Classic Inlines - Rocker Arm Options for Ford Small Sixes

Stock Non-Adjustable Rocker Assembly - Rebuilt 1.5 ratio, stock non-adjustable rocker arm assembly, fully assembled and ready to bolt on. Recommended for stock applications where the cylinder head and/or block have not been milled more than a total of .125".

Stock Adjustable Rocker Assembly - Rebuilt 1.5 ratio, stock adjustable rocker arm assembly, fully assembled and ready to bolt on. Requires adjustable ball and cup style push rods (sold separately) if you are replacing stock non-adjustable rocker assembly. Recommended for stock applications, mild performance motors, or when the cylinder head and/or block have been milled more than .125" to increase or maintain the C/R.

Stock High Ratio Rocker Assembly - New 1.6 ratio, adjustable rocker arm assembly, fully assembled and ready to bolt on. Requires adjustable style ball and cup push rods (sold separately) if you are replacing a stock non-adjustable rocker assembly. High ratio rocker arms increase valve lift, increasing air flow and performance, especially at low and mid range RPMs. Dyno testing only showed a peak gain of 2 HP, however it also showed an average gain of 10 HP, as compared to a stock 1.5 ratio rocker assembly on a modified log cylinder head (see comments below). Recommended for stock applications, mild performance motors, or when the cylinder head and/or block have been milled more than .125" to increase or maintain the C/R. When using single valve springs, extreme caution must be observed to prevent coil bind (dual springs are highly recommended).

Roller Tipped High Ratio Rocker Assembly - New 1.6 ratio, adjustable rocker arm assembly, fully assembled and ready to bolt on. Requires adjustable ball and cup style push rods (sold separately) if you are replacing a stock non-adjustable rocker assembly. High ratio rocker arms increase valve lift, increasing air flow and performance, especially at low and mid range RPMs (see comments below). When using single valve springs, extreme caution must be observed to prevent coil bind (dual springs are highly recommended).

Full Roller Rocker Arm Kit - 1.65 Rocker Ratio - Kit includes oil through ball and ball push rods and lifters. The stock oiling system (through the shaft) is eliminated when you remove the stock rocker assembly to install this kit. As such the lifters and pushrods must be replaced with an oil through type, such as those used in SBF applications. High ratio rocker arms increase valve lift, which in turn increases air flow and performance, especially at low and mid range RPMs (see comments below). When using single valve springs, extreme caution must be observed to prevent coil bind (dual springs are highly recommended).

Early rocker assemblies used the same pedestal through-out the assembly (see photo of non-adjustable rockers above), however later assemblies used a slightly different design for the first pedestal, which was located above the #1 cylinder (see photo of adjustable rockers above, as well as figures #6 and #8A). The pedestal was designed to seep oil, which in-turn flows down to the distributor gears by means of an internal passageway (see Figure #7). The first of these pedestals (style #2) used an oval cap with a small hole (instead of a washer). The final version (style #3) used a solid cap, as the hole was moved to the underside of the pedestal, which allowed the oil to drain out a little easier. We're not sure when these changes were implemented, or if they were used on all engines, or just a few different models. As such, the pedestals and/or caps may be difficult to find. You just have to keep looking...... Classic Inlines plans to make an aftermarket version of the pedestal, and the cap, but probably not until late spring or early summer 2012. When they are ready, we'll list them with the rocker assemblies.

NOTE: When you purchase a rebuilt rocker assembly from Classic Inlines, it's hard to say which style of pedestal it will have. It just depends on the cores that are being sent in by our customers, and/or what style the manufacturer ships to us. As a result, we have no control over which style we receive and/or ship. It should also be noted that the customer is responsible for suppling a cap, if one is required. However if a cap is supplied by the manufacturer, or if we happen to have one, it will be shipped with the rocker assembly.

The oil being emitted from the front pedestal flows down into the lifter galley, to an internal passageway that is located between the 2nd and 3rd lifter bosses (fig 6). This passageway leads to a hole that is located directly over the cam gear, there-by providing additional lubrication to the distributor gears. Make sure the oil hole and passageway are not clogged with sludge or any other foreign material, and that an adequate supply of oil is actually reaching the gears. If you still suffer from excessive gear wear, you may want to chamfer and/or deburr the opening in the passageway to improve oil flow.

NOTE: If you are using the full roller rocker system (sold by Classic Inlines), the stock pedestals are eliminated, as is the oil relief cap. In such cases, you must use adequate sized hollow pushrods to provide an ample amount of oil flow, making sure plenty of oil is draining into the lifter galley around the passageway. This is especially critical at low rpm's, when crankshaft splash and oil pressures are reduced and at a minimum.

One proven way to increase power is by decreasing the valve-train friction. Two of the biggest friction "hot-spots" in any valve-train, are those where the rocker fulcrum rides on the shaft (or studs), and where the tip of the rocker comes in contact with the valve stem. In basic, simplified terms, the more energy your engine exerts to overcome these high-friction contact points, the less torque it exerts to the rear wheels. If you eliminate the metal to metal contact (rubbing), the engine will spend less energy doing the same work.

By placing a roller on the tip of the rocker where it comes in contact with the valve stem, the rocker is able to roll across the valve as it travels through its cycle, instead of sliding back and forth across the valve stem. Beside the obvious friction created here by non-roller tipper rockers, serious side loads are placed on the valve stem. Basically the tip of the rocker arm is dragged across the top of the valve, while the valve travels up and down in the valve guide, which results in excessive guide wear and loss of power.

While most will assume that the only benefit of roller rockers is reduction in friction, the other benefits of aftermarket rockers include true, blueprinted, at-the-valve ratios and precision motion. Another time-honored way to increase power with rocker arms is to change the ratio of the rocker. The benefit of increased rocker arm ratio is the valve is opened a little further and faster, allowing more air in and out of the engine, thus creating more power. Changing from a rocker ratio of 1.5 to 1.6 generally adds about 3 degrees of valve duration. The net result is you are effectively changing your cam specs without changing your cam.

In a recent dyno session we added a high ratio rocker assembly to an otherwise stock 250ci engine (accept for improved induction) to verify any improvements. At first we were disappointed, as maximum power was only increased by 2HP. However, after looking at the numbers we noticed the average HP was increased by 10HP. Therefore if peak only went up 2, and the average was 10, then the lower and mid range numbers had to be better than 10HP. Thus making the swap a viable means of increasing power and performance.

The Roller Tipped Rockers come fully assembled a on a new shaft, ready to go. Just remove your old rocker assembly, bolt on the new roller tipped assembly, and adjust the lash. It's that simple. The Full Roller Rockers require assembly on the head, but it is a relatively simple procedure. Remove the old assembly, bolt on the spacer bars, install the rockers in pairs, and adjust (see pictures below).

A) Installation of Roller Tipped Rockers or Full Roller Rockers requires pushrods designed to facilitate adjustable rocker arms. Your stock rockers may or may not be adjustable in design, thus the pushrods may be incorrect. Prior to installation, verify your existing pushrod type.

B) Installation of Full Roller Rockers will require the elimination of the stock rocker arm shaft, thus eliminating the stock oiling system as well. To retain oiling to the valve train, the pushrods and lifters must be changed to an oil through design.