i thought i read somewhere that a large roller cam required some sort of bearing- but i can't remember which type. something about a higher pressure being applied to the bearing? maybe i am just nuts and this isn't the case at all.

cc306 with 1.6rr's

 

That's not a "large" roller cam; it's only a street hydraulic roller for fuel injection. On a cast-iron core no less.

It uses regular cam bearings, same as any other regular cam. Nothing special.

They do make roller cam bearings now for real cams, but you have to bore the cam bore out in the block to use them; and the cam journals are usually also a different diameter from stock.

 

with that being said- why do a few of the companys make different grades of cam bearings? any one in particular better for a street/strip motor?

 

Mostly for different types of racing. Stock-type bearings should be more than adequate for you. Something like a Federal Mogul 1235M.

 

Also curious on the different types of material that should be chosen.

Summit lists these differnent types:

Bi metal, chill cast micro babbit, Steel backed aluminum alloy, AL-3, Steel backed micro babbit, B-1, Bi metal, lead based micro babbit, Tin based babbit, B100, Bi metal, fluoropolymer lead based micro babbit, Bi metal, silicon aluminum, B-1, Solid cast aluminum alloy

Any one know the differences of these?

 

Just different materials....

I don't know that any is particularly superior to any other. I've usually used Durabond, F-M, or Clevite ones. They all seem to do about equally well. I've never had any of them to fail, except when they got loaded up with metal shavings from something else failing first.

The F-M number Apeiron mentioned would do just fine. Very typical in a hot street or racing motor.

Theoretically, I suppose you'd probably want the softest ones you could get. Note that ALL of those various formulations are real soft metal, especially compared to steel or even cast-iron.

I don't really think it will make much difference which ones you use.

The roller cam bearings RB mentioned are cool and all and would dramatically reduce friction no doubt. But probably total overkill for a street motor. Lots of expensive specialized machine work, for only a tiny marginal improvement. Low bang for the buck.

 

hey CamaroRUS! Check out what I found

Federal-Mogul - Aftermarket

Very interesting info from federal mogul about bearings. Scroll down, they list info on bearing compositions too

 

Nice, I'll take some time to look over that before I pick up my bearings. Looks like it will explain every question I have about them.