Hi Guys,

I'm ordering parts to replace the base gaskets on my bike and do a cam swap... 1994 Road King.

I'm curious if there are any tools I'm going to need to buy/make/modify or anything that will make life easier?

I'm doing the job in a parking lot, outside, so I'd like to keep the tool running to a minimum so she goes back together easily. I've got allen headed sockets, and a pretty good assortment of shallow/deep well. Just curious if there are any that require something goofy to get to.

She doesn't burn any oil and runs strong, and has 130psi compression doing a compression test with the air cleaner on... so I'm planning to leave the pistons and rings alone and just pull the wrist pins.

Thanks,

Zach

 

You'll need a 12 point 1/2" socket for the head bolts, a 7/16" for bolts connecting the bottom rocker box to the head, small extension, allen wrenches for the top cover and 2 bolts in each rockerbox, some kind of scraper to get the old gasket off, and a torque wrench.

That's all I can think of right now.

 

Blind hole puller for the cam bearing. You can knock the new one back in with the old bearing.

Press for the cam gear assuming you'll need to match them up and use your old gear

I had to cut an Allen wrench for the rocker cover or you can buy the special wrench. I'd buy it if I did it over.

If you're leaving the Pistons in, I did, you'll want a large c clamp to press out the wrist pin and press it back in. It's not a slide out by hand. Or you can smash it with a hammer and hope nothing breaks!

Shims for the cam and feeler gauges, you'll need a few sizes or you'll be running to the store after measuring your new cams clearance.

The hardest part of this job for me was removing the old base gasket. It by far took the longest amount of time.

Some use the lifter block alignment pins some don't. I used one it's cheap $6

 

Zach,

Just did a cam change on my 92 so it's all still fresh in my mind. For tools, I went ahead and got the lifter block alignment pins and lifter magnets. Not essential but they sure help. One essential tool ( in my opinion) is a rockerbox Allen wrench. Motion pro makes one. It has a 3/8 hole in the handle so to can use it with a torque wrench. Get good quality gas get safe important. I like Cometic. For scrapping the base gas gets a piece of plexiglas sharpened works well and you won't mar the metal, plus you can resharpen it easy. The tool for pulling/installing the cam bearing can be rented at autozone. It's called a blind hole puller. Is you use a factory shop manual it's not a difficult job. I got all my parts off Amazon.
Todd

 

Here is my two cents..... the clips for the wrist pin make a small burr keeping the pins from just pushing out, remove clips and gently deburr with something suitable and it will literally fall out, DO NOT FORCE !!!

The only other funky tool I needed not mentioned above was a spline socket for removing the lifter blocks bolts, unless you have a 1/4" -12 point socket to fit... which can be tough to find.

 

Thanks Guys!

I'll start putting together the tools!

Cheers,

Zach

 

I am going to cross my fingers for you on removing the base gaskets. Seeing we are only a year apart, your base gaskets MAY just come right off by hand, only a few small pieces I needed to remove gently with a razor, most just came off in big piece by hand.

 

Inch-pound torque wrench. That's about the only tool I needed to buy for my parking lot experience behind the motel.

 

Good job, Dr. That's road service right there!