Flip or replace rocker arm shafts?

Juanito84

I'm now taking the rocker arm assemblies apart so I can measure them and do the HVX mods to them. I've got 4 all together, two out of a single port, and two that were on a dual port Bug, although one of the heads apparently was originally out of a Bus. All of the rocker arms measure good, but all have galling on one side, although two seem better than the others. (Interestingly they were both out of the left side). The rocker arms look and measure good.

The question is, can I just flip the rocker arm shafts over so the galled sides aren't under pressure? Or do I need new ones? Is it ok to mix and match the best looking parts out of these four assemblies?

Thanks in advance.
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spencerfvee · Samba Member Joined: August 19, 2004 Posts: 3071

over the years I have flipped a lot of rocker shalfs worked for me spencerfvee

mark tucker · Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 10:41 am Post subject:

make sure they can be fliped, some shafts have locator holes and will bottom out on the stud locator.(holes in shaft may be bigger on head side, and the small side may not go over the biger portion of the stud) also make sure the rocker oil gally is clear of crap&coked oil. I add a snake groove from the oil hole around the head side to the adjuster oil hole.not around the outer portion!!!witch would just let to oil escape without going where it needs to be.

Juanito84 · Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 9:28 pm Post subject:

modok · Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 10:28 pm Post subject:

Less than 1/4 of the surface is galled then it's good IMO.
Polish the shafts!

Juanito84 · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 5:59 pm Post subject:

Well after working on them a while (doing the HVX mods with swivel foot adjusters i've been noticing more and more galling inside the rockers. And the shafts could probably be called more than 1/4 galled. So I guess I'll just get new ones.

Are the CB Performance kits any good? 1.1:1 ratio.
_________________
If a water cooled engine cools its water with air, isn't it just an overcomplicated air cooled engine?

Bob Brugge · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:49 pm Post subject:

I would want to know why it is galling...
Lack of oil or poor geometry, or something else?
Is the galling occurring on the same side as the bus head?

Juanito84 · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 7:48 pm Post subject:

Howard 111 · Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:45 am Post subject:

You can buy new shafts for $30 at aircooled.net.

Juanito84 · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:53 pm Post subject:

Do the CB shafts have oiling grooves? I'm wanting to do all the Hover mods and it seemed like these would all ready come with that mod.
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If a water cooled engine cools its water with air, isn't it just an overcomplicated air cooled engine?

66brm · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 2:12 pm Post subject:

Call and ask, my solid set of 1.25's I bought back in the late 90's did but the set of 1.4's I bought this year didn't.
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mikedjames · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 1:38 pm Post subject:

My previous engine did about 40000 miles on rocker shafts that were turned over with the galling visible on top on one side and on the bottom on the other.

As the engine was installed as a replacement about five owners previous in 2005 and there are signs it was reconditioned in a very limited way when it was fitted then, I suspect they will run OK whichever way up you put them.

Best is with a shiny surface, and with oiling modifications to try to stop the galling happening.
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Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
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modok · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 3:09 pm Post subject:

cb shafts have a groove. This groove does not really line up with the oil holes, but it would if you slot the holes side to side a little.

At first I was against cutting grooves in the shaft, but further thought it's probably ok, the grooves weaken the shaft but they are so small that it does not really change the flex, and flex is more of a concern really.

mark tucker · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 6:55 pm Post subject:

I would rather the shafts not have any groves at all.add a banana grove to the rocker from the oil hole to the adjuster oil hole in a "S" or :C: shape only on the lower side/head side of the rocker, Never on the top/outer side where there is no load at all and has max clearance for the oil to escape thus not feeding the oil to the loaded aera.
on my curved foot type rockers I add a orifice to spray the tip&spring and the groove feeds it.

Howard 111 · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:14 pm Post subject:

I agree. The groves in the shafts cuts down on the surface area the rockers ride on. Lubrication isn't a problem for rockers. They work in a constant mist of oil.
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mark tucker · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:50 am Post subject:

Juanito84 · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 1:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the comments so far!

As far as rocker arm oiling, ll I know is that I have four rocker arm shafts and 16 rocker arms out of two different engines and all the shafts and all the rocker arms are galled and scratched and in poor condition, including the ones out of an engine that supposedly had less than 1,000 miles on it. Looks like they put sand on them when they were assembled, but the galling is only on the bottom sides of the rockers and shafts where the force is.

I think VW was a bit shy on the head oiling in the type one engines.

I like the idea of the S oiling groove on the rocker arm itself.
_________________
If a water cooled engine cools its water with air, isn't it just an overcomplicated air cooled engine?

Howard 111 · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 2:01 pm Post subject:


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