I think if you machine the tops of the cuffs to the angle of the bolt you will cause them to bind. It sounds like because your bolts are no longer straight and a little off center that the cuffs aren't lining up with the lifters. All they do is keep the lifters from rotating, so I think they can float a little. The solution might be as simple as drilling the hole in the cuffs a little bigger so the lifters don't bind. The lifters will pull them to where they need to be and they're not suppose to tight. If I remember correctly, it's been a while since I've been in the cam chest, when the lifters are removed the stock ones would move easily. If this doesn't work you would be out $50 for a new set of cuffs or you might be able to shim them back to the original size.

 

Depending on how far off you are I would put the plates on without the bolt. Place feeler gauges in place between the plate and lifters then look down the mount hole to see how far you need to move. Take the plate back off and a small round file and file the hole some then recheck. Only file the area for bolt clearance, leaving the rest of the hole alone. Once you have the hole moved to align, make sure you have opened it just enough for the bolt to just screw in. The worst you can do is wreck the plates and they are much cheaper than a set of cases. Since they are AL material you could always weld the hole in the plate, install a transfer punch to the mount hole, set plate in the proper location and give it a tap so the transfer punch give you a new center point and drill. So there are two way to try and fix the mess your in.

 

 

Well you have gotten quite few opinions and a few ways to go about fixing your problem. I like things to be right when I put my motors together which in this case would mean the bolts being in the original position and straight. I really don't see the need to buy a new case. This one can be repaired to a condition that is actually better than new. I would combine Steve's advice and my original advice. Put the cuffs on the lifters and shim them. Then make a very precise template for the front and the rear lifter blocks that locates the holes that hold the lifter covers on and the position of the bolt that secures the cuffs. Then jigs need to be made using the templates so that the holes for the helicoils can be drilled straight and in the correct location. Some 3/4" steel plate would be sufficient for the jigs. Helicoils are in my opinion better than the original threading in aluminum. I believe this could be done without disassembling the engine although it would be easier if the engine was disassembled. It probably wouldn't require splitting the cases, but if you take it to a machinist it would be easier for them to do the work if the engine was out of the bike and the top end removed. You might as well call directcycleparts and get the 124" S&S kit ordered. When you get done with this your cuffs are back to the original configuration.

I know you have been focused on the cuff situation, but since you have the cam chest open have you measured the runout on the crankshaft?

 

Hope you get the situation worked out.

 

Crankshaft runout on the cam side is .0035. I haven't got to the output side yet.

 

Hi. I have a 17 SG and had the rear bolt break. I was wondering how you repaired your bike.

 

Hi Vray,
Long story; but, the short of it is, read this whole thread and consider the advise that $tonecold gave me and take it to a machinist, or, gather some patience and have at it.

I drilled out the broken bolt cleaned the threads with a chase and installed new cuffs with the grade 8 bolt supplied with the new cuffs. you will have more room to work if you remove throttle body. I used an angle drill device made by Dewalt and drilled free hand. Very tedious and time consuming to be excact. Use kerosene or light oil as cutting fluid. Go slow and easy. Flatten the broken surface with dremell and use center punch. YOU MUST BE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE CENTER. Step drilling also work. Start with a smaller bit and work your way up. If you are careful. the only thing left will be what is in the threads of the hole. "DO NOT USE EASY OUT TO EXTRACT BOLT!!!" This just doesn't work with steel bolts threaded into aluminum. The bolt expands when you drive in the extractor and bites into the case and jams up. I know this because I broke of an extractor in one of the holes and had to drill that out too. I buggered up the threads on that hole and it caused much grief to get it right.

If your bike was still under warranty, Harley would have replaced the cases for you, as they have recognized this issue to be the result of manufacturing having used the wrong type of threadlock.

 

Also Planning on upgrading the cam on my 18 road glide, would it make sense to heat bolts to try to melt locktite prior to removing?

 

You don't need to remove the stock cuffs to change lifters.The lifters will drop out into the camchest once the camshaft is removed. If you are wanting to replace cuffs with the S&S billet, a little heat and PB Blaster should help. GO EASY!! They broke off as if they were paper clips! What cam are you going with?