Those look perfectly nice! But I don't think they would work with my compression relief valves...

I guess I'll stop trying to use all of you to replace Google and start searching a little harder... I also really need to close this page and get back to work. It's hard to stay focused on what I should be doing when I'm thinking about this sort of thing!

 

Yeah, the compression releases would be a show stopper for bridges.

 

Maybe your decision would be easier if you could get those in SKULLS


My understanding is that I think you're supposed to tap his foot under the bathroom stall



Seriously...
Maybe you could drill/bore a clearance hole through the bridges for the releases

 

Haha! Maybe... As long as they're 3D with LED eyes...

 

Okay, so I did a bunch of digging around for head bolts. ARP makes them for Fueling in chrome, but doesn't seem to have other offereings for Twin Cam. Diamond makes some very attractive choices in polished stainless, but after reading a bunch of anecdotal stories about stainless head bolts not maintaining torque, or fusing to the studs... I just kind of chickened out and decided to stick with OEM (although I'm sure I overreacted; I realize that not all "stainless" is the same, and that there are certainly ways to use different materials that pose no significant risk).

My engine guy told me that I can reuse the original bolts without any problem, that he does it all the time and that they clean up very well on a polishing wheel. He also says that many aftermarket chrome plated head bolts become brittle and recommended I stay away from them.

Feeling that OEM was the most reliable way to go, I ordered a fresh set from the dealer, thinking I would prefer to have new ones than to reuse mine. Aesthetically, I thought I could either buff them a little bit, or paint them black after they were installed, or get some sort of cap, or just be fine with them...

I just picked them up, and the short (visible) bolts are chrome plated (mine weren't). I checked the part numbers with Ronnie's (which I did before ordering them), and they're the same EXCEPT there is an "A" at the end of the number for the short set which was not present on the microfiche listing. I'm not sure whether "A" designates chrome, as the long bolts have the same suffix and aren't chrome. I looked at a few new bikes in the showroom, and they all had chrome bolts as well.

Anyone have any thoughts on whether I should use them? On the one hand, I assume they won't be "brittle" to the degree that there will be an issue since they're widely used on new bikes... On the other hand, it just wasn't what I was expecting...

They'll certainly look nice, I just don't want any sort of reliability issue with them.

 

OEM fasteners, rings, and seals are usually quite good. Unless you're taking the engine well beyond the original power.

 

Thanks, Chris. I should probably just start PMing you directly whenever I have a question...

I'll go ahead and use these. I'm just a perpetual "second guesser." I would love to eliminate the "worry" gene that seems to be prominent in my DNA, but...

 

When in doubt, trust your builder. They have the real experience. I learned a lot from my dad, but I don't know 1/3 of what he did.

I totally under the second-guessing problem. I'm the same way. I think myself into paralyzing circles.

 

Ditto. About everything. Note: When you suffer from this trait, tattoos really become an ordeal! I have something unfolding on my arm right now, and after every session I drive myself insane wishing I had described something a little bit differently, asked for a slightly different shade somewhere, etc., although I know objectively that it looks fine...

At least head bolts can be changed!