Back wheel REALLY hard to turn when adjusting pushrods
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,336
Likes: 1,281
From: Ky
On Dawgs point, if you have an overdrive transmission 6 th gear would be bad. Go to the 1-1 ratio gear.
I usually find theres a little slack in the driveline, if im trying to spin clockwise I rotate ccw and then spin cw, little lunges
I usually find theres a little slack in the driveline, if im trying to spin clockwise I rotate ccw and then spin cw, little lunges
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,694
Likes: 462
In 5th gear with the plugs out, it shouldn’t be difficult to turn. Especially with no pushrods installed as you aren’t even pushing against the force of the valve springs. I would be wondering if something isn’t right.
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 11
Likes: 4
From: WISCONSIN
I wouldn't touch that starter switch, if your in 6th with the plugs out and can't move that rear wheel then something else is going on, maybe start over with adjusting the pushrod, I know this from wrecking a set on my old 99, luckily that's all could be worse.
Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 8,538
Likes: 1,646
From: SF Bay area
They can be a bitch.... mine was.
Try rocking the back wheel...... rotate it backwards to take up any slop, then "knock" it forward against the resistance. It'll bump it around a little at a time. As mentioned above, I've used the starter for big movements then bumped it into final position.
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Try rocking the back wheel...... rotate it backwards to take up any slop, then "knock" it forward against the resistance. It'll bump it around a little at a time. As mentioned above, I've used the starter for big movements then bumped it into final position.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,176
Likes: 11,277
From: San Diego, CA
I put an SE big bore kit (95ci) in my 2003 Heritage about 4-6 months after I bought it new. The kit had SE203 cams and I believe was 10.5:1 pistons.
While upgrading cam tensioners, cam plate, breathers in the rocker boxes, and just to put new, shiny stuff in the engine, in the last 4 years I have been in the cam chest twice and messed with the rocker arms 4x
I remember the first time I tried to rotate the engine withe the rear wheel (5th gear/no plugs), I thought it was nearly impossible to do by hand... I had never done it before and didn't know what to expect... I could hear quite a hiss from the engine on the compression stroke, even with the plugs out... and the compression strokes were especially hard to rotate.
Now, I've done it numerous times. While I can't just spin it effortlessly with one hand, I can rotate it one handed, while watching either the pushrods or the pistons (I put a straw in the spark plug hole to watch piston height) for TDC.
It's a little strength, a little technique (rock the wheel), leverage (where/how to grab the wheel), and knowing what to expect.... but I wouldn't call it easy to spin...
As for the OP's bike.... without actually feeling how hard it is to turn, it would be hard to decide if something is amiss..... especially without knowing all the details of what has been touched/moved/handled in the process...
OP, I would proceed slowly, cautiously and replay every thing you've done in your mind, trying to remember things along the way that could lead to an issue.... eventually you'll need to spin the engine or disassemble it to see what's wrong (if anything)...
If this is your first time doing this, it might very well be the bike is OK, you just need to figure out how you need to position yourself, how to grab the wheel, and best technique to make it turn...
Good luck...
While upgrading cam tensioners, cam plate, breathers in the rocker boxes, and just to put new, shiny stuff in the engine, in the last 4 years I have been in the cam chest twice and messed with the rocker arms 4x
I remember the first time I tried to rotate the engine withe the rear wheel (5th gear/no plugs), I thought it was nearly impossible to do by hand... I had never done it before and didn't know what to expect... I could hear quite a hiss from the engine on the compression stroke, even with the plugs out... and the compression strokes were especially hard to rotate.
Now, I've done it numerous times. While I can't just spin it effortlessly with one hand, I can rotate it one handed, while watching either the pushrods or the pistons (I put a straw in the spark plug hole to watch piston height) for TDC.
It's a little strength, a little technique (rock the wheel), leverage (where/how to grab the wheel), and knowing what to expect.... but I wouldn't call it easy to spin...
As for the OP's bike.... without actually feeling how hard it is to turn, it would be hard to decide if something is amiss..... especially without knowing all the details of what has been touched/moved/handled in the process...
OP, I would proceed slowly, cautiously and replay every thing you've done in your mind, trying to remember things along the way that could lead to an issue.... eventually you'll need to spin the engine or disassemble it to see what's wrong (if anything)...
If this is your first time doing this, it might very well be the bike is OK, you just need to figure out how you need to position yourself, how to grab the wheel, and best technique to make it turn...
Good luck...
Last edited by hattitude; Feb 15, 2020 at 11:54 AM.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 773
Likes: 124
From: Between purgatory and retirement
It is easier to turn it using hands then your foot.
Point was, if you cant turn it with your hands, something is wrong.
When you are moving up the gears to put it in 6th, did you rock
the back wheel between shifts to make sure it is in that next gear?
.
Point was, if you cant turn it with your hands, something is wrong.
When you are moving up the gears to put it in 6th, did you rock
the back wheel between shifts to make sure it is in that next gear?
.
