T&D Machine

T&D Machine Products: The Gold Standard in Shaft Mount Rocker Arms

T&D Machine Products has earned its place at the top of performance engine building through decades of focused engineering and relentless innovation. Founded by Larry Tores, who started making race car parts in his backyard garage in 1975, T&D's unique shaft rocker arm system ignited the company's success in the 1980s and caught the attention of GM's Buick Division — leading to a major impact on NHRA drag racing, the Indy 500, and NASCAR. From those humble beginnings, T&D has grown into the industry leader in shaft mount rocker arm systems, with kits available for over 400 types of cylinder heads.

Built by Racers, Proven on the Track

What separates T&D from the competition comes down to materials, precision, and purpose. T&D aluminum shaft-mount roller rockers offer strength, accuracy, and performance in a light and optional ultra-lightweight aluminum configuration — designed primarily for race applications, using the finest 2024 aluminum for tensile and yield strength, far surpassing industry standards for both strength and durability. For builds that demand even more, T&D steel shaft-mount rockers are engineered for applications with more extreme cylinder pressures and longer duration use, employing a proprietary chrome-moly construction that minimizes flex and valve train distortion.

The engineering runs deep into every component. T&D shaft roller rocker arms are CNC-machined from extruded 2024 aluminum with intricate oil galleries built in to direct oil from the pushrod to the shaft bearings and onto the roller tip, with adjuster screws broached for a 3/16" socket to eliminate twisted Allen wrenches, and deep case-hardened 8620 steel shafts tempered for strength. Rocker arm geometry is critical to valvetrain stability, durability, and accuracy — and T&D rocker assemblies include detailed instructions, a shaft height tool, and a mock-up pushrod to easily achieve the correct geometry.

A Legacy of Championship-Level Valvetrain Engineering

In the early 1980s, GM's Buick Division recognized that the T&D shaft rocker system would be a key element for their V-6 engine program, and the technology naturally spread to other engines — drawing T&D into manufacturing shaft rocker arm systems for top-echelon NASCAR Cup teams, Sprint Car engine builders, off-roaders, and more. Today, T&D manufactures rocker arm systems for over 400 cylinder heads, backed by a team that has grown to more than 50 employees, including highly qualified design and engineering personnel.

Whether you're building a bracket car, a dedicated road racer, or a high-horsepower street engine, T&D's lineup covers the critical upper-end components your engine demands. Explore their Engine Rocker Arms, complete Engine Rocker Arm and Shaft Assemblies, Engine Rocker Arm Stud Girdles, and full Valve Train solutions — all engineered to the same uncompromising standards that have made T&D the choice of champions across every form of motorsport.