Alloy valve collars wanted

[Rocket Racer]

Anyone know a good source for alloy valve collars and matching collets?
It appears my collets and steel collars are a mismatch - the collets have all cracked in fairly short order. I never took it over 7500rpm honest! Might as well lighten up the reciprocating weight if I'm replacing rocker box parts ...

[muskrat]

G'day RR,
                 I've been looking for the same for years, no luck yet. Might have to make some.
 A bit of weight can be shaved off the rockers and use durallium push rods.
Cheers

[Rocket Racer]

Muskrat,
might have to buy some new collets and then have a chat to my engineers and see if I can get some made in time for the next race meeting early Feb.
I'm running alloy pushrods and very pleased with the performance of the road rocket even with valve gear issues.

[MG]

Hi chaps!

I recently stumbled upon this article, the mention of Gold Star springs and alloy collars is interesting. These should be readily available?

Cheers, Markus

[muskrat]

Thanks Marcus, interesting reading. I would have thought the goldie items were bigger. A mate in town has one, I'll have to investigate.
Cheers

[MG]

Report back when you have checked them. please.
Cheers

[wilko]

I don't think i'd be trusting alloy collars on anything! Titanium maybe!Imagine the stresses with stronger valve springs.What gain?

[Rocket Racer]

Once the shops reopen, I'll order a set of steel collars and collets to get me mobile again. I've been pondering the fact that the motor already is extremely willing to over rev, so further lightening isnt the highest priority. The key is it being strong enough. I'll try and impose a 7k red line to assist reliability (my old norton race motor was a struggle to get much past 6!)
However on engine #2 (a loose collection of parts at present) I may get a bit more extreme and try the forged 10.5:1 +80 pistons on methanol...for that we may go the whole hog on lightening, so still interested in improved collar options and who sells them!
 

[chaterlea25]

Hi Rocket Racer
I dont know who sells the A10 alloy top caps, But I thought the fitting of GS valve springs and caps is an interesting
solution ???? ????
I have a set of alloy caps fitted to the engine in my RGS project, I wonder how they compare to the steel ones??
I will have to compare them when I get round to stripping the motor.
I would think the alloy was either heat treated or anodised to make them harder/stronger????
At one time it was popular to scallop away the outers of steel top collars to lighten them

Earlier you said that there were problems with your existing setup??
Did you match the collets and caps? I lap the collets to the cap to make sure the fit is as near perfect as possible
Collets used to be supplied only in pairs, and you had to separate the pair and file off the remaining burr before assembly
Do not assemble an engine using random collets A sure recipe for disaster
Another thing to check on your engine since you are revving it to 7k is that there is enough clearance between the collets/cap and the top of the valve guides at full lift,
sometimes its necessary to shorten the top of the guides to allow the correct gap???
Full lift + 0.060 ???

Cheers and Happy new year
John O R

[Rocket Racer]

Certainly several sources of period literature reference the use of goldstar springs and alloy collars, just not sure who a good supplier of the alloy collars is.
Although I did have all new collets, my collars weren't a good match After a dozen laps the collets (have yet to remove them to confirm) all look like they have cracked and I can now rotate my exhaust springs by hand so not surprisingly was getting some valve bounce and had marked the pistons.
So will be replacing all collets and collars.  Have got a limited window to source parts as the next meeting is at the beginning of Feb.  Have also split the cases to reseal (using Threebond White) and also helicoil all the drive side crank case threads which were a bit daggy and having some minor frame mods done to improve clearance for the rocker box.

[olev]

Gday RR,
How do you find the Threebond white?
I've been using Threebond grey for years and haven't found anything to come near it.
It's brilliant for sealing 2 stroke c/cases. They just don't leak.
The white is half as dear again as the grey.
Do you know if its better?
cheers

ps: The cheapest place I've found to buy it is the Yamaha dealers. Its a surprise as usually they are the greatest pack of crooks around since they hung Ned Kelly's mob.

[Rocket Racer]

I've only just discovered the stuff so have yet to prove any claims but it has been highly recommended by two people whose opinions I rate extremely highly when it comes to building old bike motors.
I've got fresh threads in my drive side crank case so will be starting reassembly once the barn temperature drops to bearable later today.
The stuffs certainly not cheap.

http://www.birdman.net.au/threebond-chemicalsealing.html
Cheers
Tim
 

Gday RR,
How do you find the Threebond white?
I've been using Threebond grey for years and haven't found anything to come near it.
It's brilliant for sealing 2 stroke c/cases. They just don't leak.
The white is half as dear again as the grey.
Do you know if its better?
cheers

ps: The cheapest place I've found to buy it is the Yamaha dealers. Its a surprise as usually they are the greatest pack of crooks around since they hung Ned Kelly's mob.

[kiwipom]

hi rocketmam, if you are still looking for alloy collars you can find some on www.domiracer.com
93-08305
COLLAR,VALVE SPRING,BSA,A10,ALLOY,RACING,SET/4
On Line Price $16.00
View | Add | 1Step Checkout |
 
cheers, Bob

[muskrat]

Good one Bob.
                   strange the cotters are twice the price of the collar !
Cheers

[Rocket Racer]

Bob,
thanks for that! will chase up a set for one of my heads.
My lack of care in using the wrong (smaller diameter) collars was almost catastrophic, I removed 26 valve collet shards and had 2 bent exhaust valves. Not only was the collar taper wrong, but the static valve compression was about 4mm less.
Cheers
Tim

hi rocketmam, if you are still looking for alloy collars you can find some on www.domiracer.com
93-08305
COLLAR,VALVE SPRING,BSA,A10,ALLOY,RACING,SET/4
On Line Price $16.00
View | Add | 1Step Checkout |
 
cheers, Bob