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

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What does everyone think?

Tom F.