Cam Followers; Resurfacing?

1482 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by beaner2u, Jan 9, 2019

nhgravely

Discussion Starter · Jan 7, 2019

Getting ready to put together the 1961 LI engine (updated to 7.6hp specs) and in looking over the cam followers (lifters) there is very slight wear on the contact surface of both followers in the single piece housings I will be using. Since the originals (from the two piece housings) have very few hours on them and do not have as pronounced markings as the replacements, I expect to use the originals in the new single piece housings.
To get to the point, has anyone ever had the followers/lifters resurfaced by a machine shop? Any idea how this is done? Old time auto machine shops used to do all kinds of resurfacing/rebuilding that would be unthinkable these days and I'm not even sure that the tooling exists anymore; at least in the shop I have access to. I am in the process of looking into this locally and if necessary even looking at a shop outside our area with this ability. Anyone have any leads?
Thanks

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fireant911

· #2 · Jan 7, 2019

nhgravely,
Take a look at this thread - https://www.mytractorforum.com/10320306-post3.html. This is what I did to mine also and all is well. Hopefully this will work for you too!

If you are interested, the whole complete thread is here - https://www.mytractorforum.com/24-gravely/1087002-cylinder-valve-plunger-assembly.html

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77cruiser

· #3 · Jan 8, 2019

I'm sure there are places closer to you but here is one not too far from me. Might be worth a call.

https://www.mizpahprecision.com/

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gravely_n_fla

· #4 · Jan 8, 2019

When I was a teenager and worked at a Gravely dealer, my boss would grind the surface on a bench grinder. I guess it worked. We never had a come-back on engine performance. Also, you can turn the lifter (cam follower) around and have it wear on the other side.

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nhgravely

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 8, 2019

Thanks
Remembered that British motorcycles (Triumph, BSA, Norton, etc) used a radius style follower and looked up a couple of suppliers. Might be able to have one of them radius grind Gravely followers but right now not sure. If done incorrectly, it changes the duration of the valve timing events, not that the Gravelys are that critical but would like to get it right. May also check with one of the bigger custom cam grinders to see it they can do anything. Who knows, may get a custom grind on the cams and followers for a "hot rod" T head.

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beaner2u

· #6 · Jan 9, 2019

If you have a small belt sander, there is an area between the front roller and the flat bottom pad, just carefully roll the follower back and forth in that area, trying to keep the original profile. You can 'resurface' your followers for cheap.

I have seen followers redone so many times that there is hardly anything left to the shoe.

Remember, what you take off the follower, you must be able to adjust with the tappet adjusting screw in order to obtain proper valve lash.

And a 'dished' out adjusting screw needs to be polished flat again also.

Roger,

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