I have a few things left to buy for my truck. One thing being rr's. I was planing on getting non adj ones but found a place selling adj ones cheaper. Which is odd cause its *** backwards. Now I know with the non adj ones I need to know the exact push rod length. With the tools a buddy sent me he threw in some push rod checkers. I read somewhere that in order to check the rod size you need a solid lifter. I don't have one of them and have no idea where to get one.

I figure the adj ones would be the best bet in this case. I don't know much about this stuff so I ask you guys for answers.

With my new cam do I still use stock push rod lengths with the adj rr's?

I thought that I read somewhere that with adj rr's you have to check them every so often. Is this true? Do I still need to do that even if I get locks?

What are the benefits between on or the other?

Thanks guys

 

you know who you need to give a call to lol...

 

Call Hughesengines and ask them, but make sure you have specifics in mind as they won't mind up-selling you in a heartbeat.

In general, with an aftermarket cam you probably want adjustable rockers as otherwise you have to buy the exact perfect length push rods which can be difficult to measure and more expensive to buy custom lengths.

I've not added adjustable rockers before so I can't comment on their need to be readjusted.

 

I would avoid getting adjustable ones. Depends on the cam though. Unless you like removing your VC's , as opposed to just driving and enjoying your truck.

 

That's the thing. in order to measure to get the exact push rod lenght you need a solid lifter. I have talked to whats his name at southeast and he even said i need to have exact size or I could screw **** up.

zman do you know wha all is involved in the adjustable ones? How often do they need checked? and does it matter if you have locks or not?

 

I got solids on my Mustang and I hate them. Of course it's a lot easier to adjust them on that then it would be on our Rams. Every time you start hearing a slight tick you need to adjust. This is fine on a Mustang that gets out maybe 10 times a season, but on a daily driver? Screw that! LOL Locks or no locks.

 

Eh this is too much thinking

 

The thinking is easy now. Your going non-adj but just have to make sure you get the pushrod length right. Lets get the block back in, Mount the heads up and use your pushrod checkers I guess. You know you can't remove the valve covers every couple weeks if they start ticking, so you don't really have a choice other than the non-adj.

 

WAIT,

You SHOULD probably use a solid lifter to MEASURE the correct pushrod length, but you don't NEED to run all solid lifters. The hydraulics should be fine AFTER you get the right length, you just shouldn't run an adjustable pushrod to check length with a lifter that's also going to give a little (hydraulic). I would also use the stock rocker with the solid lifter to measure so you're not also adding the variable of an adjustable roller rocker as well if you go the adjustable route. And measure every single one to see if you have any variances. It's just a good best practice to know your engine.

If you find any variances in length and are 100% positive you performed the procedure correctly, I'd contact the cam manufacturer immediately, find out what's going on, and ask if there is any acceptable "slop" from lobe to lobe. Then get a second opinion.

After you get the lengths correct, you can order the pushrods (I think hughes does custom lengths) install them on the lifters and torque down the rockers. That's going to be a best case scenario for non-adjustables. The whole point of a hydraulic lifter is to "suck up some of the valvetrain variance and basically act as an adjustable rocker on the bottom end, though they DO NOT have as much adjustablility.

For adjustables, you need to torque down the rockers to where the pushrods won't spin in the rocker cup and then about a 1/4 turn more to preload the lifter. As the engine "breaks in" the lifters will seat to their normal pressure/tension and you can readjust the rockers as needed. Just don't leave oily rags in the engine bay after the job and you should be fine.

The locks will help to keep the rockers from changing position/tension, but if a lifter gets worn and won't stay inflated, you'll have play in that pushrod anyway.

Understand this as well, I AM NOT AN ENGINE BUILDER! take my advice as a guide only and verify everything with someone like John Mercedes, Dave Hughes, Marty Fletcher or somebody else who has learn from the countless builds they've done. They should trump me EVERY TIME!

 

[QUOTE=aim4squirrels;1528885]

You SHOULD probably use a solid lifter to MEASURE the correct pushrod length, but you don't NEED to run all solid lifters. ...QUOTE]

Think thats what bluebeast2 was getting at in his first paragraph in the original post. He said he needs to find a solid lifter but is unsure where to find one.