ROCKER ARM.

USE AND WORKING ROCKER ARM.

A rocker arm (in the context of an internal combustion engine of automotive, marine, motorcycle and reciprocating aviation types) is an oscillating lever that conveys radial movement from the cam lobe into linear movement at the poppet valve to open it.

One end is raised and lowered by a rotating lobe of the camshaft (either directly or via lifter and pushrod) while the other end acts on the valve stem.

USE AND WORKING ROCKER ARM.

When the camshaft lobe raises the outside of the arm, the inside presses down on the valve stem, opening the valve.

When the outside of the arm is permitted to return due to the camshafts rotation, the inside rises, allowing the valve spring to close the valve.

USE AND WORKING ROCKER ARM.

ROCKER ARM.

For Ic engines the rocker arms are generally steel stampings, providing a reasonable balance of strength, weight and economical cost.

Truck engines (mostly diesel) use stronger and stiffer rocker arms made of cast iron (usually ductile), or forged carbon steel.

ROCKER ARM.

Because the rocker arms are, in part, reciprocating weight, excessive mass especially at the lever ends limits the engine's ability to reach high operating speeds.

ROCKER ARM.

Many lightweight and high strength alloys, and bearing configurations for the fulcrum, have been used in an effort to increase the RPM limits for high performance applications, eventually lending the benefits of these race bred technologies to more high-end production vehicles.

ASSEMBLY OF ROCKER ARM