Buy a pushrod length checker, you'll need it. You can get cheaper ones, or the Summit one is $99 and it works well. I just bought one recently. LS7 lifters aren't picky on preload, so you shouldn't have too much trouble with measuring. Most people seem to switch to the CHE trunnion kit, I myself went with the BTR V2 kit. I have stock rockers in my SS, however, and I spin my LS3 to 7100 RPM regularly without any issues. That said, I'll probably upgrade trunnions this year. More importantly, look at the rocker tips and pushrod cups for wear. I just built an SBE L76 6.0 and two of the exhaust rockers had significant wear on the tips, enough that I swapped them out for different ones.

 

Brian Tooley LS1 Rocker Arm Trunion Kit 4.8 5.3 5.7 6.0 6.2 Trunnion - No bolts | eBay I found these for a reasonable price. Any special tools I'll need to press the old hardware out?

Is there a difference between these and the v2?

 

Better & easier with a Trunnion tool, but can be done with sockets and patience, just fiddly

 

Go to Harbor Freight and buy yourself a cheap arbor press. I got one specifically for doing trunnions and it makes quick work of it. I myself wouldn't use the V1 BTR kit. Not that it's bad, but there's a reason they have a V2 kit. Spend a little extra and have greater peace of mind. Also, watch out for fakes on eBay or Amazon. If it's significantly cheaper than you can get it from BTR directly for, it's probably too good to be true. This is a component I would NOT risk as a knockoff.

 

I went with the btr v2 tru kit and it arrived today I got it from amazon in a btr racing box. They look to be legit I paid about 160 for them. Im looking into getting an arbor press or trunion tool which ever I can get cheaper lol. With the trunion tool do you have to use it with some type of press? Preciate it guys

 

Im wondering if I can press using ball joint press kit and sockets?

 

Harbor Freight sells a 12 ton press for $170. You’ll use it for lots of stuff later on as well.

 

I used my ball joint press and a couple of sockets it came out pretty easy.

 

When you say cheaper ones is there on in particular?? Is there a certain range pushrod length checker i'll need?? I see so many out there and some that have bad reviews. Is the trickflow or compcams 7702 any good?

 

Amazon if I dare say it
You need the LS pushrod measurement tool (sub $20) and a 8" minimum Digital Vernier calipers ( ~$30) as a minimum.

 

The Summit checker is so easy to use, it was worth the investment for me. When you try to use a cheap checker, you have to try and get your fingers down in there to hold the bottom of the checker while you rotate the top. It's almost impossible. I ended up getting it close, then loosening the rocker arm, pulled the checker out, twisted it, then set it back in and tightened the rocker down. Then I repeated the process until the slack was taken up. What a pain in the ***. The Summit one, you install it with the set screw loose, and it has a soft spring that compresses as you torque the rocker down. When it's fully torqued, you tighten the set screw, remove it, and you are DONE. All you have to do is measure the length afterwards.

 

That would definitely be more accurate method too.

 

Also do you have to measure all 16 valves or just 2 ???

I ordered a cheap ls pushrod length checker from amazon but im thinking about the summit checker it does sound like it makes the job a breeze rather than the comp 7702.

Summit Racing SUM-PLCLS7276 - Summit Racing Equipment® EZ Pushrod Length Checkers

Part Number: SUM-PLCLS7276

 

Supposed to measure them all so that wear is taken into account.

 

This is generally true, however, when you're using LS7 lifters they are so forgiving of preload that you can usually get away with measuring a couple on each bank and you'll be good to go. If you were using short travel Johnson's, for example, then I would absolutely measure all of them to be absolutely sure the preload is set correctly.

 

Goodcall, pretty much how I do it too , mostly dip checking a couple of each bank to get a generalised feeling.
But, I actually have a pertinent question on this subject now, what about Caddy Race LS Lifter Set ? They have a recommended preload is 0.050-0.100"
Got a set under my bench ready to drop in my next build.

 

Update: Upgraded the rocker arms with the btr v2 truuion kit. Ordered the cheap amazon pr length checker should arrive by the weekend so I can get the PR length figured out.

Also can I re-use the rocker arm bar or does that have to be upgraded?

 

OEM bar is fine

 

is there a way to tell which one goes on the driver and passenger side GM 12552203 one has the number 32 and the other has 46 stamped on it?

 

that is just a cast number, they are the same left to right as the heads are identical and are not handed as such