The stock rocker arms in LS engines are fairly well designed, but they aren’t without their flaws. If you have a high-revving LS engine, the stock cageless loose needle bearings in the rocker arms can fail and spew out tons of tiny chunks of metal to bounce around your valvetrain. Not a good situation to find yourself in.
COMP Cams Trunion Rocker Arm Trunion Upgrade Kit [1] (Part Number 13702-KIT) is a great low cost solution for getting rid of the stock needle bearings, and includes everything you need to convert your stock LS rocker arm into a more performance oriented captured-bearing trunion style rocker arm. In this video [2], COMP walks you through the step-by-step procedure of converting your stock rocker arms with the Trunion Kit.
The install isn’t particularly hard, but you will need to have the right tools for the job and to pay special attention to a few critical areas. First off, you’ll need a press with the appropriate sized dies to press out the old stuff and to put the new parts back in the rocker arms, and you’ll also need a set of snap-ring pliers. You’ll want to pay special attention to the markings on the new COMP bearings because they have to be installed with the letters facing outward on each side. There are several other helpful tips COMP offers in the video, so make sure to check it out for yourself [2]. Also, check out COMP’s website [3] if you’re interested in the Trunion Upgrade kit for your own high-RPM LS mill.
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