Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 12:27:50 -0500
Reply-To: "Forhan, Thomas" <Thomas.Forhan@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Forhan, Thomas" <Thomas.Forhan@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV>
Subject: Berg Vs Pauter Ratio Rockers: comments please!
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I've talked to Berg and Pauter about the ratio rockers today, and their
technical differences. Here is what I found out.
Both companies have excellent reputations:
Wessel has done several of these and thinks Berg's are problem free, Gene
Berg ran a set in his vanagon for five years without problems till his
death. They have recently done a 2.1 vanagon and have the specs for the
pushrods. Aussies like the Bergs, have no experience with Pauters.
Many people have installed the Pauters and like them.
Advantage: None, really, I haven't heard anything bad about the Pauters,
just more experience with the Bergs
Basic material:
Berg: forged steel, flame hardened ends. Like VW and Porsche. Lifetime
guarantee against breakage.
Pauter: billet aluminium, Guarantee against manufacturing defects, no
"usage" warrantee. For racing applications, lighter is a factor since there
is less mass to accelerate.
Advantage: Berg
Rocker bearing:
Berg: bushing type
Pauter: roller bearing, says uses less oil and is an advantage for racing
engines, not really a benefit for our application, but its the only way they
make them.
Advantage: Slight for Berg since it has so many fewer moving parts
Pushrods:
Berg:Pushrods .26 inches shorter than stock required
Pauter: set is $70 additional
Valve Cover:
Berg - fits under stock valve cover. States that factory design is best,
notes that bolt on covers tend to leak.
Pauter - if necessary, says stock cover can usually can be clearanced with a
ball peen hammer
Advantage- very slight to Berg
Included parts:
Berg:
rocker arm assembly, lubed and ready for installation
lash caps
adjusting screws
mounting studs
jam nuts
spare side play shims
push rods $90 set, cut to length.
Pauter:
rocker arm assembly- uses existing mounts, nuts and studs
lash caps $16 additional
push rods $70 set
Advantage: I like that Berg includes all the bits and pieces new
Rocker arm tips:
Berg says roller tips reduce reliability. "When rocker arms are properly
designed to wipe against the valve end, there is never a need for roller
tips."
Pauter: roller tips, like in a Chevy V8 - "extremely reliable"
Advantage: Who knows- call it a draw
Price:
Berg: $478.65 total package. No group discount- they may not even have
10 sets left in stock, and are checking. Next order being made up in Sweden
right now.
Pauter: $385 total package
Advantage: Pauter
.
What does everyone think?
Tom F.