Head gasket thickness

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Aug 7, 2024 | 10:58 PM

#11

Since 1968

Road Master

Joined: Jun 2019

Posts: 952

Likes: 528

From: Richmond TX

This point about needing to replace the rings if the barrels are removed has come up before. I wish one of our more knowledgeable members would comment on this and explain the reasoning. It never would have occurred to me. I've had pistons out of their bores in the past and simply reinstalled everything with ring compressors. Of course, I'm just a shade tree hacker. Can the pros explain the thinking here? Always willing to learn....

Aug 8, 2024 | 01:17 AM

#12

DTTJGlide

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 2,561

Likes: 280

From: North Cental Iowa

Rings aren't mandatory but for $60 I wouldn't take the chance & have to do the whole process over. My main point was that's a lot of work & $s for very little gain, now if you're doing a cam change & want to retain original pushrods it wouldn't be that much extra. When asking a question like that you'll get better replies if you explain what you're trying to accomplish.

Aug 8, 2024 | 12:29 PM

#13

Steve Cole

HD EFI Guru

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 4,488

Likes: 4,774

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTTJGlide

If your worried about ring seal you can always set the cylinder your working on with the piston about 1/2 to 3/4 way down the cylinder and then put the bike in first gear. This will hold the engine in that position, then slide the cylinder upward far enough to expose the wrist pin, then remove the wrist pin clip and wrist pin. Once that's done slide the cylinder back downward to push the piston back up into the cylinder. Once it no longer hands out the bottom of the cylinder, you take the bike out of gear and remove the cylinder and piston still in piece.

Aug 8, 2024 | 11:24 PM

#14

Dan89FLSTC

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 21,173

Likes: 12,740

From: South Carolina

Quote:

Originally Posted by Since 1968

This point about needing to replace the rings if the barrels are removed has come up before. I wish one of our more knowledgeable members would comment on this and explain the reasoning.

Some think the piston rings are running in a set position and if they come out of the cylinder they will never go back to their original position, but that is incorrect because the piston rings never stay in the same position, they rotate around in the ring land.

If they are undamaged there is no logical reason to replace them.

Sep 26, 2025 | 10:36 PM

#15

JCunningham

Tourer

Joined: Nov 2020

Posts: 374

Likes: 98

From: ny

sorry old post but if you replace rings dont you have to hone the cylinder so they break in properly?

Sep 27, 2025 | 08:32 AM

#16

propflux01

Road Warrior

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 1,434

Likes: 384

From: Arkansastan

Also, once you remove the heads, isn't it pretty much "mandatory" to replace the cylinder base gaskets?

Sep 27, 2025 | 10:04 AM

#17

ntraindavefl

Road Warrior

Joined: May 2011

Posts: 1,956

Likes: 439

From: florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by propflux01

Also, once you remove the heads, isn't it pretty much "mandatory" to replace the cylinder base gaskets?

I find that on head removal if the cylinder releases it’s downward tension just a bit, it will probably leak if reinstalled. So ive always had someone hold with both hands the cylinder with lots of down pressure while i crack the head bolts and off the head until i can torque down the stud-cylinder bolts to at least 20+ ft lbs. This can work but one slip up along the way i’ll just replace the base.

Last edited by ntraindavefl; Sep 27, 2025 at 10:06 AM.