I just used Summit Racing for the first time. So far, i'm very satisfied. Everything was well packaged and in perfect condition. The free UPS ground shipment arrived in two days! Having a Nevada warehouse really helps, as most mail-order companies seem to be located in the Midwest, far from East and West coast population centers.

 

I use Summit Racing, I like their customer service. I prefer to buy from Jeg's, since I met Troy Coughlin, one of 4 brothers who owns and operates it, as well as race NHRA Pro Stock. They have identical prices on everything, the difference is that Jeg's has a 24 hour tech hotline, 1-800-345-4545, that you can call at 3 am for Torque specs on anything you need, or how-to, or advice. I've been there more than once, wrenching at 3 am! Summit's sales is open then, and they're normally very knowledgable, even in sales, so I have no reservations ordering parts from them too. Only in America! TK

 

TK,

The high-ratio roller rocker arms came in this shipment. I took a chance on Summit house brand at a very good price. They look well made, machined, not cast, but no fancy colors or packaging. The very detailed directions call for soaking them in SAE 50 for one hour before installation. What do you think?

Jim

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Aug-02 AT 02:00 PM (EST)]Glad you liked Summit.

I'm not expert on the process, but Summit is as experienced in supplying and helping racers as anyone, and if they're recommending soaking them, then I bet it's something they found out the hard way. Perhaps occasional surface rust appears on the steel parts, bearings or bushings sometimes (or oxidation elsewhere), and they've come up with that idea to provide a better break-in.

Were they coated with a protective oil when you got them?

Best,

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Aug-02 AT 05:07 PM (EST)]you can either soak them in oil, or use Clevite or Comp Cams assembly lube. it's not necessary, but it would be cheap insurance. The rockers won't get oil for many seconds after startup, as the rockers receive oil drawn through the pushrod pumped by the hydraulic lifter, and with the high ratio rockers (which usually run extremely large lift with very large spring pressures) designed for mostly racing applications, this would create lots of stress on the roller bearings. For your application, it will certainly not hurt to presoak them, but it isn't necessary. I like to use cam assembly lube on my roller rockers, just put a dab on the pushrod cup and the roller tip. Summit is protecting their products from guys with mechanical roller cams that make .700" lift with triple valve springs that make 300# closed, 760# open. As you can imagine, all that seat pressure will put a heck of a load on the rocker fulcrum, which is loaded with needle bearings. You probably have no more than 100# closed, 280# open with your hydraulic flat tappet cam.

In summary: not necessary, but it is insurance. Get cam assembly lube to coat the friction surfaces (pushrod cup, roller tip). Coat the insides of all the big nuts on the polylocks with threadlocker Blue, the ones that make contact with the rocker stud. Find zero lash, give an addtional 1/2 turn. This will give you .030" preload, which is ideal. Tighten the little keeper on the polylock, and put in on hard, while keeping a closed end wrench on the big nut, so as to keep your adjustment. No break in period will be necessary, but it will help if the motor is warm, so it will sling oil up to the rockers quickly. TK