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TR2/3/3A Installing new rocker arm shaft.

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J

John_Progess

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I am trying to install a new rocker arm shaft during my engine rebuild. I didn't want to get to forceful but what is the key to getting the four aluminum pedestals off the shaft? They seem awful tight! Thanks for your help and all those who helped me with the rear break cylinders. I finally did get the three locking plates installed on the back of the cylinders. Thanks again.

John
 
John, I am lucky, most have come off with a tap of the shaft while the pedestals were on a cloth on top of a vise. Give the aluminum lots of respect, they can break.

Wayne
 
John, I just rebuilt mine and the rocker pedestals were a little fussy as well. I replaced the shaft with a hardened one so I was not worried about scuffing the old one. So, I first took the one set screw out and then place the rocker shaft in a vise with the pedestal on the lower side of the vice. I then took a thick cloth, about as thick as a wash cloth, placed it on top of the pedestal and took an open end wrench, placed it over the cloth on the pedestal and LIGHTLY tapped on the wrench to loosen the pedestal. However, go easy, the pedestal is probably 50 years old and it dents easily.
Good luck.
 
You might try heating the pedestal. The alloy should expand a lot more than the shaft, and of course you can focus the heat on the pedestal. A heat gun or hair dryer may be enough, or a propane or butane torch.
 
Hope this is ok to say here...I just saw these posts about the rocker shaft and it reminded me that I never used the roller rockers I bought in my recent resto.
Do you want to put different rockers in the engine?
(Ignore me if this was the wrong place to ask that).
Thom
1959 TR3
#34909L(O)
 
I ended up pounding them off with the handle of a hammer, but I think next time I will find a piece of pipe that just slides on and cut a piece of leather for the end that hits the pedestal and try that.
 
For future reference, chances are the old shaft was on the high side with respect to diameter, but close enough to std. that it didn't get thrown into the spare parts bin. I second using a bit of heat on the pedestals, won't hurt them and aluminum expands more than steel.
 
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