When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Why use adjustable push rods if you are pulling the top end apart anyway? Not being sarcastic, but I had heard they were only for doin cam swaps without pulling the top end apart. Are there other benefits?
So instead of custom length pushrods you use adjustable? I've only built V8's, never a V twin. We always ordered custom length pushrods for those.
Adjustable pushrods serve a couple of purposes. They work with all cams, plus, it's easier to replace a cam using adjustable pushrods. You simply cut the OEM pushrods out, replace the cam bearing, cam, and lifters, and then install the new pushrods by collapsing them, and adjusting to length. To install OEM-style pushrods, you'd need to remove the gas tank, rocker covers, and rockers, which adds an hour or two to the build.
Here's an update on my build... and not a happy one.
Before I had the chance to tear my engine down for the 131 build it self-destructed. Note to self, don't ignore minor squeaks on start-up because you're tearing the engine down in the near future. Squeaks can be catastrophic.
Rather than go through a lengthy explanation, I'll share some pics.
The "minor squeak" at startup was the lifter failing, which took out the cam, S&S cam plate, S&S oil pump, cam chain, pinion shaft, crank shaft bearings, etc.
The oil pump magnet tells the story the best:
The gear rotors are so torn up they won't go back together. I consulted with S&S to determine if the housing could be salvaged. The final decision was "no" because the damage would bleed too much oil pressure:
As of this morning, the engine is out and completely torn down. Yesterday a good shop-owner buddy pressed in new bearings for me, so I'm ready to do my assembly. With the exception of two o-rings and several screws, I have everything I need:
Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the transmission disassembly and installation of the Baker "Smooth Shift" kit. It went in with relative ease. The only special tool needed is a main shaft race puller, which you can pick up for about $35 on Amazon.
I will take plenty of pics of the engine assembly process and how I'm getting this done in a 1-car garage housing two more bikes. It's a tight fit.
Last edited by wildandfree; Jan 4, 2024 at 09:28 AM.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
