I put them in my '14 UL when I replaced the rocker cover gaskets a few weeks ago. Made a noticable difference in the rattle above 2000 RPMs that had been bothering me no end.

 

You can see the witness marks on your bolt showing where the rocker shafts were hitting the bolt...

Your's is a classic case where the Rocker inserts will help with top end noise... and that kind of contact is fairly frequent...

If your noise is NOT from rocker shaft to base bolt contact, the rocker inserts won't help.... But they won't hurt either...

When I take apart a rocker box, I always install them as a "while I'm in there"....

 

Bought a set for my sled, (2000FLSTC) and gonna do them in about a month as soon as the snow starts flying here....too busy screwing it down right now with 65 degrees and sunny on the horizon for the next 2 weeks ...watching this thread with interest.

 

Perfect pic, had the same thing on my '16. This is not isolated to earlier TCs, as some have mentioned.

Good product, been around for years.

 

One question I have for all who have any experience with these rattles...Mine rattles after letting off the throttle,I notice this when Im sitting on it stopped or while its on the jiffy,and im blipping the throttle,maybe after fiddlefarting with carb tuning..I really cant hear it when im digging up the road...I am pretty sure its the source as I have listened a lot with my stethesope.It certainly is coming from the rocker box ,and maybe im hearing it more rolling out of throttle..No issues performance wise,but annoying none the less..I dont like engines rattling,pecking ,knocking or clunking,ever..I realize the nature of these upgraded knuckleheads ,so quiet is not my expectations...Just dont want to be miles from home in another time zone and have a failure....

 

The Spectro 25-60 DINO oil is elixir for the twin cams

Some people will say it doesn't help... to some maybe it doesn't. But a lot of times I ask...

Did you use Spectro? No.

Did you use 25-60? No.

Did you use DINO? No.

NOTHING ELSE WILL SUBSTITUTE!!


__________________________________________________ ____
For ROCKOUT information & purchasing please click HERE For all Twin Cams and Evo Big Twins & Sportsters

 

Rockout rocker shaft inserts are a simple idea and solution to an annoying tap-tap. The rocker box cover acts as an echo chamber that amplifies the sound. It is evident when you inspect the bolts and see the witness marks left before installation. They worked for me.

 

So another words, we are putting a soft metal sleeve in (looks like copper?) that will not last if it is doing that type of damage to a hardened bolt and thus introducing some metal into the system, or does it stay right there?
Looking at the imprint on the bolt, who is to say that type of striking will not break off the sleeve and introduce it into the motor?
Just a few thoughts and not trying to criticize anyone.
Thanks,

 

I didn't design Rockout Rocker Lockers, nor have I tested them in any way... I have used them, so my experience and opinions are all anecdotal....

Since you quoted me, I will share my observations and opinions on the Rockout Rocker Lockers...


IMHO...

The force causing the witness marks is not a high level force... It's much more of a light tapping than any hammering affect. It certainly doesn't damage the bolt in any way that I have heard of, nor has it damaged any of the Rockout Rocker Lockers that I have seen/heard reported about...

The witness marks are caused by the loose fit between the rocker arm shaft and the support plate bolt...

The OEM design, has a flat spot on one end of the rocker shaft, which allows the support bolt to pass through. It will stop the rocker shaft from falling out of the support plate. It will not stop the shaft from twisting with the back and forth motion of the rocker arms, and making contact with the support plate bolt...

The rocker lockers just snug up the fitment between the two parts to avoid that movement, and the noise (tapping)...

I have used them on two OEM rocker arm configurations and one forged rocker arm set-up. The forged rocker arm set-up uses a different size rocker locker... contact the owner/seller and he will send the forged ones... by the way, he's a stand up guy with excellent customer support, based on my experience.

My one bike that had an annoying ticking noise, was not helped by the rocker lockers. I had measured the rocker shaft end play and it was well within spec. When I disassembled my rockers to inspect them, the fitment between the rocker arm shafts and the bases was snug, with no witness marks on my bolts. Based on my measurements and disassembled inspection, I didn't expect the rocker lockers to stop the tick in my case. I had them in hand, I could see no downside, so installed them anyways...

There have been, however, numerous cases of where that rocker shaft to rocker base fitment is looser then mine was. The Rockout Rocker Lockers have reportedly solved many people's valve noise.

The problem is widespread enough, that there are other ways to do the same thing...

Some people modify the OEM rocker arm supports by drilling, threading, and installing a set screw in the rocker base, to contact the flat portion of the rocker shaft. This stops the twisting movement and subsequent contact with the bolt.

Vulcan Engineering makes a really nice billet aluminum "Shaft-LOC Rocker Arm Support Set" for a twin cam that sells for $379. It's a billet aluminum rocker arm base/shaft set that is already drilled and comes with the set screws to "lock" the shaft.... It's almost too pretty to hide in the rocker boxes...

https://secure.vulcanworks.net/store...er-locker.html

So it appears the rocker shaft/rocker base fitment can be an issue with the twin cam engines, in terms of creating noise. There are solutions out there. Pick whichever one you feel most confident in...

 

Ok thank you for the information.