I am just about ready to install a 95" big bore kit on my 2006 Ultra Classica and could use some guidance on the rocker arms. Since my cam has a 625 lift to it, I bought some TP roller rocker arms. I understand that the rocker arms rotate on a shaft and that there is some lateral play side to side and that the clearance between the rocker and the suport should be .004 or less. What I do not understand is which side to shim and what the shimming accomplishes. Is the goal to have the rocker arm push the valve perfectly square or to have the push rod be in perfect alignment with the rocker socket? I also plan to align the rocker box on the head using alignment pins in the breather holes. When I get to the rockers though, I know there will be play but I'm just not sure where I'll place the shims, at which point I'll have another beer and think about it, bringing my progress to a halt.

I'm still learning so any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rob

 

I instaIlled the TP rocker boxes and shimmed the rockers Christmas Eve. I measured the stock set up before I removed them. The rockers had up to .020 clearence. I shimmed two of the rockers in the TP boxes with .005 shims, on the pushrod side. Now tolerance is .003 to .006 on all rockers. Valve train noise is down 90%. Quietest HD I've been around.

 

.625 cam?
I hope you changed the valve springs.

 

Shimming helps keep rocker arms centered over valves, and noise down.

 

Ok. So, if I shim the side with no load on it (could be the pushrod side or the valve sping side depending which direction the pushrod is pushing the rocker arm?), then that will likely be sufficient to get both sides within a reasonable tolerance? I'll play around with it when I get to that point.

As for the cam, I am doing a TMAN 95" builld with ported heads, valve work, bored cylinders, pistons and rings, and his 3 stage oil pump. It is all designed to work together.

 

Where did you get your rocker shaft shims from? Are these a HD part (part numbers?) or an aftermarket part (from who)? Or are they something you can get from a hardware store (where and what size)?
I’m getting ready to shim my rockers on my 07 Ultra, it has a terrible ticking noise at 2K-2.8K RPMs and sounds like it’s the front exhaust rocker slapping back and forth between lifts. Basically it sounds like an out of adjustment lifter except the noise is right at the front of the front rocker box.
Of course I took the bike to the dealer with this noise when it was under warranty (7K miles) and was told it’s normal. The service writer said some are louder than others and mine was on the louder side but still considered normal. Now, at 10K miles it’s loud enough that I’m going to fix or eliminate the so called normal noise myself. I understand why Harley doesn’t want to spend their money fixing these things (to save profits) but you would think the dealer would want to fix them (to make money). Sure this noise is not doing any damage and can go on forever but I can’t stand listening to it. When I cruise home through my sub going 25-30 MPH all you hear is TICK-TICK- TICK-TICK- TICK-TICK- TICK-TICK all the way down the street. Sorry for the long rant but I’ve been listening to this tick for 3 years now.

The Northern Bum

 

The shims are for the Shovelhead engine but they fit the twin cam as well. You google them up or search this site. I do not remember where I got mine but they came in .005, .008, and .010. I shimmed down to .003 to .006 and added TP rocker boxes and eliminated 90% of my valve train noise. Remember to align the boxes on the heads with the oil pump alignment tapered bolts if you use the stock boxes.

 

The shims are for the Shovelhead engine but they fit the twin cam as well. You google them up or search this site. I do not remember where I got mine but they came in .005, .008, and .010. I shimmed down to .003 to .006 and added TP rocker boxes and eliminated 90% of my valve train noise. Remember to align the boxes on the heads with the oil pump alignment tapered bolts if you use the stock boxes. Mine had up to .020 end play which caused a hard knock sound above 4k rpm.

 

Rodeking,

Thanks for the information. I'm looking forward to pulling the covers to shim the rockers and get rid of the "normal" clacking/ticking noise. Thanks again.

Northern Bum

 

Did you get this done and did it take away the ticking noise. I have it also, ever since I installed the 255 cams. I would really like to hear how this process is done and where you are placing the shims.