There are items to consider when changing follower from a flat base to one with a radius.
The flat base standard Norton follower has a base length of approx 1.17". This base will accommodate the WC86C profile with room to spare.
Because the base is flat, the follower position is not that critical regarding it's centreline in relation to the centre of the cam. However, when a change is made to a radius follower of the BSA type, then the centreline position of the follower can become critical.
For safe actuation, the cam profile should at no point overlap the edge of the follower. With the 0.625" BSA follower length, this is drastically shorter than the standard flat, and because there can be a positional issue regarding it's centre line, the contact path of the cam on follower may well be off centre to the extent that one or the other of the cam flanks foul the edge of the follower.
The 1.125" radius BSA follower will accomodate the WC86C profile easily with room to spare, even if the follower in not exactly positioned on the centreline of the cam. Changing the radius to 1.5" and it is still just able to do the job, but the positional issue is now critical. For the WC86C intake profile, the 1.5" radius follower would be at the absolute limit..
With the WC86C intake profile, radii greater than 1.5" cannot be accommodated with a follower length of 0.625" because follower edge fouling occurs.
So what your saying is even though the contact pattern looks pretty good at 2.5 inches -I should reduce the radius more.
I will either do that or use a different lifter. Jim
Regarding the compromise in area under the lift curve that results from changing from a flat follower to the 1.5" radius, the loss is in the region of 9.9%, although by way of compensation the surface stress with the radius follower is some 8.6% less.
The change to a radius follower does have the desired effect of easing the situation that exists with control of separation and bounce at high engine speeds. The smaller the radius is made, the greater the reduction in the opening and closing acelleration rates of the valve.
I must stress here, that the above is the result of calculations based on measured items that have been in my posession for that specific purpose. The WC86C cam profile data was forwarded to me in the form of an S96 file. The total may or may not be exactly representative of that which is running on the spintron, but is presented here as an example of the several issues that can arise when switching to a radius follower.