Some of you guys really crack me up.
Everyone is warning of catastrophic failure, except for the guys that have actually ran them. After all, you get what you pay for. Factory steel crank? Forget about it. Sonny Bryant makes really nice billet cranks, and you will never break one. Therefore, you should get one of them, because I once heard about a guy, who had a friend, who's brother-in-laws father broke a factory steel one idling down the driveway on his way to work. And I swear, he didn't do anything wrong. Those factory steel cranks are just pure junk. They must have been made in Japan. Remember how everything made in Japan back then was junk?
Every aftermarket part has its proper application, and when properly applied, and installed, the risk of failure drops dramatically. Many rocker arm failures come from valvetrain instability, and if the geometry isn't correct, that will break a pile of valvetrain parts. Most guys don't know what proper geometry is, because the magazines, performance books, and yes, even the Mopar Performance Engines book tells them something that isn't anywhere close to accurate.
If the valvetrain is unstable, ie valve float, the geometry is likely wrong. And, for the guys who don't have enough spring clearance, the geometry is WRONG! I have never had to clearance a rocker for spring clearance with less than a 1.625" spring. When the geometry is right, there will be plenty of clearance.
What I find to be maddeningly humorous, is the most recommended brand of rockers has some of the worst design geometry of any rockers on the market. That's selling ice cubes to Eskimos level marketing right there.
Use what is capable of the abuse your performance level can dish out, and your budget will allow. Install it properly, and the odds of it working well for a long time are in your favor.
