# Roller Rockers neccessary?



## Mongoose (Jun 17, 2009)

After looking at the SLP Bobcat kit (which I am not buying) it got me wondering if you really need new roller rockers. I have seen a few motors where the stock rockers go off balance with major modifications. But I am just planning bolt ons and a tune. (Long tubes, 2 1/2" exhaust, CAI, 85mm throttle body, MAP, underdirve pulley)

Will I need roller rockers for this or is it relly just not worth it? Its not like its a hard install but just seeing if I can save a few hundred bucks.


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## mfriend193 (Mar 26, 2009)

What are roller rockers?


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## GTOsarge (Oct 9, 2007)

My cars at Vengeance Racing this week with roller rockers as one of the mods I'm having done. They help reduce friction, drag and a little weight as you progress with your mods. They should also help add a few more ponies
in the process. After doing a ton of research I settled on Yella Terra's. So is it worth it? I would say yes after the major mods are done. They help a lot after a cam and spring upgrade.


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## GTOJer (Oct 20, 2006)

We actually have roller rockers in our LS1 engines. The older GTOs have stamped rocker arms which do not have bearings but a machined surface they ride on. The kind Sarge is talking about and the OP are roller TIP rockers. That is the part of the rocker which rides on the valve rolls not slides. Any time you can reduce friction by going to a roller you use less power to move that item and in doing so reduce heat. This frees up HP to go to the driveline.
One problem with our rockers is upon really loading them such as with a large cam, they sometimes will come apart. The cap comes off the needle bearing and the spill throughout the engine. This is not fun.
sarge and I run shaft mount rockers. This sort of rocker is mounted on a shaft instead of being held on place by one bolt. The installation of a shaft mount rocker can be difficult do to the clearance issues associated with that type of mount.

If you are stock or have a small cam (.550) the stock rocker is a very good rocker. but like Sarge said, if you are heavily modded, roller tip rockers are the way to go.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Mongoose said:


> After looking at the SLP Bobcat kit (which I am not buying) it got me wondering if you really need new roller rockers. I have seen a few motors where the stock rockers go off balance with major modifications. But I am just planning bolt ons and a tune. (Long tubes, 2 1/2" exhaust, CAI, 85mm throttle body, MAP, underdirve pulley)
> 
> Will I need roller rockers for this or is it relly just not worth it? Its not like its a hard install but just seeing if I can save a few hundred bucks.


I think what your talking about when high lift cam applications using stock rockers tend to put more of a side load on the valvestem. When using high lift cams with stock rockers you tend to go out of the rockers range of motion and add undue stress to the valve and valve guides. Rollor tip rockers don't slide across the valve tip center but roll across the valve tip center and not off sides. I'll try to find the artical and post it up, it cause a big stur amoung car modders, some said they ran high lift cams on stock rockers without problems.

Stock rockers are fine with bolt ons, no need to change them out. Some folks upgrade to 1.8 full roller rocker with good results and springs, stock is 1.7. I agree with the folks above, never skemp out on modding a car. The saying is: *pay alittle now or pay a whole lot latter*.


EDIT: Here is the artical about the rockers: Valvetrain & Rocker Arm Type - GM High-Tech Performance Magazine


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