One thing that I can think of is floating the valves a bit. With the SA variety, there is nothing to keep the rocker from moving side to side if it loses contact with the tip of the valve. Once the SA rocker gets misaligned, it can do some major damage to the valve or itself. It winds up riding on the alignment guide instead of the roller. That can hold your valve open, damage the rocker, or damage the end of the valve.

The NSA have the guideplates, which prevent misalignment of the rocker better. It's going to take a lot more severe problems to get the NSA off the valve tip. I'm sure someone can explain this better than me.

Of course all of this is based on extreme circumstances, but then that's what high-RPM operation entails. Bounce it off the rev limiter a few times at 6500 RPM, and you can see how things might just go wrong. For the small added cost (guideplates and hardened pushrods - the rockers cost about the same either way), it's worth the added strength.

BRAD

 

The main problem with SA rockers is that they are held on by thin "ears" as shoebox puts it and if something ever goes wrong, they can easily bend/break/warp causing major damage.

NSA rockers are held in place by 7/16 base threadlocked studs that secure 1/8" thick hardened steel guideplates that arent going ANYWHERE. The guideplates are gonna outlast your engine and i have never heard of a GM guideplate ever breaking or warping.

SA "ears" have a nasty tendency of wearing down or breaking under extreme circumatances such as high rpm use or valve float.

In my opinion, SA rockers are a bandaid because people are too lazy to do things the right way.

Just my opinion.
-Stu

 

I believe the answer is "no" but I am going to ask anyway...

Can you use guideplates with SA rockers? I personally bought the car with the SA rockers already installed (I am going to ignore that lazy remark ). I am planning to put in a CC306 cam (plus other things ) and will be winding it out to probably 6500 to 6700 rpm. So whats the verdict? I don't want to screw things up, so don't be easy on me!

 

Again, I am sorry to Trmpt63529 for hijacking his post. Please let me know if you want me to start another one.

 

I completely agree with Stu.

Also, using guideplates with SA rockers is a no-no.

As the rocker moves, it has some side to side motion. With SA rockers, this takes place at the valve. With NSA rockers, at the pushrod end. If both sides are locked in place and no play can be laterally taken up, something is going to break (usually the rocker stud). This also creates wear on the guides, seals, and valves (since there's going to be side load on the valves).

Use guideplates with NSA rockers ONLY.

 

Yeah, thats what I thought .

HEY!

Anyone needs some Crane Gold Race SA rockers 7k miles???????

 

nope you havn't hijacked anything...i been tryin to find out this info for a while now! okay, so an lt1 already has hardened pushrods? or would it be smart to go ahead and buy them. my resources are limited and i'm trying to cut corners that are okay to cut, question 2 , are titanium retainers a must? i'm getting the comp springs that are good to .600 and it says they take the titanium retainers and the regular ones