lifters
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2022
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From: USA
lifters
After reading around on the topic of lifters I decided to buy Eastern lifter bodies and the package says made in the USA. I got them and they look nice and have the Jap rollers on them. When comparing to the originals, I measure the outside diameter and OEM is .731" and Eastern are .730". I want to use my hydraulic insert (.516" OD) and it will not fit, the bore in the lifter body is too small. I am trying to send them back now. Not sure what I will do now.
Last edited by Ken45; May 18, 2026 at 07:47 PM.
Club Member
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
You get a pile of lifter bodies and the inserts and take a mic to them you find they are anything but consistent. One of the reasons you rarely the bodies alone, played mix & match with lifters well into the mid evo years. I'd take my mic to the dealer when had a cam job to be sure they were all the same size. Good luck in the hunt.
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From: Honah Lee
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 960
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From: USA
10-0504 is a V Twin number for them and 18522-53A is the Eastern MC Parts. Be aware that the batch that they are selling now (the ones I got) are running a tappet insert bore size of .515". My OEM hydraulic insert is at .516" so it did not fit and I sent them back, I bought from the place below, they have a restocking fee that is not listed.. If you buy their inserts they will fit or they can be honed opened a few thou. for a case like mine The S&S inserts are .516" also from what I am told. I think I will go with the S&S assembly, but that is more money than buying the Eastern body and using my good OEM insert. I talked to the engineer at Eastern and the bore size has been a battle for the last ten years with all the different companies making them and he said even OEM had variations. I thought about keeping the Eastern bodies and having them honed to size but I have so much going on now that I do not want to mess with it. And yes the Eastern bodies have the Jap rollers, I saw it with my own eyes. lol
https://retrocycle.com/products/stan...eb0f9099&_ss=r
https://retrocycle.com/products/stan...eb0f9099&_ss=r
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From: Honah Lee
Why would you buy a gutted shell like that?
I have cleaned and did a bleed check on a lot of lifters on thrift inframe overhauled car motors. That internal part is probably fitted with in a few 0.0001 of and inch. I always replace even the lifters back to the correct hole.
I have cleaned and did a bleed check on a lot of lifters on thrift inframe overhauled car motors. That internal part is probably fitted with in a few 0.0001 of and inch. I always replace even the lifters back to the correct hole.
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 960
Likes: 668
From: USA
Why would you buy a gutted shell like that?
I have cleaned and did a bleed check on a lot of lifters on thrift inframe overhauled car motors. That internal part is probably fitted with in a few 0.0001 of and inch. I always replace even the lifters back to the correct hole.
I have cleaned and did a bleed check on a lot of lifters on thrift inframe overhauled car motors. That internal part is probably fitted with in a few 0.0001 of and inch. I always replace even the lifters back to the correct hole.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,527
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From: Honah Lee
Still a little confused. You can't buy a compete lifter for your motor?
I have actually seen numers configured lifters. The last I did didn't have a ball bleed . They had a stamped + in a washer and bleed out grooves. Four cylinder in a YJ Jeep. The washer was worn but they still bleed down in the timed tolerance. However, that little 4 gave me fit. It had a tap when hot.
I had farmed out the head since seats were hard and needed ground. I gave them new valves. Told them I would put it together. They put it together and I assumed they got the stem height right. They didn't. No top adjust on rocker. I reworked that to get 0.100 into lifter.
Still a tick especially with synthetic. I had .003 piston clearance and it was just too much. Runs fine but little piston slap at bottom of stroke.. Has 30,000 on rebuid now.
I have actually seen numers configured lifters. The last I did didn't have a ball bleed . They had a stamped + in a washer and bleed out grooves. Four cylinder in a YJ Jeep. The washer was worn but they still bleed down in the timed tolerance. However, that little 4 gave me fit. It had a tap when hot.
I had farmed out the head since seats were hard and needed ground. I gave them new valves. Told them I would put it together. They put it together and I assumed they got the stem height right. They didn't. No top adjust on rocker. I reworked that to get 0.100 into lifter.
Still a tick especially with synthetic. I had .003 piston clearance and it was just too much. Runs fine but little piston slap at bottom of stroke.. Has 30,000 on rebuid now.
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 960
Likes: 668
From: USA
Still a little confused. You can't buy a compete lifter for your motor?
I have actually seen numers configured lifters. The last I did didn't have a ball bleed . They had a stamped + in a washer and bleed out grooves. Four cylinder in a YJ Jeep. The washer was worn but they still bleed down in the timed tolerance. However, that little 4 gave me fit. It had a tap when hot.
I had farmed out the head since seats were hard and needed ground. I gave them new valves. Told them I would put it together. They put it together and I assumed they got the stem height right. They didn't. No top adjust on rocker. I reworked that to get 0.100 into lifter.
Still a tick especially with synthetic. I had .003 piston clearance and it was just too much. Runs fine but little piston slap at bottom of stroke.. Has 30,000 on rebuid now.
I have actually seen numers configured lifters. The last I did didn't have a ball bleed . They had a stamped + in a washer and bleed out grooves. Four cylinder in a YJ Jeep. The washer was worn but they still bleed down in the timed tolerance. However, that little 4 gave me fit. It had a tap when hot.
I had farmed out the head since seats were hard and needed ground. I gave them new valves. Told them I would put it together. They put it together and I assumed they got the stem height right. They didn't. No top adjust on rocker. I reworked that to get 0.100 into lifter.
Still a tick especially with synthetic. I had .003 piston clearance and it was just too much. Runs fine but little piston slap at bottom of stroke.. Has 30,000 on rebuid now.
Last edited by Ken45; May 19, 2026 at 06:14 PM.
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From: Honah Lee
Yes I can and probably will now The shovel lifter is composed of 2 separate pieces that can be bought separately and my OEM hydraulic piece I wanted to reuse and not spend $300 for new ones. This is the best I can do to explain. I am starting to think you do not know about the shovel lifter.
The pictures of those you sourced don't show a break down.
$300 is a lot for 4 lifters.
But I will educate myself now.
Your thread is saved in Shovelhead lifter folder for my reference.
If possible can you put a few pictures on here in this thread.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; May 19, 2026 at 06:33 PM.
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