2018 FXBRS stock to Stage II, yes, big seat of the pants difference. Very happy with performance. Wives want hubbies to have badass bikes, so wake that M8 up!
(I liked the M8 114 performance before the upgrade. I went from happy to very happy.)

 

i have been thinking of getting the SE torque cam but I noticed they are using adjustable pushrods. I am sure they are fine but what if. do you have to adjust over time etc. I would like stand push rods but I don't what anyone going into the top end. uggggh. I might be just fine with my 114 the way it is.

 

Pushrods yes. Also inner bearings were replaced, but that is optional. I didnt do the lifters. If your watching your pennies, can leave it be but some do not like the OEM bearings and since your in the cam chest, it might be best to change while in there.

I did get mine through Fuel Moto as well. Their package includes everything including gaskets.

 

I don't mind replacing the inner bearings. it is replacing the standard push rods with adjustable. if they were so great they would use them I would think at the factory but who knows. my big thing is reliability. if you got a torque monster and it breaks down somewhere are you have to constantly have to check adjustments it is not for me.

 

Really depends who is doing the work. If you doing it yourself, then labor cost not an issue. If your paying the shop to do it, installing adjustable pushrods is cheaper than opening the top end to install the factory pushrods due to the labor costs. Also, Fuelmoto recommends the adjustable as there may be some tolerance clearance issues using factory while the adjustable can be well adjusted. I do not know how true that would be.

 

No, you're misunderstanding the "adjustable" part of the pushrods. Harley engines have used hydraulic lifters since at least the Evo era (maybe even back to Panheads? https://www.rideapart.com/articles/2...ons-big-twins/)

The adjustable pushrods lets you put in any cam and adjust the pushrod length correctly for that particular cam. After that, all the adjustment comes from the hydraulic lifter, so no further adjustment is required pretty much for the life of the engine.

 

So if I understand this correctly, the stock pushrods are only the correct length for the stock cams. So if changing to any different cam, would need to install adjustable pushrods, whether it be the SE, FM (rebranded Smith Bro) or S&S. And the original pushrod would not work for a different cam. Reason I ask is because my local dealer said I could reuse my stock pushrods cause labor cost is cheap in the Phils. (cost me < USD100 to install my cams). I already had bought the FM. Also, the boards indicate SE pushrods are much easier to install, just cost a bit more. The FM reuse the stock covers.

 

Sorry but you can't put any cam in , some are high lift and require different valve springs so they won't bind , any drop in cam is fine but always check the lift of the cam you're looking at anyway. I don't want to sound like a prig here but this needed to be said. AJ88V no slight intended mate we'd both feel bad if someone read the post and used a S@S 550 or an SE8-515 with out swapping valve springs and lunched their motor .Always swap out to a stronger cam bearing too , it's cheap insurance.

Peace , ride safe.

 

yep I guess you have to really want that extra torque/hp. I really don't want to go into the top end either. dependability is paramount to me. the stock 114 does a good job just the way it is. I have stage 1 which is very easy and not very intrusive. I think I might talk to some Harley techs at the dealer ship this weekend and quiz them on this. long term adjustment etc. I don't ride in the high rpm range so the hp cam is definitely out. good input man.

 

Useful clarification, Agoober. I was sloppy in my language.

The essential point is that the stock pushrods are sized for the stock cams, and the stack-up of any manufacturing tolerances of the entire valve train is taken up by the hydraulic lifter for each of the four pushrods.

The stock pushrods might actually work with a new cam (assuming the head is set up for whatever cam is to be installed! ;-), but there's no guarantee and Harley doesn't control what you may be putting in your engine. The hydraulic lifters have a small range over which they can expand to take up the slack. Too loose and the lifters won't fully open the valves and may induce noise as the cam hammers against the lifter and the rod hammers the rocker. Too tight and the lifter can't loosen up enough, possibly holding the valve off the seat and possibly lifting the valve to the point where it contacts the piston. The adjustable pushrods guarantee you have a pushrod in there that is adjusted to a length where the lifter can operate properly. IIRC, back in 1989 when I built my Sporty, Harley actually offered different length pushrods and maybe they still do, but it's easier to just use the adjustable rods. The cost and performance differences are negligible and it's easier to install the adjustable rods because you can shorten them and install with the rockers installed - no need to open the rocker boxes.

Thanks again for the clarification. Cheers!