When to do a Trunnion kit? Better options?
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Teching In
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When to do a Trunnion kit? Better options? 2009 LY6, Summit 8716 cam, TFS-2500286 spring kit. Wondering if a trunnion kit should be installed? Is there a better, affordable, rocker arm kit? The vehicle will be driven on the street and track, plan to run nitrous at the track if that makes any difference. Let me know if you need any other information and thanks in advance!
TECH Senior Member
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From: Central Cal.
How many miles on the engine? If over 100k, I would consider it. And probably get a bronze bushing type; MOST caged needle ones don't have a good track record, only because the trunnions themselves were not properly heat treated and wore prematurely.
The only good needle bearing kit I have heard of is from WS6store as their bearings have their own inner race. Theirs IS worth considering.
The only good needle bearing kit I have heard of is from WS6store as their bearings have their own inner race. Theirs IS worth considering.
When to do a trunion kit? I'd do it on a bone stock engine, myself. Some fail completely stock. A LOT don't, but I don't like those odds.
Not a fan of needle bearings. I'd be looking at the Straub, Smith Brothers, or my preference, CHE kits.
Not a fan of needle bearings. I'd be looking at the Straub, Smith Brothers, or my preference, CHE kits.
For a little over $100 you can get the BTR kit and it is cheap insurance..... when you press out the OEM parts you wouldn't believe how easily they pop out.... now imagine spinning that at high RPM with a bigger cam than stock. I do it in ALL the motors that touch my hands.
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Teching In
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Thank you all for the replies. I'll definitely put in a kit in. I assume the engine has about 240k miles on it when pulled from a boxtruck. I stripped the engine down to bare block and did all new bearings because of lower than normal oil pressure. The BTR kit uses needle bearings but they are caged and they say it's a completely different design than stock. It's about $50 cheaper than a bushing style kit. Is there quite a bit less resistance in the bearing style? Does anyone have a link to the WS6 kit that works for this engine?
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Central Cal.
What you need to watch for is if those caged needles still use the trunnion for the inner race. That's where the trouble is. There was a problem with improperly heat treated trunnions being too soft, with the result of needle bearings digging into them and wearing prematurely. A GOOD needle bearing kit will use TOTALLY caged bearings, with their own inner race.
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We have both the bearing and bushing style kits available. Here's the bushing style one: P/N SUM-141560
Thread Starter
Teching In
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We have both the bearing and bushing style kits available. Here's the bushing style one: P/N SUM-141560
LS1Tech Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,235
Likes: 1,526
From: Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, Texas