Broken rocker stud nut

I was torquing down the nuts on my harland sharp roller rockers and I snapped one off!!! The lower part of the nut is still on the stud and the top has come completely off!!! I don't know what to do, I was only torquing to 25 ftlbs on my 400. What did I do wrong and how can I fix it?

Well first off You don't need to torque the nuts down to 25 ft. # ..I just Set the lash then tighten the set screw in the nut.



Dan

If you need Replacement nut I have a few sets of 7/16" jam nut's laying around here.


Dan

That would be great, I only broke one nut, the ones I have are 5/8". If you've got any ideas on how to get the rest of the nut off of the stud that would be great!

torkair wrote:That would be great, I only broke one nut, the ones I have are 5/8". If you've got any ideas on how to get the rest of the nut off of the stud that would be great!

Could you maybe take a wrench to the stud? Take it out then slide the rocker off the bottom and use vise grips on the broken part and a wrench on the stud to get it loose?

bb429power wrote:

torkair wrote:That would be great, I only broke one nut, the ones I have are 5/8". If you've got any ideas on how to get the rest of the nut off of the stud that would be great!

Could you maybe take a wrench to the stud? Take it out then slide the rocker off the bottom and use vise grips on the broken part and a wrench on the stud to get it loose?

I'll try that tomorrow but it's a tight fit due to the pushrod guide plates being bolted on under the studs but at this point it seems to be my only choice

they wont slide off that way??

bb429power wrote:
Could you maybe take a wrench to the stud? Take it out then slide the rocker off the bottom and use vise grips on the broken part and a wrench on the stud to get it loose?

Put the assembly in a vise and remove the damaged part. Before re-installing the stud check the threads for damage. If the adjuster was not at the end of the stud's threads, it probably won't take much force to remove the broken adjuster from the rocker stud.

Dave.

torkair wrote:That would be great, I only broke one nut, the ones I have are 5/8". If you've got any ideas on how to get the rest of the nut off of the stud that would be great!

Everything I have is 7/16" stud size.


Dan

I've never seen 5/8" rocker studs. Are you sure they aren't 7/16"? A 5/8" wrench is the standard size for this bolt/stud diameter.

schmitty wrote:I've never seen 5/8" rocker studs. Are you sure they aren't 7/16"? A 5/8" wrench is the standard size for this bolt/stud diameter.

X2

I think he's talking about the nut thats 5/8 the stud is 7/16 most likely,and maybe he has bolt down rockers not stud mount thats why he is using torque not lash.

nuclearcobra wrote:I think he's talking about the nut thats 5/8 the stud is 7/16 most likely,and maybe he has bolt down rockers not stud mount thats why he is using torque not lash.

Actually this is the first time I've used stud mount rockers with poly-locks and didn't know that they are tightened to lash and not torque. It was my mistake and I should have asked first and I feel really dumb now. On the bright side I DID get the rocker off and was able to turn the remnant of the broken lock by hand and get a replacement at the local hotrod shop.

Here are some pics

Then its a good thing it broke because if you started it like that i think the cam would be gone real quick. And i take it thats a picture before you tried to set the rockers ? And dont feel dumb you didnt know thats all,its not as bad as when i was 17 i decided to pop my valve covers off my old 71 nova with a 350 and snugged up the rockers that were loose well it didnt make it down the road too far after that

Pretty sure you're right NuclearCobra, I'm gonna back off all the locks and just finger snug them as well as backing off all the set screws then adjust them once it's all in the car and before firing it up.

torkair wrote:

nuclearcobra wrote:I think he's talking about the nut thats 5/8 the stud is 7/16 most likely,and maybe he has bolt down rockers not stud mount thats why he is using torque not lash.

Actually this is the first time I've used stud mount rockers with poly-locks and didn't know that they are tightened to lash and not torque. It was my mistake and I should have asked first and I feel really dumb now. On the bright side I DID get the rocker off and was able to turn the remnant of the broken lock by hand and get a replacement at the local hotrod shop.

Here are some pics

OK you adjust the rockers when the Exhaust is just coming up set the intakes at cam card setting. when the intake just starts to open set the exhaust to cam card settings.

Now as far as you engine goes you know it's not a 460 right. It's a 351M/400 if my memory severs me right. And the firing order is different the the 460's. just a heads up there .



Dan

This particular motor is a 400 out of a 74 Gran Torino and is going in my 72 Gran Torino to serve as daily driver duty, kind of a "baby big block" if you will. Thankfully a lot of info on the 385 series also carries over to the 335 series which is why I chose to work on the Clevelands and 429/460s.