Studs for Rocker Stands

[Paul Sutphen]

I recently bought a set of Edelbrock 3/8 studs to replace std. bolts. I have a 427 with Edelbrock heads and FE Max roller rockers. Here's my question to those of you who have already converted to studs: after the studs are installed, do you have to unscrew studs to remove rocker shaft or will shaft slip straight off studs without thread damage? I plan to install studs like bolts, using double nuts to screw them in and using thread lock. Does removal of studs using thread lock damage the helicoil in aluminum heads?
Thanks for your input.
Paul

[sexzsn8k]

Paul, I also have the FE Max rockers and they should have sent you a set of studs with the rockers. They should be ARP, but if not, purchase a set of ARP's. If you read their (ARP) literature, they state to just seat the studs, hand tight, and then when doing the final torque, the stud and nut will turn together, giving an even torque setting. Just make sure that you use their lubricant on both sets of threads, the flat washer and the bottom of the nut.

[FE Specialties]

Paul,

With Aluminum heads that swell quite a bit, its better to use a little red threadlocker to keep the stud stable!! Its a coarse thread that's in the head and this has a high torque angle on the thread, so you can run into studs that don't maintain the original torque setting. In a iron head, you dont need to do this!!
Hope this helps!!!!
Tom

[bmalone]

I have not had to unscrew the studs to remove the rocker shaft. Its a nice setup.

[Paul Sutphen]

Thanks for your input. I believe the Edelbrock studs, which are coarse threads into the head and fine threads for the nut look to be ARP studs. Their instructions for installation read very much like the ARP instructions.

[Jeff Frigo]

Studs do not have to come out. That is one of the main advantages of studs over bolts. The threaded holes do not get worn out from screwing them in and out numerious times.

[Michael C Henry]

I have a set of Dove heads.They resemble the originals,like most do. The studs are parallel and in a straight line.The rockers will lift off. They may have some drag but they will go on and lift off over the studs. As long as all the studs were installed in the original holes and not tipped or bent. Like someone tried to free hand drilling the head and got off a little. I had problems with the stud threads pulling out of head on the center two studs on both heads..My heads had already been converted to heli-coils. The center two studs pulled out coils and all. I Had to remove the heads and have a machinist do it in a machine to get the holes dead on. I had three styles of inserts and ended up with an insert that was 9/19x 18 outside and a little over a 1/2" long George Anderson at Guessford Machine said he had never repaired any Dove heads (which he deals in)But had repaired many Edelbrock heads. He uses a solid insert (Rock Mount) that is self threading . It takes a 33/64"drill and is 11/16" long.Every thing can be done in degrees .The original bolts are the start point, then coils , then inserts. The studs aren't the weak point the alluminum head is.You wont need a oversized stud but you'll have to do something with the head. The studs come coarse theads bottom to screw into the head as original but top is fine thread.They torque to 35 ftlbs with fine threads is a bunch.And get the ARP lube while youre at it.