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At what spring rate do you guys typically stop trusting a stock rocker arm body? I have the CHE kit in mine but im going to a PAC1209x spring. Ive been looking at putting TSP roller tips on a bsr shaft to get something more stable. But thats a lot of dough if I dont really need it.
cam for reference: 253/268. .648/.639 111.5+ 3.5
At what spring rate do you guys typically stop trusting a stock rocker arm body? I have the CHE kit in mine but im going to a PAC1209x spring. Ive been looking at putting TSP roller tips on a bsr shaft to get something more stable. But thats a lot of dough if I dont really need it.
cam for reference: 253/268. .648/.639 111.5+ 3.5
i cant answer your question but can offer u advice....but first i assume this is an ls7? what head are u using.
i can tell you that you are not getting any additional strength or geometry gains with the tsp roller tips.
The BTR site says keep the spring pressure below 430 pounds open on the OEM rocker arms. I have the TSP rocker arms and they weigh about 9 more grams over the nose than the OEM part of that is the little wheel. Here is the pattern I got from the roller tips they look pretty good. The TSP rocker arm is about 30 grams heavier than OEM but about 15 of that is the all solid shaft vs the partial solid shaft of my old ones which were OEM with bearing upgrade. So TSP is about 15 grams overall heavier of which 8 or 9 grams are over the valve. Tony Mamo recommends the roller rocker on the LS7 due to side load and higher spring pressures waring out valve guides quicker. If you run 500 pounds a roller rocker should be used. Also OEM has a .660 max lift but you don't want to be at max so maybe like 630-640 as a safety margin. The valve noise also seems to have been reduced. I was running 470 pounds on my Brodix BR7 heads. One would say the OEM pedestals flex at higher spring pressure the Brodix do not as they are a blob of aluminum with a cut out. I also did not have to change pushrods as the preload ie 1/2 turn stayed the same (with 1/16 of a turn). I run a .660 lift hydraulic roller 246/258 at .050 but have titanium valves and hollow exhausts so my valve weight is 85 grams - so another 8 or 9 grams is not as much of an impact. I run a PAC 1207. Here are some photos.
Here is a photo of OEM vs Brodix head you can see the support differences in rocker pedestal area and the Brodix head weighs 5 pounds more than OEM 25 vs almost 30 pounds a lot of that is the deck thickness. OEM is top photo. Note the area by the valve cover bolts the OEM is a pedestal the Brodix is almost flush with it.
I think based on what you've said Double06 and everything I can find on the subject, I'm going to run TSP roller tip rockers on the comp BSR shaft and Comp adjustable pushrods. I have PRC 265 heads (came with the car when I bought it) that I have already had to replace the intake valve guides and valves on once. I really want the roller tips to help mitigate some of that wear. I put Manley titanium valves in the heads with CHE guides, but even CHE recommended a roller tip. I plan to run this engine out to about 7300-7500rpm so I wanted something reliable. I called BTR even to get their advice, and they said the stock rocker arm would be fine for me, but I just can't get behind the idea of 500lbs on a stock rocker tip.
I believe I replied to your post on FB but I'll put it here again...
I ran the PAC 1209 with the OEM LS7 rocker and OEM trunnions and revved the engine to over 8500rpms. I also used a 5/16" Manton pushrod. Valvetrain was light and very stable. Brodix heads
I ran the TSP roller rockers with over 700lbs open to over 9000rpms. Valvetrain was also very stable with Manton 3/8" pushrods. CID heads
Both of those with ST2126LSR Johnson lifters.
What lifters are you planning on running? My car had Johnson 2110s with the PAC 1209s when I bought it. The springs were causing the lifters to collapse when the car sat overnight and also in the upper RPM (7000+). I'm not sure the 2116s can handle that spring pressure but do know the ST2126LSRs, can. So keep that in mind, as it's also a very important part of the valvetrain.
I believe I replied to your post on FB but I'll put it here again...
I ran the PAC 1209 with the OEM LS7 rocker and OEM trunnions and revved the engine to over 8500rpms. I also used a 5/16" Manton pushrod. Valvetrain was light and very stable. Brodix heads
I ran the TSP roller rockers with over 700lbs open to over 9000rpms. Valvetrain was also very stable with Manton 3/8" pushrods. CID heads
Both of those with ST2126LSR Johnson lifters.
What lifters are you planning on running? My car had Johnson 2110s with the PAC 1209s when I bought it. The springs were causing the lifters to collapse when the car sat overnight and also in the upper RPM (7000+). I'm not sure the 2116s can handle that spring pressure but do know the ST2126LSRs, can. So keep that in mind, as it's also a very important part of the valvetrain.
I have ST2126LSR lifters already for this one. The original lifter failure was with a 2110r, and it took out 2 sleeves in the block on its way out. Wasn't risking it again. Your comment on FB also lead me to lean toward the TSP rockers on a bsr shaft. I'm also going to use the comp adjustable pushrods. I have manton 3/8 pushrods from the last set up, but i would have to order more to the preload anyway, so the adjustable ones seem easier.
I believe I replied to your post on FB but I'll put it here again...
I ran the PAC 1209 with the OEM LS7 rocker and OEM trunnions and revved the engine to over 8500rpms. I also used a 5/16" Manton pushrod. Valvetrain was light and very stable. Brodix heads
I ran the TSP roller rockers with over 700lbs open to over 9000rpms. Valvetrain was also very stable with Manton 3/8" pushrods. CID heads
Both of those with ST2126LSR Johnson lifters.
What lifters are you planning on running? My car had Johnson 2110s with the PAC 1209s when I bought it. The springs were causing the lifters to collapse when the car sat overnight and also in the upper RPM (7000+). I'm not sure the 2116s can handle that spring pressure but do know the ST2126LSRs, can. So keep that in mind, as it's also a very important part of the valvetrain.
Interesting, I have 2116LSRs and I was planning on running TSP rockers with a setup from Brenton out to 7800 or so, not sure what spring I need but I was thinking the 1209X might be the ticket.
Interesting, I have 2116LSRs and I was planning on running TSP rockers with a setup from Brenton out to 7800 or so, not sure what spring I need but I was thinking the 1209X might be the ticket.
With those rockers and RPM, I'd run the 1209s for sure.
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LS7 Rocker Arm 500lb 
