S & S

 

Torque plate the cylinders and check piston fitment and check ring gap; in case you didn't already. Always measure; trust but verify.

 

Looks so pretty in the boxes! Be sure to clean everything up prior to assembling, i used a dremel fiber abrasive buff wheel for the top of my CP pistons as they had pretty sharp edges from machining. The wheel didn't remove much material but it did knock down the sharp edges. Also ATF worked pretty good as a cleaner for the jugs and works good for piston ring break in. Three most pain in the *** parts of my engine build; installing those wrist pin locks properly and installing the jugs over the pistons while compressing the rings.

All those sharp edges waiting for your fingers...

 

That wrist pin circlip tool is Satan's work.

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T'would be real purty;

https://www.google.com/search?q=diam...hk4iokrTXA7yM:

 

djl, do you know of a viable alternative to using torque plates? I have the S&S 110" kit and would like to check the clearances, but I'll bet there isn't an appropriate set of torque plates within 175 miles of where I live.

Also, if Lionsm13's 107" kit is like mine, the rings will be file to fit.

 

I will 2nd that suggestion strongly, been there and didn't do it and came back to bite me.

 

cylinders don't really need to be plated for setting ring gap,but must be plated & torqued the same as they were bored to check out of round,taper & wall clearance.if their S&S,torque them as S&S recommends,if bored by a indy,find out what method they were torqued and check & install the same way.we always send torque instructions with our kits

 

Torque plates would be the best way. Is there a local machine shop that could fabricate a set for you? If you provide them a cylinder for a pattern the shop would have the tools for the job. George's Garage used to sell a set for $295.

I know rings are file to fit but I always check gap before filing.

 

I thought about fabricating a set like you said, or just buying a set outright. I was hoping to avoid the extra investment, though.

I get the part about checking the gap before filing. Gotta know where you're at to start with... I've been through all this stuff quite a few times, just not with a Harley.

Thanks Kirby, but my issue is that I don't have access to torque plates, but I would like to check the piston/cylinder clearances before I proceed with the teardown/assembly, and was looking for an alternative method (unlikely, I know, but checking anyway) to check the clearances without the plates. The clearances are likely fine, but as djl already said, trust-but verify.