Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 10:10 pm
I know a lot of folk go on about adjustable rods being the mutts nuts. But I'm not convinced. The only reason I opted for them was because I fitted Rhoades pump down lifters which have a different radius in the cup to a standard Rover V8 lifter.
Unless you are going to be builiding a fire breathing monster engine, I cant see the point in wasting the money on them when you can get the pre load set within a few thou either way by just using pedestal shims.
I also fitted adjustable chrome moly rods to my new 4.6 build and I found it to be a real bind. I had to pay to get them machined to the right length so I could fit the ends. I had a right laugh getting the ends into the rods. and when all was said and done, I ended up with the pre loads set to pretty much what they should be, but not without a lot of fiddling about. The Real Steel adjuster ends have quite course threads and it takes maybe three or four attempts at each lifter before you get it right as you have to take the movement of the tip into account as you nip it up.
I wish I had put the money towards a set of roller rockers now.
I know that adjustable rods will take out a few thou of manufacturing error here and there on the ally rockers etc but I havent really noticed any real improvment in performance with them.
But if you need the pre load to be set to say 60 thou. What real difference will a few thou either way make?
On my old 3500 I fitted Rhoades lifters with standard heavy RV8 rods from Real steel. I know the lifter cup radius was different to the rod tip radius but I just fitted them and set the pre load using pedestal shims.
I raced that engine for two years at the Pod and never had any lifter or rod problems. I melted as few pistons along the way, but not once did I get any probs with pre load. Each time I rebuilt the engine, I checked the pre load with my bit of wire and it was pretty much spot on each time. Give or take 3 thou.
Sorry if this has gone against the grain, but its just my own personal experience with these things. At the risk of being shot down in flames by you more experienced tuners, I will say that for a normal road going car that does the odd RWYB day they are a waste of money.
My old 3500 made 12.2 seconds on the 1/4 mile before the adjustable rods. And it did just the same with them. But it took 5 times longer to set the pre loads.
Unless you are going to be builiding a fire breathing monster engine, I cant see the point in wasting the money on them when you can get the pre load set within a few thou either way by just using pedestal shims.
I also fitted adjustable chrome moly rods to my new 4.6 build and I found it to be a real bind. I had to pay to get them machined to the right length so I could fit the ends. I had a right laugh getting the ends into the rods. and when all was said and done, I ended up with the pre loads set to pretty much what they should be, but not without a lot of fiddling about. The Real Steel adjuster ends have quite course threads and it takes maybe three or four attempts at each lifter before you get it right as you have to take the movement of the tip into account as you nip it up.
I wish I had put the money towards a set of roller rockers now.
I know that adjustable rods will take out a few thou of manufacturing error here and there on the ally rockers etc but I havent really noticed any real improvment in performance with them.
But if you need the pre load to be set to say 60 thou. What real difference will a few thou either way make?
On my old 3500 I fitted Rhoades lifters with standard heavy RV8 rods from Real steel. I know the lifter cup radius was different to the rod tip radius but I just fitted them and set the pre load using pedestal shims.
I raced that engine for two years at the Pod and never had any lifter or rod problems. I melted as few pistons along the way, but not once did I get any probs with pre load. Each time I rebuilt the engine, I checked the pre load with my bit of wire and it was pretty much spot on each time. Give or take 3 thou.
Sorry if this has gone against the grain, but its just my own personal experience with these things. At the risk of being shot down in flames by you more experienced tuners, I will say that for a normal road going car that does the odd RWYB day they are a waste of money.
My old 3500 made 12.2 seconds on the 1/4 mile before the adjustable rods. And it did just the same with them. But it took 5 times longer to set the pre loads.
