Porsche elephant foot adjusters?

ippytattoo

ippytattoo

Just another grumpy old hack.
Messages
1,200
Reaction score
150
Points
63
Location
La Pine OR, USA
I have been contemplating converting over to the Porsche/VW style adjusters and was wondering if anyone who has done the conversion has any words of advice or useful hints as to things to watch for when making the neccessary modifications to the rocker arms. I was considering having a local machine shop mill the ends for me but for what they want for the machining I could just about get Mikes rocker arms, ditch his adjusters and put in the VW adjusters. Has anyone ever done this? I am thinking since his are set up for his elephant foot adjusters that they may just be about right for the VW adjusters. What do you guys think, machine or replace?
 
Last edited:
depends on the condition of the cam followers on your rocker arms, it may be worth using the originals. I have bought Mikes rockers and ditched the adjusters because I couldnt find a decent set of original rockers with decent followers, most of them have got a bit of wear.
If using the originals it is not essential to mill them, they do not have a machined finish on the underside to start with, just grind them by hand.
Weather milling or grinding, always radius all internal corners to reduce the risk of stress fractures
 
While we are on the subject, does anyone know of decent quality elephant foot adjusters with an in-hex instead of the crappy screwdriver slot?
 
I guess I will have to wait and take a look at the followers when I get into it. But if I understand you correcly the Porsche adjusters will work with mikes rockers, correct? If so that is good news.
 
ippytattoo said:
I guess I will have to wait and take a look at the followers when I get into it. But if I understand you correcly the Porsche adjusters will work with mikes rockers, correct? If so that is good news.
Click to expand...

Yes it will work with no modification, I have done it myself.
 
The Rockers can be done with a drill and grind stone. You countersink the hole so the foot on the adjuster fits into the recess. You loose about 3 threads but not strength as mutch as grinding the flat on the end. And You do not have to remove the rockers from the box. The angle of the foot changes slightly open and close of the valve. Most of the grinding is to back off the adjuster for assembly. The adjusters are longer than the old ones. I cut them down and screw driver. Less weight. :cheers:
 
Thanks for all the replies and input everyone. I will be digging into it in a few days and I am sure it will go smoothly.
 
As Scabber says, you don't have to remove the rockers to do this but you need to be careful with your grinder!! I hit one small spot that I repaired with J-B weld. I bought the VW ones from Bug House after doing a lot of looking for good ones. I cut the length down with a Dremmel cut off disk to match the threaded height of the stock followers and used my Dremmel to slot the ends.
 

Attachments

  • image001.jpg
    image001.jpg
    130.3 KB · Views: 316
  • image002.jpg
    image002.jpg
    110.5 KB · Views: 275
  • image003.jpg
    image003.jpg
    154.6 KB · Views: 310
  • image004.jpg
    image004.jpg
    99.4 KB · Views: 299
  • image005.jpg
    image005.jpg
    93.5 KB · Views: 263
Oh, when you grind measure, measure and measure the thickness as you grind. Use water to keep the rockers cool too.
 
i am wondering about rocker arm weight specs. i took 4mm off each rocker arm. and failed to weigh them prior . as they sit now there is a 4g difference and the lightest one appears to have less material removed .
 
This was a mass produced "every man's" bike, and not one of Yamaha's flag ship models, so I'm not surprised. They probably didn't pay much attention to stuff like that. I'm not sure it matters all that much though. All this part does is rock back and forth. If you were dealing with 4 spinning parts then, yes, weighing the same would probably matter.

I've never had the ability to weigh small items like this accurately but will soon when my Ohaus triple beam gets here (thanks again eBay). I plan on checking lots of this stuff. The rockers seem rather crudely cast with stiffening ribs that vary in size quite a bit between different ones. I'm sure you could carefully grind some of that away to even things up.
 
If you just want to use something else, the valve adjuster from the entire run of Beetles from the 50s through the 70s will work. It's like the original in that you can just screw it in from the top, without taking the motor apart. About $6 at Advance but they'll have to have it sent from their warehouse.
 
i am sure the engine will run with my ground down rockerz and elephant feet . i guess my question is if any one has experience with balancing or the long term effects of un balanced rockers if any. i put my rockers horizontaly on a shaft and they rest in different positions, indicating an imbalance .

i think the factory must have balanced them at some point because there is a ground down end opposite of the adjuster . or that could be where the cast is poured to and cut off after.

any thoughts?
 
I think your over thinkning it. This mod has been done for many years with no problems.
Leo
 
In an extreme rpm build, where you're doing everything possible to avoid valve float, a properly designed balanced rocker could reach minimum angular momentum, and less load/wear on the pivot...
 
Yes, but how many of us ride our 650 like that? Not many I think. As I mentioned, I have a scale coming and I will be checking this stuff now. I'm not sure it will make much difference but since I can do it, I will. I will sleep better at night now, lol.
 

Similar threads

J
1980 650 been sitting for a long time
Replies
16
Views
1K
Adamc
Adamc
GLJ
Compression puzzle
3 4 5
Replies
86
Views
8K
GLJ
GLJ
MaxPete
The Big Sue resto-mod thread
2 3 4
Replies
72
Views
3K
MaxPete
MaxPete
D
Broken Elephant Foot Valve Adjuster
2
Replies
38
Views
5K
Bewarethemoon
Bewarethemoon
L
Ray's Mongrel Engine Build
Replies
15
Views
3K
arcticXS
A
Back
Top