Adjustable pushrod failure rate?
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Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 753
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From: Yakima, WA
Adjustable pushrod failure rate?
My latest build included S&S adjustable pushrods. The other day I took the bike into the local HD mechanic for some quick advice. He immediately saw the pushrods and declared "I never use adjustable pushrods. It's not a matter of if, but when they'll fail and you'll be stranded on the side of the road."
I have never heard of an incidence of them failing, but I'm not very experienced. So has anyone here heard of adjustable pushrods failing?
Steve
I have never heard of an incidence of them failing, but I'm not very experienced. So has anyone here heard of adjustable pushrods failing?
Steve
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 157
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From: Amarillo, TX
This is ancient history, but I used adjustables on a Wideglide shovelhead with Andrews "B" grind to up the torque a tad for riding double. Toured all over the place. Loved the bike. 36000 miles later a top end job was in order due to the poor rocker geometry (a shovel head problem we all had). - no probs with the push rods, but it wasn't run hard. 65 most of the time except for passing. Thats where the vibes slept. The O.L. liked to cruze but didn't like speed.
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 894
Likes: 4
From: Newberg OR
Steve, the only pushrod failures I've read about are the lock nuts fracturing due to over tightening. I think the comments were specifically directed at S&S adjustables but I could be wrong about that. That's a problem that should show up in the first few hundred miles. Other than that they are just as mechanically sound as the stock pushrods if installed correctly.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,166
Likes: 4
From: la
Do a search on adjustables and you will see that it happens. You wouldn't catch me with adjustables either. It isn't that much of a job pulling the rockers for a cam change, stock ones are lighter and there's no chance of them coming loose = no surprises in the middle of nowhere. I can't understand using them to save a little time, I enjoy working on my bike I just don't like doing it on the side of the road in the dark.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,275
Likes: 241
From: Highlands, NJ
Do a search on adjustables and you will see that it happens. You wouldn't catch me with adjustables either. It isn't that much of a job pulling the rockers for a cam change, stock ones are lighter and there's no chance of them coming loose = no surprises in the middle of nowhere. I can't understand using them to save a little time, I enjoy working on my bike I just don't like doing it on the side of the road in the dark.
He strongly advised against using the stock pushrods and told me to use adjustables. I have no problem taking the top end off, but when the manufacturer insists on using a certain type of rod (any adjustable not stock) i tend to listen.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,745
Likes: 1
From: A house.
Called Woods to get advice on pushrods since I'm going to install 555's.
He strongly advised against using the stock pushrods and told me to use adjustables. I have no problem taking the top end off, but when the manufacturer insists on using a certain type of rod (any adjustable not stock) i tend to listen.
He strongly advised against using the stock pushrods and told me to use adjustables. I have no problem taking the top end off, but when the manufacturer insists on using a certain type of rod (any adjustable not stock) i tend to listen.
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"I never use adjustable pushrods. It's not a matter of if, but when they'll fail and you'll be stranded on the side of the road."
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Oxford, Nc
I replaced the tensioners ( '00 FLTRSEI,) with a complete gear drive kit last January and used S/E Adjustables in the build. ( Just replaced the heads last spring and didn't want to buy another set of rocker gaskets.)
A couple of hundred miles later and on the way home from work, I heard the ticking. Stopped for a moment, and knowing I was less than 10 miles from home, I headed for the house at 35 mph.
Ticking became clacking and I lost the front cyclinder within 3 minutes. I could smell gas so I knew it was an intake. Pulled the pushrod cover when I got home and was surprised to find the locknut gone and the pushrod totally collapsed. I could see maybe 2 or 3 threads of the inner rod still showing, so it had wound in a full 1 1/2". ( No damage to the new Black Ops lifter. )
Later I pulled the cam cover and found the jam nut in good shape, not cracked or broken but I replaced both nuts on the front cylinder anyway with much more substantiol nuts from a machine shop and used blue locktie on all four.
Its 5000 miles later and no problems, but I still carry 3 wrenches and a short screwdriver in my glove box!