LS3 trunnion upgrade
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 80
Likes: 6
LS3 trunnion upgrade Can I have a recommendation from the forum pros‘. Engine is a LS3 nothing fancy only BTR stage III CAM, but since I have the engine apart I’ll upgrade the trunnions. Have used the Summit kits before without any problems but I guess there is better kits to be found. So what would you recommend? Thanks.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
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From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
CHE bushing kits only. I've dealt with a few different companies needle bearing junk. I will NEVER be chasing needle bearings in an engine again.
Can I have a recommendation from the forum pros‘. Engine is a LS3 nothing fancy only BTR stage III CAM, but since I have the engine apart I’ll upgrade the trunnions. Have used the Summit kits before without any problems but I guess there is better kits to be found. So what would you recommend? Thanks.
I used CHE's Trunnion Kit on my 6.0L LS for my 1965 Cutlass and I just installed the WS6Store LS3 Trunnion kit on my LS3 for my 1973 F100. You cannot go wrong with either of those two kits. Both are great quality and both companies have great customer service.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, Texas
OP,
With the success you've already had with our trunnions they seem like a shoo-in here. Maybe we're just being biased
We understand there are other options out there. We offer both bushing and needle-bearing kits in our own brand to give folks options.
With the success you've already had with our trunnions they seem like a shoo-in here. Maybe we're just being biased
We understand there are other options out there. We offer both bushing and needle-bearing kits in our own brand to give folks options. Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 80
Likes: 6
Correct, the majority will work fine with stock trunnions but it’s no secret that the trunnions is one of few weak spots on a LS. Especially with higher lift and faster ramp rates.
But thank you all for the inputs.
But thank you all for the inputs.
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I chose tick Performance trunnions with bronze bushings. Thought I'd give it a try. We will see if they hold up. I first tried a btr kit and it sucked. Very inconsistent even with following directions exactly as stated. Some were smooth, some gritty.
I've read some people have issues with the solid bronze bushings like the tick performance kit wearing out too fast, but then I've read some had issues with che being too noisy. Altogeth it's also true that any part will fail at some point or it wasn't installed properly. So idk. If the tick bushings fail then I'll go with che next.
This is on a .646/.629 lift cam btw. I know people are scared to death of needle bearings on stock trunnions but this isn't a necessary upgrade imo depending how aggressive your cam is.
given that your cam is BTR it's likely similar to Cam Motion ramp rates (quote me if I'm wrong) which are a little easier on the valvetrain that others.
I've read some people have issues with the solid bronze bushings like the tick performance kit wearing out too fast, but then I've read some had issues with che being too noisy. Altogeth it's also true that any part will fail at some point or it wasn't installed properly. So idk. If the tick bushings fail then I'll go with che next.
This is on a .646/.629 lift cam btw. I know people are scared to death of needle bearings on stock trunnions but this isn't a necessary upgrade imo depending how aggressive your cam is.
given that your cam is BTR it's likely similar to Cam Motion ramp rates (quote me if I'm wrong) which are a little easier on the valvetrain that others.
Last edited by Sunset01Z; Sep 7, 2022 at 12:05 PM.
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 1,032
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From: Alaska
.................................................. ..................
......................................... We offer both bushing and needle-bearing kits in our own brand to give folks options.
......................................... We offer both bushing and needle-bearing kits in our own brand to give folks options.
A couple questions, regards your Trunnion Bushing sets:
Do you consider your Trunnion upgrade to be long term, daily-driver street-engine reliable ?
Do the bronze bushings have oil grooves cut, or are the bushings solid with oil grooves in the steel TRUNNION for these kits ?
Are the bronze bushings available seperately as replacement/ wear items ?
Do the bushings press in easily, ie if the rocker arm is " Oven Warm " will the bushings drop in with light hand pressure ?
.
. Thank you for the extra infoormation. I have TWO sets of BRONZE trunnion kit in a SUMMIT shopping cart, ready to pull credit card trigger pending further info.
Last edited by Full Power; Sep 7, 2022 at 12:15 PM. Reason: spell chech
LS1Tech Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,233
Likes: 1,523
From: Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, Texas
.
A couple questions, regards your Trunnion Bushing sets:
Do you consider your Trunnion upgrade to be long term, daily-driver street-engine reliable ?
Do the bronze bushings have oil grooves cut, or are the bushings solid with oil grooves in the steel TRUNNION for these kits ?
Are the bronze bushings available seperately as replacement/ wear items ?
Do the bushings press in easily, ie if the rocker arm is " Oven Warm " will the bushings drop in with light hand pressure ?
.
. Thank you for the extra infoormation. I have TWO sets of BRONZE trunnion kit in a SUMMIT shopping cart, ready to pull credit card trigger pending further info.
A couple questions, regards your Trunnion Bushing sets:
Do you consider your Trunnion upgrade to be long term, daily-driver street-engine reliable ?
Do the bronze bushings have oil grooves cut, or are the bushings solid with oil grooves in the steel TRUNNION for these kits ?
Are the bronze bushings available seperately as replacement/ wear items ?
Do the bushings press in easily, ie if the rocker arm is " Oven Warm " will the bushings drop in with light hand pressure ?
.
. Thank you for the extra infoormation. I have TWO sets of BRONZE trunnion kit in a SUMMIT shopping cart, ready to pull credit card trigger pending further info.
- Trunnions are in the valvetrain and are a wear item. It's hard to put a life expectancy on a wear item.
- The bushings are solid with grooves cut in the trunnions.
- At this time we do not offer the bushings separately
- For proper installation, we recommend one of our trunnion install kits that are found in the required parts tab for the trunnion kits.
As an FYI. Our SME-143002 bearing style kits have been in production longer. They have had more overall sales and our customers have been happy with them.
