shim material
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,763
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From: san antonio
McMaster Carr has shims in varying ID, OD and thickness in SS. However, unless the end play is waaaaaaaay off, shimming wont make any difference in reducing valve train noise. Best to pull the rocker shafts and look for witness marks that the shafts are rotating in the support plate; Rocker Lockers will solve that problem?
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 33
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From: maryland
Thanks djl Endplay is .013 at the top of running tolerance. Not doing for valve train noise as much as just like to get the endplay a little tighter as long as I am already in there. Front rocker arm cradle was warped causing wear along the shaft where the rocker arm bushings ride. Bought new cradle and with new S&S rocker arms and shafts I have .013 endplay. I did buy the rocker lockers and will install once endplay is tightened up. Thanks for the Mcmaster carr lead.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,763
Likes: 2,597
From: san antonio
Understood; .010"-.013" is pretty common running clearance for the TCs.
Thrust side can be seen with the angle of the pushrods; intakes and exhaust are opposite. Shim goes on the pushrod end for exhaust and valve end for intakes and take up the running clearance with no load to wear the shims. There are also witness marks that point to each rockers thrust face where it marks the rocker box . The minimum thickness I would go is .010 for shim, so a .010" shim should be just right.
Thrust side can be seen with the angle of the pushrods; intakes and exhaust are opposite. Shim goes on the pushrod end for exhaust and valve end for intakes and take up the running clearance with no load to wear the shims. There are also witness marks that point to each rockers thrust face where it marks the rocker box . The minimum thickness I would go is .010 for shim, so a .010" shim should be just right.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 625
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From: Mo
AMS Machine has shims...
"Excessive axial endplay between the rocker arms and rocker support can make a noise like a bad lifter, or cause the pushrod angle to change as described above. Use a feeler gage to measure their clearances. For best performance, we recommend a clearance between 0.004” and 0.006”. Anything over 0.008” will make noise. AMS has German-made spring steel shims available in 3 thicknesses if your rockers have too much play."
"Excessive axial endplay between the rocker arms and rocker support can make a noise like a bad lifter, or cause the pushrod angle to change as described above. Use a feeler gage to measure their clearances. For best performance, we recommend a clearance between 0.004” and 0.006”. Anything over 0.008” will make noise. AMS has German-made spring steel shims available in 3 thicknesses if your rockers have too much play."
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,359
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From: Dubuque, IA
I wouldn't open up a top end without putting the rocker lockers(rock outs) in. I had no noise or witness marks and put them in anyway. Cheap insurance.
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 33
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From: maryland
witness marks on shafts and in the rocker arm cradle bores definitely putting in rocker lockers. Thanks for the ams machine lead.
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2019
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Likes: 4
From: maryland
I researched questions about shimming rocker arms on this sight and found that the engine builders on this sight recommend using thicker shims as much as .100" thk. and relieving the craddle to accommodate. They state that they would find thinner shims trashed when they would rebuild. Does anyone know a minimum thkness to safely use. I was intending to use a .020 thk. shim.
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