Solid Lifter Noise
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,114
Likes: 51,403
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
One of these days I'm going to count how many turns the pushrod needs to take up all play on the hot engine to see what the clearance actually is, as it is also expanding in the hot engine. According to the coefficient of expansion charts aluminum expands roughly twice as much as iron. The math says .034 growth at 300 deg on a Shovel cylinder and head and the pushrod would have less clearance after it comes up to temperature.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 339
Likes: 138
From: Bay Area/Valley, California
Adjusted them before a ride yesterday. The rear exhaust had a tiny bit of lash. Fired it up and it sounded better but now I know what rod slap sounds like v solids.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,664
Likes: 184
From: Indiana, USA
Once I thought I wanted a quieter top end so put the original hydraulics back in. It seemed the motor was more sluggish so I assumed I must have not adjusted the pushrods correctly. I must have adjusted those hydraulics 5 or 6 times before i finally rode it 25 miles down to Southside HD and asked them to adjust the hydraulic lifters for me. On the ride home I confirmed they were just as good when I took it to them. A week later I pulled the hydraulics back out and put the solids back in. Wasn't much but I had convinced myself the solids performed better than the hydraulics and the tick wasnt enough to make me go back to the hydraulic lifters. Sold that bike to buy a house but I still have those hydraulic lifters hangin in a baggy on the wall of my shop.... .
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,664
Likes: 184
From: Indiana, USA
Guess I should have noted this was early to mid 80's
And BTW Indy Southside HD has recently put new tires and brakes on my '81 Sturgis Superglide. Being the oldest HD dealership in Indiana they have resources familiar with the old stuff.
And BTW Indy Southside HD has recently put new tires and brakes on my '81 Sturgis Superglide. Being the oldest HD dealership in Indiana they have resources familiar with the old stuff.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 339
Likes: 138
From: Bay Area/Valley, California
Most of the guys I've talked to at the 2 local dealers don't even know what a shovel is. I remember talking to one of them about extended forks and he said "no way, they will bend".
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,562
Likes: 7,915
From: Long Island, New York
I was at our local dealership party last summer on my '70 FLH. Wander into the shop, they have nothing going on, I ask if I can get an inspection? Guy is like sure bring her in. I roll the Shovel in, shut her off and leave him to it. After about 20 seconds it is evident he has no idea how to turn anything on to test it. I walk back, "just tell me what you need on and off" and we go through the process. Literally didn't know how to get the lights on, never mind the turn signals.
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