Valve spring to retainer ratio

[frnkeore]

Knowing that smaller retainers = less weight, what are the limits to how small in diameter that the retainers can be to spring diameter and is it based on mean spring diameter or outside diameter?

[Dave Koehler]

Once you reach the titanium and/ or beehive springs stage aren't you really just looking for that proverbial piece of pepper?

[modok]

If you make the retainer too light it could flex....but, what's wrong with that? Really nothing.
It's retaining a spring, the spring can flex too
Just need to make it out of a material that can handle the flex, like, hardened steel (spring steel)

Took me years to figure that out.

But, just wild guess 2/3 of the wire size. Seems right.

[mag2555]

The mass reduction of a Beehive or conical spring affords better valvetrain control by 10 to 15% then the smaller OD retainer that happens to be needed to work with them.

For my buck the Manly bead lock system is the way to go since that' issue is the root cause many times of locks pulling thru any given retainer.

Also you can put some big body roller rocker arm on a diet like the Harland Sharps on the valve side of the pivot.

[frnkeore]

I'm kinda surprised that there hasn't been any firm opinions about the relationship of the spring to retainer size, for tuning the overall spring performance.

So, let me ask this: is there any reason to have a retainer, larger than the mean diameter of the spring, itself? Assuming a good spring ID to retainer fit.

CamKing, do you have any criteria that you use for spring to retainer fit?

[digger]

Retainer OD the same as the mean spring, anything more is mostly dead weight

[MadBill]

A while back some retainers were 'scalloped' on the OD; haven't seen that style of late. I suppose if it could handle the loads in that configurastion then it could be made thinner instead at equal or less weight, lower cost and with fewer stress risers.

[frnkeore]

Thank you, Bill but, what about the retainer diameter vs the spring diameter?

[MadBill]

I'm with Modok, just a tad more than the mean spring diameter. In fact I had a post ready then realized I had nothing new to say re diameter.

On a related note though, it's been said before, but I see no reason to ever use Ti these days. A good tool steel retainer is within a couple of grams on weight and is stronger, cheaper and practically immune to wear and fatigue.