Lets talk Roller Cam Lifters.
I get hyd and mechanical, even Road lifters(sp)
Roller lifters.
Have many question, but let's start with a simple on?....
Does the roller wheel need to be different between cast/steel/ billet.
A quick background;
As a machinist for over 40 years who has fabricated everything from Dies for Punch Presses out of Tool Steels (A2, D2, O1, S7 etc.) to building Transfer, Compression and Injection Molds for Plastics and Rubber (P20, H13 etc) and now building Deep Water Completion Tools for the Oil and Gas Industry that are subjected to the harshest of conditions (Inconel's and Chromes). Over the course of my career I've also machined an endless number of different materials in the Aluminum, Plastic, and Rubber family's.
Generally when they are referring to Aluminum, As a long time Racer I've Always chuckled when I see Performance Aftermarket Manufacturers touting the usage of the word "Billet" which in reality means nothing more than the product they are selling has been produced from a Solid Bar of material as opposed to a casting process. Depending on the quality of the casting there is a case to be made that a "Billet" product can be stronger than a "Cast" one due to the grain structure and a machined part can maintain closer tolerances and will have a better appearance But............. as your doing your shopping for whatever bear in mind that 'Forged" parts are going to be the Strongest!
*While I'm certainly no expert on Rocker Arm Geometry or Design I would have to imagine that irregardless of the Rocker material used that it's the quality of the Roller Bearings that plays a heavy role.
Note: "Metallurgists agree that a forged piece of aluminum is stronger than cast or billet. The reason being, when the material is shaped under pressure, its ‘grain’ follows the same shape as the part. As a result, the product manufactured is stronger due to the continuous grain characteristics allowed by the forging process."
