The Stovebolt.com Forums Home | Tech Tips | Gallery | FAQ | Events | Features | Search
Fixing the old truck

BUSY BOLTERS
Are you one?

Where is it?? The Shop Area

continues to pull in the most views on the Stovebolt. In August alone there were over 22,000 views in those 13 forums.

Searching the Site - a click away
click here to search
New here ??? Where to start?
Click on image for the lowdown. Where do I go around here?
====
Who's Online Now
4 members (Mike Lee, Dakota38, Guitplayer, chaz71), 513 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics126,777
Posts1,039,270
Members48,100
Most Online2,175
Jul 21st, 2025
Step-by-step instructions for pictures in the forums
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#1338980 12/24/2019 4:03 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
AD Addict & Tinkerer
AD Addict & Tinkerer
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
I bought a set of used rockers off of fleaBay for my ‘59 235 and the shafts are excessively worn. I see that I can buy replacement shafts but I haven’t seen any where they list different years. Are the shafts from a ‘59 the same shaft as previous models or are the holes in the shaft aligned with the offset groove in the rocker?

Attachments

Last edited by Phak1; 12/24/2019 4:03 PM.

Phil
Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals

1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube
Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes
Project Journals
Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 444
'
Shop Shark
Shop Shark
' Offline
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 444
Rocker Arm Shafts are the same for 1940 to 1962 Chevy 6 cylinder engines .

GM # 0.353 - GM # 3836138

There are two rocker shafts on ebay .

Go to ebay & in the search box type.............3836138

Llewellyn GM Obsolete
Northridge , CA.
phone : 818 - 363 - 5094

Llewellyn has ( 1 ) GM NOS rocker shaft in stock

Here's a PIC of NOS rocker shafts that I purchased back in 2007 .

https://i.postimg.cc/rFftcj5C/Rocker-Shafts.jpg

These are getting scarce in GM NOS .

PIC

https://i.postimg.cc/fWgQMjGc/235-Chevy-Rocker-Shafts-GMNOS.jpg


George
'54 3600

Last edited by '54 3600; 12/27/2019 2:35 AM. Reason: add

1954 3600
A big help to many on the Bolt
Now cruising in
The Passing Lane
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,285
G
'Bolter
'Bolter
G Offline
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,285
Here is a rocker arm rebuilding service that may be helpful. http://www.rockerarms.com/pages/gm.html

Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,609
D
'Bolter
'Bolter
D Offline
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,609
I have used them for rocker arm rebuilding and they are excellent. Not inexpensive but when they are done with them, they are right on the money. No wobbling, oil leakage, nice new adjusters.


Mike
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
AD Addict & Tinkerer
AD Addict & Tinkerer
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
Thanks for all the suggestions. The rockers seems to be in good shape so all I want to replace is the shafts. My concern was the shafts being all the same thru the years. I checked the existing shaft and the holes in the shaft don’t align with the offset grooves in the rockers, so I want to make sure that is correct of a ‘59 235 before I invest more money into the assembly.

Last edited by Phak1; 12/25/2019 12:28 PM.

Phil
Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals

1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube
Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes
Project Journals
Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,320
P
'Bolter
'Bolter
P Offline
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,320
The 1959-62 rocker grooves will not line up with the holes in the shafts.
This is the way Chevrolet restricted the flow.


See the USA in your vintage Chevrolet!
My Blog
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
AD Addict & Tinkerer
AD Addict & Tinkerer
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
Thank’s that is the answer I was looking for!


Phil
Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals

1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube
Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes
Project Journals
Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,609
D
'Bolter
'Bolter
D Offline
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,609
It’s not that the rockers are in good shape, is the clearance between the shaft and the rocker. It’s important on the 59-62 version because if it’s a little out of specification, the oil pressure bleeds off around the rocker and because the 59-62 rocker has the off set groove, if the pressure is bleeding off around the rocker then the rocker does not get sufficient oil. Just check it carefully.


Mike
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
AD Addict & Tinkerer
AD Addict & Tinkerer
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,100
I’ll have to check the clearances but when I removed the rockers from the shaft, every place the shaft wasn’t worn, it tightened up nicely. Do you know what the clearances should be?


Phil
Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals

1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube
Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes
Project Journals
Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,518
S
'Bolter
'Bolter
S Offline
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,518
I have a set of new shafts and rockers under the bench, when I go out there today I'll try and run some clearances


1953 Chevrolet 3100
261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done
In the DITY Gallery
Video of the 261 running

1964 GMC 1000
305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,059
5
Renaissance Man
Renaissance Man
5 Offline
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,059
The rocker arms are much harder than the shafts. It sounds like yours will be fine with new shafts. Been there, done that. They were out of t-shirts.
Carl


1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission

Moderated by  Phak1, Woogeroo 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Home | FAQ | Gallery | Tech Tips | Events | Features | Search | Hoo-Ya Shop
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0
(Release build 20240826)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 8.3.11 Page Time: 0.099s Queries: 15 (0.094s) Memory: 0.6402 MB (Peak: 0.7451 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2025-09-22 11:10:33 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS