A roller hydraulic valve lifter comprising: a body having a longitudinal central axis and an interior area defined by an inside surface, the inside surface comprising a first flat surface and a second flat surface opposite the first flat surface, the first flat surface and the second flat surface being connected by a pair of connecting walls (14A, 14B), a first bore extending through the first flat surface and the second flat surface, the first bore being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis; a bearing disposed partially in the interior area, the bearing comprising: an outer ring having a substantially cylindrical exterior bearing surface, and a substantially cylindrical inner bearing surface that defines a second bore; a shaft extending through the first bore and the second bore, the shaft extending between the first flat surface and the second flat surface; a plurality of needle rollers disposed between and rollingly engaging the shaft and the cylindrical inner bearing surface; characterized in that the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers are manufactured from an AISI 52100 alloy steel that is carbo-nitrided and the shaft and plurality of needle rollers have a surface hardness of a minimum of HRc 65; the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers each have an exterior surface that is in compression and each have exterior surfaces treated by a mass finishing process; and the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers each have a microstructure having less than 12 volumetric percent retained austenite. a body having a longitudinal central axis and an interior area defined by an inside surface, the inside surface comprising a first flat surface and a second flat surface opposite the first flat surface, the first flat surface and the second flat surface being connected by a pair of connecting walls (14A, 14B), a first bore extending through the first flat surface and the second flat surface, the first bore being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis; a bearing disposed partially in the interior area, the bearing comprising: an outer ring having a substantially cylindrical exterior bearing surface, and a substantially cylindrical inner bearing surface that defines a second bore; a shaft extending through the first bore and the second bore, the shaft extending between the first flat surface and the second flat surface; a plurality of needle rollers disposed between and rollingly engaging the shaft and the cylindrical inner bearing surface; characterized in that the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers are manufactured from an AISI 52100 alloy steel that is carbo-nitrided and the shaft and plurality of needle rollers have a surface hardness of a minimum of HRc 65; the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers each have an exterior surface that is in compression and each have exterior surfaces treated by a mass finishing process; and the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers each have a microstructure having less than 12 volumetric percent retained austenite. an outer ring having a substantially cylindrical exterior bearing surface, and a substantially cylindrical inner bearing surface that defines a second bore; a shaft extending through the first bore and the second bore, the shaft extending between the first flat surface and the second flat surface; a plurality of needle rollers disposed between and rollingly engaging the shaft and the cylindrical inner bearing surface; characterized in that the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers are manufactured from an AISI 52100 alloy steel that is carbo-nitrided and the shaft and plurality of needle rollers have a surface hardness of a minimum of HRc 65; the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers each have an exterior surface that is in compression and each have exterior surfaces treated by a mass finishing process; and the shaft and the plurality of needle rollers each have a microstructure having less than 12 volumetric percent retained austenite.