Stainless steel Versus ALuminum AMC roller Rockers?

jeepmonster

So what is the best to run on a street strip motor? The alumium is light and supposed to be as strong as some of the steel? The steel are strong and supposed to be as light as some of the aluminum rockers, Ie comp cams stainless are advertised as being as light as alumium but more strength. I have seen crower stainless rockers for AMC that look light and strong. The harland sharps are supposed to be AMC specific and worth every penny? So I am a bit confused at this point whether I should run a lightened stainless rocker or an aluminum? :-|

radamx

Ok I have both stainless on the race car Alum on the street car . Cast alum are very week but bilit alum are stong and lite. I beleive the stainless is a good idea for extreme lift but for the street or below .650 lift I believe both are fine . The point you should look at is the size of the fulcrum bearing.In general the larger the better as long as there is still enough materal around it . me for my street car it was a $$$ thing more than a quality thing because I beleive most roller rockers are pretty darn good. just my 2 cents worth.

ol' school power

I've run the Harland Sharps for a few years now without failures except that I'm not running the AMC version. I decided to bump up the lift a little and went with the Pontiac version with the 1.65 ratio instead of the stock 1.6 and squeezed the lift up from .490" to .505".

jeepmonster

ol' school power wrote
I've run the Harland Sharps for a few years now without failures except that I'm not running the AMC version.
I decided to bump up the lift a little and went with the Pontiac version with the 1.65 ratio instead of the stock 1.6 and squeezed the lift up from .490" to .505".

Thank you. After going by RadAmx's info I studied some of the rockers and Harland Sharps and the Comp Cam stainless rockers look like they have the best bearing design definately a bigger fulcrum bearing in their rockers! Thanks RadAMX for pointing out what to look for! Others but not all havenoticeably smaller fulcrum roller bearings. I like the idea of the Comps extra strength but havent heard from anyone using them on the fit?
Harland Sharps on the other hand have been highly praised by many AMC'ers so I'll probably go with them, ...So there isnt a 1.65 AMC specific harland sharp? If not I may be interested in a 1.65. although my cam already has 493 on the intake and 503 on th exaust. Were there any issues in installing the pontiac pieces or did they just install as is out of the box?? Thanks again for the tips!

ol' school power

Before i purchased them, I called Harland and asked. They said no problem since the Pontiac has the exact same geometry. Only difference is that the Pontiacs use a stud with a 7/16 upper thread instead of the smaller 3/8. No problem since you're much better off with the larger OD. I've heard of too many freak failures with 3/8" studs. If you have the clearance for the higher lift, then go for it. Stock AMC heads flow well into the mid .500 lift range.

jeepmonster

ol' school power wrote
Before i purchased them, I called Harland and asked. They said no problem since the Pontiac has the exact same geometry. Only difference is that the Pontiacs use a stud with a 7/16 upper thread instead of the smaller 3/8. No problem since you're much better off with the larger OD. I've heard of too many freak failures with 3/8" studs.
If you have the clearance for the higher lift, then go for it. Stock AMC heads flow well into the mid .500 lift range.

Sounds good! Think I'll give the 1.65's a go! should bump my lift at the valve to .507 and .516 ...I think #-o I like the idea of being able to "change" the lift and keep the same duration without changing the cam...me likey! =D>

fuzz401

crower SS rocker

Goose

Ok since the subject is opened. I'm going to expose my ignorance and ask, What would the advantage be to running roller rockers on the street be? or on the trail in a jeep. I basically understand the purpose of a R/R setup in high rpm. But I havent ever played with a set so..I'm kinda uneducated on the benefits. Thanks

jeepmonster

fuzz401 wrote
crower SS rocker

Me likey THOSE!!! =D> Nice looking fulcrum :idea: It's going to be a tough decision #-o I guess iy's goin to come to price and ratio selection but now I have all yhe info I need to make a good call, tank ya, tank ya tank ya, 0ne and all :? This motor is going to be stout! =D>

fuzz401

Ok since the subject is opened. I'm going to expose my ignorance and ask, What would the advantage be to running roller rockers on the street be? or on the trail in a jeep. I basically understand the purpose of a R/R setup in high rpm. But I havent ever played with a set so..I'm kinda uneducated on the benefits.

like racing any loss in friction helps with hp and tork

radamx

You also have less guide wear because you are not draging the rocker across the tip of the valve.instead it rolls. You do end up with a little bit of valve train noise that was never there before .but it is not much.

Goose

Ok, So essintially there is the "cool factor" which is not to be underated, but if you change ratios you can bump the specs on the cam a bit and essintially pick up a ponie or two with somewhat less valvetrain wear. Thanks.. I always wanted to ask just never had the chance. I just thought it was along the lines of folks buying the "noisy" gear drives over the quiet ones.

jeepsr4ever

I found acceleration and power developement to increase with the use of roller rockers. I would reccommend the larger hole roller for high lift cams. I have gotten gains on a small lift camshaft but not enough to justify the use of a roller rocker.