Assembling new rocker arm shafts.

[mdc32073]

I'm trying to assemble my rocker arm shafts now that I bought new shafts. Does anyone have any tips for putting the pedestals on the new shafts. They are very clean but have a very tight fit. I just don't want to break anything by beating on them.

Any tips out there?

Thanks.

[fordamericana]

I'm trying to assemble my rocker arm shafts now that I bought new shafts. Does anyone have any tips for putting the pedestals on the new shafts. They are very clean but have a very tight fit. I just don't want to break anything by beating on them.

Any tips out there?

Thanks.

I watched a guy at the local machine shop use a piece of brass tube, thick wall I assume considering how soft the metal is, to tap the pedistals into place on a set of rocker rails...

You have new rockers too? I was looking at Kanter and they had the shafts for a real good price, but everywhere I have found lately the rockers were like between eight and twelve dollars each...

[mdc32073]

No, not new rockers. The old ones. I'm really broke for money right now. But, when I took them apart for inspection the shafts were really worn looking so I couldn't in my right mind not at least replace the shafts.

Thanks for the input...I'll see if I can find something like that. I don't think I have a brass pipe. Maybe my friend has something at his garage.

[fordamericana]

No, not new rockers. The old ones. I'm really broke for money right now. But, when I took them apart for inspection the shafts were really worn looking so I couldn't in my right mind not at least replace the shafts.

Thanks for the input...I'll see if I can find something like that. I don't think I have a brass pipe. Maybe my friend has something at his garage.

The shafts were worn but not the bearing inside the rockers? You are a lucky fellow, I had to buy four separate set of rocker rails from local wrecking yards before I found a non damaged set for my last rebuild. I still wish I could afford those pretty roller rocker set ups I've seen pop up on the market the last couple years, but eight hundred is way out of my budget right now. LOL

[mdc32073]

These don't have any bearings in them. At least there were none when disassembling them. They are from a 360 FE. They are just the stock rocker arms and shafts. The book I'm using as reference (How to Rebuild Big-Block Ford Engines by Steve Christ) didn't mention any bearings for them either.

[Barry_R]

Sometimes they get a little tight/deformed from bolt torque. Try running a brake cylinder hone through them for just a second with some WD40. Or a piece of sandpaper in a cotter pin chucked in the drill if you're really running on a budget. They should simply slide on with a very modest push press - no hammering needed.

[BobbyFord]

Make sure the oiling holes point down before installing the assembly. Excessive shaft wear can indicate an oiling issue. Is this a complete rebuild or are you just replacing the shafts?

[mdc32073]

Sometimes they get a little tight/deformed from bolt torque. Try running a brake cylinder hone through them for just a second with some WD40. Or a piece of sandpaper in a cotter pin chucked in the drill if you're really running on a budget. They should simply slide on with a very modest push press - no hammering needed.

I used a 12 Gauge copper cleaning brush from my shotgun cleaning kit....LOL. It did the trick for cleaning the pedestals out good. Then I put the shafts and pedestals in the freezer for a while. Once they were past the end of the shaft they slid on fairly easily.
The rocker arms went on with no pressure at all. Just the pedestals were a little tough going on.

Make sure the oiling holes point down before installing the assembly. Excessive shaft wear can indicate an oiling issue. Is this a complete rebuild or are you just replacing the shafts?

I'm just replacing the shafts. The other parts looked fine after a good cleaning. The oiling holes are pointing down. I checked a few posts here before going forward with the install. I wouldn't have know that otherwise. Thanks for stating that though. Before I read the post about that I thought they would go up top. That would have sucked!

Thanks for all the input guys. I have them all together now and just have to put them on the heads.