OK, poll out to everyone, FE HD rocker shafts or stock style shafts and stands?

[My427stang]

I haven't broken one in a long time, and the last one I broke was undoubtedly due to bad habits in tightening them down back in the late 80s/early 90s.  It broke in the middle too.  In fact, when my Mustang was a 433, I ran new stock shafts with stock adjustables and old school triple springs with some pressure, wasn't the right thing to do, but it hung in there

I'll likely go with stock shafts and end stands, BTW fekbmax, on your comment of both, this is an iron head 4x4 truck motor, although it may see 5500, it's rarely run hard.

Basically, it's a 200 dollar bill either way, and one thing I didn't realize is that the long finger tins wouldn't work with the RPM intake.  I hadn't tried it yet, just assumed they would, and I have no qualms bending up a stock set of later tins!

[fekbmax]

im sure you will be fine with new sealed power shafts and end stands. i would think thats the predominant combination out there with mild to medium performance engines. anythings better than 50 year old shafts. my whole reasoning in choosing the shafts was because of the combination you have. not a ton of spring pressure, a life under 6000rpm, i just was thinking with the HD shafts you wouldn't see much deflection on the ends in your combination and the shafts would be a good solid investment and help out some in that un suported center section. 
hell, i been wrong before so no worries there.
Maybe save a a couple weeks lunch money and do both..       

[Tommy-T]

So when didya turn into a cheap bastard?

I've broken every part of a stock rocker assembly, aluminum stands, shafts, even springs... 'cept for a rocker itself.

My first 427 was a Hi Riser and I used FPP shafts and solid spacers with stock rockers, but there were no end stands available. I ran Isky 8005A springs and had no trouble for years with a .600 lift cam.

I'd go with the shafts first so that when you DO go with end stands, you won't have to disassemble your whole rocker assembly later.

[My427stang]

So when didya turn into a cheap bastard?

I've broken every part of a stock rocker assembly, aluminum stands, shafts, even springs... 'cept for a rocker itself.

My first 427 was a Hi Riser and I used FPP shafts and solid spacers with stock rockers, but there were no end stands available. I ran Isky 8005A springs and had no trouble for years with a .600 lift cam.

I'd go with the shafts first so that when you DO go with end stands, you won't have to disassemble your whole rocker assembly later.

The more I make the cheaper I get!

[cammerfe]

The only rocker shaft I've ever broken was in my blown 312 in my '54 Customline. But it was the late afternoon of New Year's Eve Day while on a trip from the western side of Detroit to Anderson Indiana. The story is too long to tell here but I replaced the shaft and was only a couple of hours late. My girlfriend was not pleased. It's cold out after dark at the end of December.

All that said, my thinking is colored by the experience and the ONLY answer is HD everything. Your Tukhus, (Yiddish 'tokhes') will thank you. As I said, it's cold out.

KS