker fail.
That occurred in the early 2000's on a low mile near stock 1998 WS6 Trans Am. A few years later the same car had another rocker start to fail but it was caught and replaced when upgrading from the stock cam to a MTI T1 cam.
I'm very glad I went for the CHE bushings the first time, I almost went for the Straub /Smith Bros. kit but the design of the trunnion had me concerned about the exact thing we're finding out about them.
Thanks for posting your photos, I feel better about having installed the TSP CHE bushed kit now.
Here are my CHE trunnions with about 8000 hard miles on them. This is with a Torquer V2 cam (232/234 .600/.600) with PAC .660 dual springs and a 6500 rpm rev limiter. I use Redline 5w-30 which is a high zinc, ester based oil, so this may have helped. [....]
Thanks for posting those pics. That's almost exactly my setup so I'm happy to see it's all holding up in your engine.
Of course, 1 is a small sample size, but it still gives me hope.
I have the CHE kit on my z and have put about 10k miles on them and never saw any bronze in the oil filters. Its an f13 cam with .650 dual springs .595 lift
I found a needle bearing in my oil pan 3 years ago from a stock rocker arm trunion. BTR was sold out at the time and TSP assured me that the CHE kits were over engineered and worth their extra price tag
CHE was an active vendor at the time, believe they are a race shop in Australia
I was just happy that it eliminated all the valve train noise. Now when I pop the hood the motor is silent.
Fwiw my cam and springs now have about 60k miles on them. Never pulled them out because the car has had the same dyno readings for 10 years now
They look fantastic... Now I'll need to buy a set to replace the Straubs. I've noticed some fretting on the outside lips of the bronze bushings which appears to be caused by c-clip rotation, do you think a thin shim washer between the bushing and c-clip would help (like Manton does with its LS kit or do you think it's negligible)? One more thing, what "version letter" is stamped on the ends of you trunnions.
Originally Posted by Bob570
I'm not quite sure what you're talking about as far c-clip wear, unless you're seeing something that I didn't notice, those lines on the front are just from the bushings being cut to size in the manufacturing process. I have a picture below from when I originally assembled them, if you look closely you can see the same lines. In the pictures I just posted, they are exaggerated by the lighting.
And to answer your question, I'm not at all worried about the c-clip wearing on the face of the bushing. And the version letter on the trunnion is "E-2"
I'm very glad I went for the CHE bushings the first time, I almost went for the Straub /Smith Bros. kit but the design of the trunnion had me concerned about the exact thing we're finding out about them.
Originally Posted by Old Geezer
C clips have a sharp and smooth side, made when they are punched.
As a matter of practice, whenever I install such , either as on the rockers, or into wrist pin bores, the sharp side goes "out". This helps the clip grip the groove face.
It also provides a smooth surface for the bushing, or wrist pin.
CHE says in their instructions to have the sharp side of the clip's inside diameter facing out, away from the bushing. Examining the c-clips, i have found that the ID is punched in a different direction than the OD. So with the ID sharp side facing out, as per instructions, the OD sharp side is actually facing in against the bushing edge.
not sure what this accomplishes, but i followed CHE's instructions when installing regardless. I am sure they have a reason for doing it this way.
I have seen a few people ask about the letter version of the CHE trunions. What dose that signify? Was there a change or update to the design do to issues?
well, it looks like gm rocker arms are now made in china.
While I prefer US-made stuff, I don't consider China-made stuff all bad. They'll make anything as good as the buyer wants. If GM specs a good rocker arm, China will make a good rocker arm.
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