DerekS Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 Evening all. On page 109 of the October edition of Practical Classics, Gary Stretton is setting up a TR3 engine and makes mention of a rocker spacer kit that does away with the standard springs to eliminate any deflection when the engine is running. I have noticed this happening with mine and am sure that it's a source of noise. He sourced his kit through David Manners; while I am waiting for their response, I had a quick look at the Moss site and they keep a similar kit, part number TT1318. The more I think about this idea, the more I like the sound of it. Has anyone else used this, please? ( I am NOT going down the route of roller rockers or the dreaded external oil feed...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 these seem a good way of controlling the rocker position , but what was the idea of springs as used by many others also ...Cost ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekS Posted October 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 I wonder about the cost, yes, never thought , quite possibly. Particularly bearing in mind that the cost of producing the likes of these must be a lot less now with CNC's etc rather than some poor soul with his back bent over a lathe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 we had a whole shop full of bar lathes and multi spindles making spacers, wheel studs and the racket if turning rectangular bar into clutch pedestals as it clatters round the feed tubes was .....LOUD happy days Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekS Posted October 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 I bet it was loud, been there, could have got these made at one time.. Happy days indeed! But I suppose this goes back to them being that much more affordable now (pro rata) though, at £13 odd a set, it wouldn't really be worth calling in any favours now. Thread drift alert! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 the days when a chat in the toolroom got wonders performed for a coffee or a beer in the club house most large factories and manufacturers had a complete social package which was never valued when they closed down. everything from tiddlywinks to rally cars, football teams to brass bands it was all in place and thrown away. we had a better Britain ...it wasnt valued correctly now we have yobs mugging and smart phone texting as a life style Hmmmm getting an olde fart who said thread drift !!! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerguzzi Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 Hello Derek I modified my Spitfire earlier this year to solid spacers. I did not buy a kit from Moss for 2 reasons I did not fancy plastic spacers(I am sure they are perfectly ok) and I have a lathe and some Phosphor bronze so I made my own by just assembling without springs and measuring the gap(so no shims needed) It seems to have made it a bit quieter but I did replace the rocker shaft at the same time! I also did it because it is reckoned to keep the oil in better in the rocker arms. I have done about 7000+ miles with no problems. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekS Posted October 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 Thanks for the reply Roger, I didn't realise the spacers were plastic, I wouldn't fancy plastic myself either! An interesting point about the oil, too. Thankyou! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekS Posted October 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 An update on this thread. I didn't get a response from David Manners about the spacer tubes, so I fired off an email to Moss, late yesterday. There was a brilliant reply from Moss early doors this morning by the guy who wrote the fitting instructions, very helpful indeed. He confirmed that the spacer tubes and shims are made from steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekS Posted November 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 A further update to this thread. I finally found the time to get this job done. The instructions that come with the Moss kit are very clear. I also ordered new Thackeray washers for the end arms. As it turned out, a new rocker shaft was needed and Moss came up trumps with a new one delivered the day after ordering and, more to the point, dead on size, as in not one thou out! The engine is definitely quieter for the work. Roger has makes an excellent point about the oil being retained, too. I am thinking that by keeping the rocker arms in position this must help maintain pressure within the rocker shaft, harder for the oil to escape which helps feed the front arms. P.s. maybe shouldn't say "came up trumps" now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Derek say what you like ,, but dont trrrrump in a lift makes you unpopular good to hear the spacer kit works out well. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Interesting thread, a belt and braces solution but wouldn't replacing the springs have done the job, at least for another 40 years? There's a place near Cambridge called Trumpington, I guess there used to people taking the micky, but they're in a whole new ball game now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekS Posted November 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Pete, only makes you unpopular if the others know it's you... Doug, yes, you're right but the idea of solid spacers appealed. The springs I took off hadn't a lot of strength left at all. P.S. Schoolboy humour about farting in lifts, there's a brilliant moment with Peter Sellers in a Pink Panther film sneaking one out in a lift, very, very funny indeed. Can't remember which film sorry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerguzzi Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Hello all I saw recently that breaking wing in lifts is wrong on so many levels! Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Derek, yes! Seen it! Several times, brilliant. I've had trouble with springs over the years. Road springs squashed into submission by the previous owner's boat bouncing up and down on the tow bar. Windscreen wipers that just stir the water on the screen. Changed the springs, sorted! Nobody thinks about springs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 who's a fan of Zebedee Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 "Time for bed" said Zebedee. I am actually in bed. Norovirus, a great way to loose weight, but you have to be quick to get the laptop out the way and make it to the bucket! The downside of grandchildren, you catch everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VSZP8l5ctHM you have my sympafy this will cheer you up if this works pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 The downside of grandchildren, you catch everything. Do what it says on the bottle, take two tablets and keep away from children. Re Pete's post - the large factories and their amazing social networks may have largely gone, but the benefit of having an engineer father / brother in law with their own milling machine and lathe-filled workshops is that you get amazing things done over a cup of tea in their kitchen..... I've lost count of the number of small parts that I've appeared with that have been replicated, perfect in every detail, over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtRo Racing Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 On 01/10/2016 at 14:23, rogerguzzi said: Hello Derek I modified my Spitfire earlier this year to solid spacers. I did not buy a kit from Moss for 2 reasons I did not fancy plastic spacers(I am sure they are perfectly ok) and I have a lathe and some Phosphor bronze so I made my own by just assembling without springs and measuring the gap(so no shims needed) It seems to have made it a bit quieter but I did replace the rocker shaft at the same time! I also did it because it is reckoned to keep the oil in better in the rocker arms. I have done about 7000+ miles with no problems. Roger Rodger, RIMMER makes their spacer kit out of aluminum. Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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