Dove Rollers

[cammerfe]

Several thoughts come to mind.

First, the NASCAR engines that come out of Roush's shop use rockers made of aluminum. They are made 'in-house'.

Second, as Barry mentions, you have, in an FE rocker arm made of aluminum, the same sort of assembly as you have with a wrist-pin in a piston. I can't remember ever seeing a piston with bushed wrist-pin holes, to say nothing of having to go to needle bearings there.

Third, you might call Dove regarding upgrading to the wider rockers. You DO seem to be running enough spring pressure that it might be worthwhile. I'd try pointing out to the Dove folks that you have had two failures in a thousand miles.

Fourth, again as Barry points out, there are simply design parameters inherent in aluminum rockers that are completely divorced from the manufacturing source. There's simply just so much room available between the shaft and the adjuster and there must be clearance for the cup on the push-rod, etc.

KS

[ScotiaFE]

It's too bad that Comp (or another) doesn't make a modern SS rocker for the FE as they do with stud mounted engines.  One of the selling points, aside from sheer strength, is the relative lightness of the compact design, something one can't do with aluminum that requires some pretty bulky rockers to withstand high spring pressures.

http://www.compcams.com/information/Products/RockerArms/HiTechStainless.asp

But they do.
I have a set of those PRW. I've never used them. I just don't have enough cars for all my FE junk I collect.
I've checked them out pretty good and they seem good. With micrometers and fitment.
I've not had a set of the Shelby's in the paws.
I've noticed the price of them PRW's has gone up a lot.



http://www.prwonlinestore.com/fordfestainlesssteelshaftrockerarms352-428175r-3239022.aspx

http://www.shelbyengines.com/collections/misc-parts/products/shelby-fe-rocker-arms

[drdano]

I actually didn't know the standard Dove rockers were only rated for 350+lbs untill recently.

Can someone post a link showing where Dove states the rates for both the narrow and wide version of this rocker?  I'm spooked seeing this since I have the narrow version of these rockers and run a hyd roller cam with 385lb open pressure.  I'm also getting my car prepped to go race at Bonneville next month and sure as hell don't want this happening in BFE Nowhere between here and there.   

[Monzy]

Anyone with real time experience using the PRW stainless steel rockers?   The Shebly rockers being stainless steel are also on my list but above what I'd like to pay.   At the same time I don't want to put a price on reliability and safety though.

[ToddK]

Anyone with real time experience using the PRW stainless steel rockers? 

I have a set of the PRW stainless steel rockers in the 390 in my Galaxie. I'm using the Comp 270S cam and only 350lbs open spring pressure. Have done about 1000 miles on them, no problems so far. Although, when installing them, I couldn't get the ends stands the kit came with to fit, so I swapped a set of POP end stands I had. They then went together fine.

[Monzy]

Thanks ToddK for the update.   That doesn't really say much for a rocker set built specifically for our engine to have a part of it not fit.   I've looked everywhere and can't find much feedback on the PRW stainless steel rockers.   I think its where they're made for the most part.   They certainly look like a good strong setup.

I'm starting to feel a little stress on this rocker issue.   To many people with a rocker arm/shaft/adjuster issues that I don't know which way to go! 

I've got a little .581 lift solid cam with 496lb springs spinning to 6500rpm at times.    Do I just get the T&D streets with new pushrods and pay the price to play or what?  I've come so close to just getting some Harland Sharps as not many have a problem with them but again they're aluminum with the same size rocker shaft just like the Doves so why wouldn't they break eventually...

I Should probably note that these springs have a rating of 496lbs at 1.250"  They have an installed height of 1.900" and with my cam they only compress to 1.317"  Not exactly sure what the rocker is seeing for spring weight but its less then the 496lbs they're rated at.

[drdano]

Can someone post a link showing where Dove states the rates for both the narrow and wide version of this rocker? 

Sorry all, not to hijack this too far...

I have the Comp Cams 1046 units, non-HD wide version, which I understand are made by Dove for Comp (or perhaps it's the other way around?).  On Comp's catalog here on pg 318 it states they are only rated for 350lbs open pressure.

http://www.compcams.com/catalog/COMP2012/pdf/COMP_Catalog_2012_312-327.pdf 

The hydraulic roller cam I'm running is .633 lift 242/242@.050 with 385lbs open spring pressure in my 428.  I've already replaced the adjusters with Smith Bros units as the oem adjusters are absolute crap.  Never had a problem yet, but I doubt I've got 1000 miles on this new motor.  Given it is a hyd cam, should I be concerned? 

[jayb]

Yes, Dove manufactures those rockers for Comp Cams.  Including the adjusters that you had problems with.  As Barry said they are hit and miss in terms of whether they will survive high spring loads, but 385 pounds isn't that bad.  I'd continue to run them but be aware that they could break.  If you start hearing valvetrain noise shut 'er down right away...

[afret]

I once asked the tech at HS about how well they would hold up to 600 lbs open pressure.  He said no problem at that pressure.  They are beefy rockers and they did hold up just fine with those springs.

If I recall correctly, the Comp/Dove rockers used shorter pushrods than the HS rockers so you would need new pushrods if you switch to HS.

[cammerfe]

I once had an extended discussion with Ray Paquet regarding Dove wide rockers. As you can well imagine, he has a pretty aggressive cam and concomitant components in his FE race motors. All boiled down, his position about the Dove items is, "Put 'em in and forget 'em!" Good enough for me!

KS

[manofmerc]

I see so many posts on both forums about fe rockers .Very seldom does anyone mention cranes rocker setup #34790-16 I believe is the number .Around 2005 I purchased this setup from crane (actually barnett performance in Atl.)The only thing was I had to have the rocker shaft stands milled down to get my valve train geometry correct .Mine set was one of the first and from my understanding this has been corrected by crane .These rockers dont have bushings like the above mentioned doves Mine have withstood 145 closed and 385 open spring pressure on the sollid flat tappet cam in my 452 and several 6000-6200 rpms .A roller cams spring pressure might show some strain but I dont think so.I just wonder why it seems I am the only person with the crane roller rocker assemblys .Whenever I bought them they were about $500 .At the time that was inexpensive and they come with arp studs for the shafts .The rockers are alum.with a std. size shaft and iron stands .The end stands are similar to what everyone else does .When I checked my rocker to valve tip it was really on the outer edge of the valve tip .I had my stands milled by my machinist at my job until it was more centered.Crane supposedly milled the rest of the ones they sold .But again I am just curious why there isnt much mention of this rocker setup it is another option fe guys should be aware of .Doug

[jayb]

I think one reason you don't hear a lot about the Crane setup is that Crane went bankrupt and quit selling parts for a while a few years ago.  So they probably never sold a lot of these sets, and in fact I don't know if they are back selling them now.  Other than that, I don't know why you wouldn't hear more about them.

[drdano]

Crane does list them in their catalog http://www.cranecams.com/320-322.pdf and you can find them online.  The rockers themselves look very beefy for aluminum units, looks from the photo like they don't use a bushing on the main shaft.

http://www.cranecams.com/product/secure/images/products/8690.jpg

Spendy kit at $900 though.  However, if they are rated for big spring pressures, this could be a good value.  I'd be interested to know what spring pressures they rate these to and what the physical dimensions of the rockers themselves are width wise.   

[cgmach1]

FWIW, I've been running HS rockers for three full seasons of bracket racing w/ a solid roller cam and 600LB+ open pressure and had no problems at all.  In fact these rockers are probably 20 years old and were in my street engine with a large solid cam for years also.  Also using Precision Oil Pumps shafts and strands; all work and fit perfectly.