Crane's new LS Pro Shaft Series Rockers received best new product award at 07 SEMA show. Looks like the first of the year before they are to be available. e-mail me for more info if you like.

 

Weren't these out last year? Are these the polymatrix bearing set? If not, what are the head modifications required for installation?

 

I thought they were new but here is a copy of the release in our Crane Dealer Newsletter.

Crane Cams is proud to announce that our new “LS-Series Pro Shaft-Mount Rockers” won a Global Media Award at the recent 2007 SEMA Show. Global Media Awards are awarded to new products that are judged to be “significant new products for the international market.” The LS Series of GM engines is certainly an “international engine platform” and our new Pro Shaft-Mount Rockers help maximize power and reliability from this outstanding engine design. The “LS-Series Pro Shaft-Mount Rockers” are available in 1.7 (Part # 1448101-1) and 1.8 (Part # 1448102-1) ratios. These new rockers kits are loaded with specially engineered features that set them apart from the competition:



· Mikroniteâ processed 2024T8 rocker bodies for high strength and low weight.

· Mikroniteâ processed 8620 carburized steel rocker arm shafts for high strength and low friction.

· Polymer-matrix composite bearings eliminate “internal friction”, “bearing inertia” and “sewing machine noise” associated with needle bearings.

· “Quick-Lift” rocker body geometry opens the valves quicker to establish flow into the cylinders and closes the valves quickly to maximize cylinder pressure.

· One-piece, Mikroniteâ processed, steel shaft stand to take the pounding of lash changes due to the dimensional changes of aluminum engine castings as they change temperature.



The new rocker kits are available for shipment. Also available for immediate shipment are our Sportsman LS-Series Shaft-Mount rockers: 1.7 ratio, #144809-1; and 1.8 ratio, 144808-1. Call our tech department for the special pricing today! (386)258-6174.



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This sounds exactly like what's already been on the market, only now everything is Mikronited...it would be truly revolutionary if they could pull this rocker off without requiring head machining. If they didn't work, that would suck as you'd already have a set of machined heads on your hands with only one option for rockers...that doesn't sound like a great idea to me.

 

These rockers are for the hardcore enthuist, that want every last bit of power, and offer one the best possible geometry setups for there engine. these rockers are not for an average person. they are expesive, but you do get what you pay for.

 

I really like the design of them, but agree that the head modifications required put them out of what I would want to do. But if you read Cranes reasons for doing this, it was the only way to achieve the correct geometry. On the other hand, I have also read that the Jesel's, T&D's and Comp's shaft systems require elongation of the pushrod hole. That's a major change if the heads are on the car so their systems don't appear to be a true bolt-on either.

 

They were on display at the LS1 Shootout in Millington. The display was a cut-away of one of the rockers so you could see the internals. There is no trunion bearing in the conventional sense. It's oil lubricated. I guess it's pressurized through the pushrod rods.

 

I agree that these aren't bolt on parts. Thye do have sportsman rocker arms part#s 144809-1, 144808-1 I haven't checked if they are bolt on. I know the Harland Sharps are. We use to do a lot of IHRA mountain motor stuff and with those big motors nothing was ever a bolt on. My father being from the old school says that in the day you had to make all your hot rod and speed parts you couldn't buy them. We see people have problems with valve train geometry all the time. Wish GM would design a domestic performance v8 without pushrods.

 

Blasphemy.

 

I have looked at some of the Ford OHC setups and think to myself, thank heavens GM stuck with pushrods

 

i have them in my 408 motor for almost a year now. not only do you need to machine the heads to fit them, you need taller valve covers, or spacers.

 

how much are we talking about here?

 

$1200.00 just for the rocker kit. i have the 1.8 with aluminum stands
http://vincihighperformance.com/SHAF...0.HTMLPAGE.htm

 

not far off jesel's price tag-

 

yeah, and these rockers work awesome too.

 

$1,200.00 for the rockers plus machine work on each head and spacers or aftermarket covers. Strickly for the high end user. If I installed a set of those I'd have to have to add the cost of relocating the coil packs because those things are so purdy I'd want to use plex-i-glas covers to show them off.

 

oh okay-

so for a high end user-u would be better off getting a jesel set that fits that head-

 

That's a personal preference issue. If you've made you minid up on shaft mounts you can find them from under $500 to over $1,000. That's a wide price range. A few require machine work, but most don't. Some need spacers or different rocker covers while others do not. Jesel is a quality brand, but if you plan to spend 1K for rockers do some looking and keep your options open.

 

I think you also need to read up on why Crane took the route they did. I am sure they didn't lightly make a decision on the amount of work that would be required on the head to install these rockers knowing they would likely lose customers as a result. The decision from what I understand was to increase strength of the installation and to obtain better valve train geometry.