Men, I have a 2012 Road King Classic 103 , it has had the clatter noice during the mid RPM range since I drove it from the lot( 20w50 dino) . The dealer claims harmonics, but my other two Harley's never had that rapping noice. My question is would aftermarket lifters and adjustable pushrods clear this racket up? I am not interested in cams at the time, but that could change.
Thanks

 

It wouldn't hurt anything, but I wouldn't guarantee that it will solve your problem. The modification that has made the most difference in valve train noise (some of the noise is not caused by lifters, but by chain slap and other sources) was to install an Axtell Oil By-pass System ($84.99) and the Zipper's Redshift cam dual piston chain tensioners ($159.95). Both are available from www.axtellsales.com . I would go with Gaterman lifters and SE tapered adjustable pushrods. The whole deal would be $500+. Is it that noisy?

 

I'm with the majority with the racket. Took my windshield off to investigate the bounceback spoken of in prior threads and it did reduce it quit a bit except for the tappet noise from the front cylinder at idle. The latest noise I been hearing seems to be bleed down (I think). I didn't hear that noise with the absence of the shield tho.....Wish my wrench skills included changing out lifters and pushrods, I'm all about being proactive so eventually I'm going to aquire that skill. Stone your saying some of the noise is chain slap from the cam chain, could that be what I percieve to be bleed down noise (yeah I'm still hearing that noise we spoke about)?

 

Come on over, it's less than an afternoons work. Just happen to have a set of Gatermans still in the box. And yes, Bob Wood told me years ago that a lot of we're chasing as lifter noise is chain slap. I think that was his reason for developing the belt cam drive system.

 

I may take you up on that Stone but may have to wait for a little while (started a new job and you can imagine how crazy it is). If your not in a hurry to part with the Gatermans I'll buy em off of ya. Prob should do the pushrods while it's apart? listen to me like I know what I'm talking about

 

I really don't want to part with them at all, I would just buy another set if you bought them. I'll tell you where to get the best deal if you want a set. As far as changing the pushrods, you'll have to because I'm not pulling your heads, we'll just cut them out. You got a set of bolt cutters?

 

I hear people complain about their noisy, clattering engines all the time. I attribute this mainly to the fact that most fill their crankcases and everything else with synthetic 20W-50 lubricants. The hotter the ambient weather outside the louder they get. Read your owners manual very closely and you will likely see where you can run a 50 weight straight oil or even a 60 weight straight above a certain temperature. Synthetics are great but they damn sure aren't the end all answer to everything. The marketing zonks at the oil companies and the tech monkeys at the dealerships would like you to buy into the notion that synthetics are the answer to everything. There are alternatives out there.

 

Where is the best place to get a good price on a set of lifters $tone? Ive heard the way to remove a set of pushrods without removing the heads is to cut em with a bolt cutter. You then insert the new ones in and adjust em up.....is that right?

 

PM INDEPENDENT_1, he will be able to help you out on the Gatermans. As far as cutting out the stock pushrods with bolt cutters, I've never actually done it that way, but that is what I've heard and I'm sure it would work. You would just have to get them on the low side of the cam and let the lifters bleed down. I like the SE tapers for replacement adjustable pushrods because they shorten enough to get them in easily, they come with the old style pushrod covers, and they are reasonably priced.

 

I've tried straight 50w in my 2010 RK and it didn't make a lot of difference. I've read that shimming the rocker arms to reduce end play does some good but others say that doesn't work either. I remember little rubber blocks between the fins on old European bikes but I don't know how to experiment with that idea. I'm afraid the rubber blocks would melt unless I could find something made for the job. I think panheads had felt lined rocker boxes to reduce valve noise but I don't think that is realistic for a TC.

I wish Harley would find an engineering answer. I bet if they run a motor with a microphone and a super slow motion camera with the rocker box covers removed they would be able to see and hear the exact source of the noise. Then they could change the cam profile or rocker arm or whatever creates the clatter.