Any Engineering types here?

[Jim]

Take a look at these lifters and tell me what you think. Snake oil or a viable product. The first one has a short video clip to show the rotation (click to see Demo) at top. was thinking of these due to cam and lifter failure due to less Zinc in the oil. Schubeck Racing is out of business.

Roller flat tappet lifters!

Performance Research, Inc. --- ProXtreme Products

[Richard B.]

Im not sure I see where that is going to be of any benefit. The lifter is suppose to spin in the bore anyway, the cam lobe is ground with a slight taper to it so that the lifter spins each time it opens. Even if the bottom of the lifter spins, you still have all the same pressures as a normal cam working on the lobe.

The theory behind the shubeck's were that they material on the tip of the lifter was suppose to be literally wear proof on both the cam and the lifter. It was big with the stock eliminator racers because you could run a much more aggressive profile on the cam without the lobe digging into the lifter. But, I know he had many failures with the puck coming off the tip of the lifter and causing major engine failures.

Dont know what kind of engine you are working with, but I have had good luck with the retrofit hydraulic roller cams from Comp and Crane. I have been involved with several small block chrysler builds using them and was very impressed, also just built a blown big block chrysler using them. Had a customer with a 410" SBF buit with a hydraulic roller and it also ran very good.

[Richard B.]

If you want a Shubeck style lifter, I think they are now being made by SM Machine in Las Vegas.

[Jim]

Richard do you have any more info on SM Machine. I did a search for them and came up empty.

Thanks

[Jac Mac]

The principle behind this appears to be that the inertia of the 'whole' lifter body is eliminated in regard to its rotation in the lifter bore, only the pad or face of the lifter has to accelerate/decelerate with regard to cam lift/rotation. I can see the advantage where it would allow offset pushrods etc for larger ports, but I can also see a few disadvantages in that the pad/face of the lifter has a shorter moment arm for stability in the lifter body and could be more likely to 'dig' into the cam lobe particularly aggressive lobe designs. Personally I dont like small parts like needle rollers etc that can cause havoc inside a motor if they escape from the original part. This looks like one of those parts especially when you consider the rotational speed of that lifter pad/face at full lift at say 8000rpm (4000rpm cam--1.25" effective lobe radius x 0.400" effective lifter pad/face radius = 12000 + rpm slowing to perhaps 6000rpm on base circle-----------That doesnt bear thinking about!

Jac Mac

[Ron Earp]

Why not use some good roller lifters? Solid or hydraulic depending on application.

[Richard B.]

Here is thier website.

www.smithmachinellc.com