The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Rocker Arm Shaft

Just about finished with my ’53 pg engine rebuild and now I’ve found that the rocker arm shaft is worn on the bottom. Is this common? Where is a good place to get replacements?

Jim Carters has them ,but I couldn't link the page it's # 97 or 98 I gotto learn how to do that
part#ME242
Pete

Try this link to Jim Carter,scroll down to the bottom.

rocker shaft

Carter shows only a single shaft for all 1940-* engines.
Unless there's a multi-purpose shaft I'm not aware of, there are at least 3 different shafts used in this period, and have oil holes that must match the year group-specific rockers. A 1953 shaft is pretty close to universal 1940-58 as to oil feeds, but don't use the 1959-* shaft.

if you do get one from carter make sure to remove the loose flakes of metal from the inside of the shaft from the drilling process.

51 ashton,your right,I remember deburring my shafts on the inside.

How much did you guys pay for your rocker shafts?? I have found them from $18.00 to $50.00 per half.

I got mine from Rock Auto Parts. It was about 18 bucks as I recall for one shaft. NAPA wanted $260 for the same thing. I thought it must be a complete shaft with rockers, etc. but el wrongo...it was for the very same part!!! I just about fell off the counter stool and they couldn't tell me anything at all about it. So I ordered it just to see what it was and it was a single shaft, bare. I ordered the RAP shaft on Tuesday am and the little brown truck deleivered on Thursday. Great service and did it all online.

My new shafts arrived yesterday from a supplier that I won’t name just yet. They do not fit. The problem is the holes for the hold down bolts. My bolts have a short shoulder, and the old shaft holes are larger on the top so the shoulder will fit through the top hole and not the bottom hole (you can not install the shaft upside down). The new shafts were made with both holes the same smaller size.

Since my 235 is pushing 60 I’m wondering if my old shafts are original or has someone modified them. Are all of the 235 shafts made with two different size bolt holes??

i paid around 20 for each one. i know the shafts that were on the original 51-235 and the old and the new ones i got for the 59-235 were all the same size. all the holes were for a 3/8ths bolt.

Starting in 1954 Chev did away with the shouldered bolt, you can do the same.
Chev also sold as replacement, rocker supports that had a slot cut horizontally on one side so the supports would clamp down on the shaft. This prevented the shaft from rocking and wearing the supports. I cut a slot on the center support on each shaft to do the same, on the engines I build.
Here is a link to a link to a Picture.

Dave:

Thanks for the info, once again the “Bolt” has come through.

Now I’m glad the e mail I had sent to the un-named supplier took the “what am I missing” approach and not the “YOU F_ _KED UP” approach.

Try Bruce Bugay in Virginia.

I got this pair of rocker shafts from him

a few years ago.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/glp0329/235%20Rocker%20Shaft/RockerShafts_zps4ddbf27b.jpg

Bruce's email: [email protected]

Tell him George
from New Jersey
sent you.

GP

235 Rocker Shaft GM NOS
GM # 0.353
GM # 3836138

is available at:

Chicago Auto Parts
Saint Anne, Il.
phone:815-614-3122
They have ( 1 ) GM # 3836138 GM NOS

Dan's Obsolete
Chinook, Montana
phone:406-357-2615
They have ( 3 ) GM # 3836138 GM NOS

Llewllyn Obsolete
Northridge, CA.
phone:818-363-5094
They have ( 1 ) GM # 3836138 GM NOS

NOTE: When using this Rocker Arm Shaft
on models prior to 1954.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/...Shaft/Rocker_Shaft_Note__zps5231e9ce.jpg

Bolt - GM # 9411925 ( 9 bolts are available )
&
Stud - GM # 3835659 ( 3 studs are available )

They are available at:

Dans Obsolete
Chinook, Montana
phone:406-357-2615

Good Luck

George
in
New Jersey

So, if I get this right...Shaft differences would be: 1,Support bolt with out a shoulder? (smaller hole on the top side at the support bolt) 2, Support bolt with a shoulder?( bigger hole on the top side at the support bolt) And ...what would be the difference on the third type? I did put the rocker arm shaft from a 216 into my 235. It was in much better shape than the one I had. It fit the rocker arms well and the had no issues with the support bolts. I don't know what year the 216 was but my 235 is a 55-58 according to the block casting numbers. The head is an 848 casting number but I don't know the year. The supports are not slotted. Now the rocker arms are not the same and the push rods are very different. So I used what came from the 235. Also used the support bolts from the 216 that go through the valve cover cause that is the cover that I had. So far so good as they say. Every thing else was from the 235. Springs, separator washers and spring clips. Or am I missing the differences altogether? Won't be the first time.

Oh yeah! Clean the inside of those shafts real good. I got to do it again when the crud from in there blocked the supply line and stopped oil to the rocker shaft. Tell me again how we learn? I gotta pay better attention.

When did they start machining a flat side on the shafts. I believe the early ones didn't have that.

The 1950 Chevrolet Service News talks about the flat.
"Because the spring force of the hydraulic valve lifters place a continuous load on these bearings, a flat is machined on the bottom of the hollow shaft to supply them with more oil than in the regular engine".
So it would appear that Power Glide 235's used them and truck 235's and 216's did not.

"the spring force of the hydraulic valve lifters"

Poor choice of phrase. Actual event: since there's no lash, the valve spring (not the lifter spring) tension is always present at the shaft.

I was quoting from Chevrolet Service News.
There is a spring inside the lifter which keeps it extended so there is no lash. This is not done by oil pressure alone.
The valve spring design is the same on solid and hydraulic lifter engines, the constant rocker to shaft pressure is from the lifter.