Who has used Raby's rocker spacer kit?

I have the 1.8L rockers (as required to run the swivel feet), Jakes whole rocker kit with heavy duty studs, new shafts, rocker spacer kit, and swivel feet.

I am getting ready to check my rocker geometry per Jake's instructions, and when I put the rocker spacer kit in & tighten the rocker shaft nuts, the rockers bind up big time.

I have removed the spring & two stock washers and replaced them with the solid Al. spacer and two washers between the two rockers, then the two end "clamps". Nothing else in the mix.

Anyone had problems with the solid spacer setup?

Pics of your setup would help.

Stu

They have to be "machined" for a little clearance. I don't remember the tolerance. I used a peice of 100 grit sandpaper glued to a board to gently work them down. I used another board with a V notch cut in the end to keep them square in the process.

I was debating sanding down the rocker mating surface instead of the Aluminum spacer ring.
However if I rotate the Al. spacer, I can find areas of more or less bind.
That leads me to believe that it is the Al. spacer that is the problem - Poor machining?

I guess I will measure them next.

Stu

I am running them.

They work fantastic. VERY smooth.

You mill down the spacers using 400 grit paper on glass.
I THINK (its been a few years) you are looking for a .003" gap when its back together.

Zach

I haven't used his kit,but I do know the required rockers you need to run swivel feet are 1.7L.

1.8/2.0 will not work IIRC.

I thought the 1.7L & 1.8L rockers were the same and the 2.0L were different. It all has to do with the thread size of the adjuster feet.

Whatever Rockers I have accept the swivel feet, so I have the right ones.

Stu

I have the HD rocker hardware from Jake's store, but I'm running the oem solid spacers/wavy washers from a hydraulic bus engine.

I don't see how tightening the assemblies would change the clearance between the solid spacer and the cast rocker arms. It sounds like you are compressing a valve spring when you tighten them down?

You do have to enlarge the holes in the clamps, as the've been called; maybe your drill bit walked?

If it is just compressing the springs, it is because you are supposed to take about .060" off the face of the rocker. This moves the adjuster that much out. You should be able to move the rockers with them tightened down when the adjusters are backed off. Ideally you should still have play with them half way out, but for this you will probably need shims under the stands.

My experience has been that the 911 adjusters need shortening and to have the heads of them re-slotted. You can run them without doing that, but you may end up with little dents in your covers.

Common. Sand the AL spacers.

its not poor machining...
these are intentionally made slightly large so that they will fit all of the different tolerances of motors (remember the factory threw a spring in to take up the tolerance)

its great that they are made a tiny bit large and can be custom fit to the customers exact needs.

alot of Raby's parts are built smart and take into account the needs of the many.

Ok, I will sand them. But measure them first.
nathansnathan - what I am seeing is with no pushrods installed yet, so I am not pushing down on the spring. I also did not need to open up the holes in the clamps on the ends. They slid right onto the heavy duty rocker studs.

Brant -

As I noted above, if I rotate the aluminum spacer the rockers go from moving freely to 100% bound up. That means that the spacers must not be the same thickness all the way around, or the clocking of the spacer would not matter.

Stu

With this being the case too should be able to find the hight spot on one side or the other > Measure with a caliper and that should show the hight spot. Lay out fluid/sharpie should ensure you sand the correct spot.

Best
-Robert


BTB: This is the Next to-do on my build also....

Oops really old thread here.... Still good stuff. Glad I found this





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I've got this kit on my car and its great. There was a lot of fitting and sanding with oiled 400 grit paper on glass to get the tolerances just right.

Be aware that while sanding you can impart an angle to the aluminum. Go slow, check fit often, and keep rotating the piece.

Zach

Thanks @VaccaRabite

to Zach @VaccaRabite
and Robert @rfinegan

what does the kit include? if i am doing new heads and might do new P&C as well, would you say its ok to keep my current push rods , and rocker assembly or much better to get the kit with the solid spacers and i assume thats with the new 1.7 rockers and swivel foot ?

Phil

New push rods are about 100 bucks. YES they will be needed to match the deck height changes to the engine and cam choice
The solid spacers to the rockers are about 20+ buck and are a plus for higher revving higher lift camshafts
Your rocker shafts and arms can be reused with Swivel feet if you get the correct ones for the larger threads. The BEST 911 feet require the modified 1.7 rockers and can be found for about 100 buck used from time to time.
The type 4 store has a cam kit with all the needed head update to match the valve train requirements

I pieced my kit together as I had the bits and pieces I obtained over the last few years prior to stating a rebuild


-Robert

The spacer tolerance is not that critical, you could run up to .015" no problem. In fact I would rather run a hair loose than a hair tight.
On a stock engine the swivel feet don't hurt but are not required. One of the main reasons for running swivel feet is stainless steel valves the tips are not hardened like a stock valve tip.

I don't know what benefit you would get on a stock motor with this kit. Smoother valve train but not much else.

On a motor that not stock, where you have set it up with a hotter cam, cromoly pushrods, etc then the kit makes sense.

Zach

I also believe that the swivel feet adjusters should be soaked overnight in clean motor oil to lubricate them and prevent early failure.

Correct.