These include forged or billet aluminum rocker arms, titanium valve spring retainers, titanium valves, even titanium springs.Īluminum rocker arms typically provide some reduction in weight over stock stamped steel rocker arms, and increased durability. One way to trim weight is to replace steel valvetrain components with ones made from lighter materials such as aluminum or titanium. Consequently, you want the lightest possible parts that are still strong enough to handle the valve spring pressures and rpms the engine will generate. Yet if valvetrain components are lightened too much, it increases the risk of bending or breaking something. So a weight reduction of 10 grams could theoretically add 350 to 400 more rpm to the engine with no other changes to the valvetrain (same springs, etc.). Less weight is almost always better because it lessens the load on the valve springs, and allows the engine to turn more rpms for more top end power.Įvery gram of weight reduction in the valvetrain adds 35 to 40 rpm potential to the engine. Weight is always a major factor to consider when choosing individual valvetrain components.