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Posted by: 9**P-car Oct 25 2021, 04:23 PM

I'm setting up the rockers & shafts on my '75 2056 build. I bought the Type IV Store spacer kit and a bunch of shims. However, there's not enough room between the rocker shaft bearing shells for the spacers, shims and rockers. I took the spacers and shells (like the pic below) to 3 local machine shops, and none were able to mill these down to the specs I provided.

Does anyone know a shop I can send all these to to have them milled down to my specs?

Thanks -Doug

Posted by: iankarr Oct 25 2021, 04:48 PM

Hi Doug,

Pretty sure those type IV store spacers are intended to be shaved down / sanded (just the spacers-not the blocks) so that you have the required .004 float with rockers and shims installed. They’re aluminum, so easy to do on the bench with some 120 grit on a piece of glass (make sure you clean thoroughly). Alternatively, you can do as I did and have Tabari Andrade on the samba machine the blocks and provide a variety of shim thicknesses. If you haven’t seen it already, I made a valve geometry video about those shims with some tips from Jake Raby which you can find in the link in my signature. Note that the blocks need to be installed with the flat (non beveled) side against the head and the notch facing down…

Posted by: iankarr Oct 25 2021, 04:49 PM

Double post

Posted by: 9**P-car Oct 25 2021, 05:08 PM

QUOTE(iankarr @ Oct 25 2021, 04:49 PM)

Posted by: iankarr Oct 25 2021, 11:19 PM

Tabari does great work. But if your blocks are in good shape, you could just adjust the width of the spacer.

Posted by: autopro Oct 26 2021, 09:22 AM

I'm running into the same issue with my engine build. Question for you guys is, are the shims absolutely necessary? Right now I can install everything including the solid spacer without any shims and get my .004 float.

Posted by: Literati914 Oct 26 2021, 02:06 PM

QUOTE(autopro @ Oct 26 2021, 10:22 AM)

Posted by: iankarr Oct 26 2021, 03:02 PM

Hopefully the engine gurus will respond, but It seems shims would be necessary with an aluminum spacer to disperse the thrust forces and reduce wear.

Posted by: Literati914 Oct 26 2021, 08:32 PM

Ok, well with the .004 float gap, what’s the usual shim size used ?


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Posted by: maf914 Oct 27 2021, 10:34 AM

Here is a recent tech article from Oct 2021 Hot VWs magazine regarding solid rocker shaft kits. It may be helpful with the shim process.


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Posted by: maf914 Oct 27 2021, 10:39 AM

Sorry about the upside down image. It is saved in my computer right side up. I don't know what I have done, except that my original scan was upside down and I then rotated it.

Posted by: VaccaRabite Oct 28 2021, 12:09 PM

How much are you looking to take off?
Usually the answer is sandpaper on glass with oil to remove the swarf. Work it down until it fits perfect. They are slightly oversize on purpose. That's how I did it.

Be careful. If you get a guy without a lot of skill on a mill, its easy to go to far with the cutter.

Zach