Hello everyone just few questions I just bought some 255's off of ebay.Do I really need to change the bearings my bike has 6400mi I kind of understand if you are in there do it ,but if I wasn't doing a swap those bearings would be in there anyways.I am planning on using the stock pushrods does that only reguire buying the rocker box cover gasket or are there more gaskets involved? Should I buy new o-rings for the pushrod tubes? I'm just trying to make sure I have everything rounded up before I start ,as I'm not to patient when I need to take a 45 minute trip to the dealer for one little item.Thanks everyone

 

Since your already in there it is better to upgrade the bearings. This does require the use of a special tool for removal and install. As for as the o-rings, they are reusable. I used the adjustable push rods so hopefully someone will answer that question for you.

 

It's whatever you are comfortable with......me personally, I would change out the bearings while you are in there and I never reuse gaskets or o-rings. Sure, you can, but when you get that annoying oil drip and you have to take it back apart because it's driving you nuts, was it worth it? +1 on the adjustable push rods, no gaskets to replace.

 

Stock pushrods OK. You will need to raise or remove the fuel tank, remove rocker covers and loosen rocker supports to pull the pushrods from the top. An extra 30 minutes of work or spend $175 or there abouts for new pushrods/tubes, cut the OEM pushrods out with bolt cutters and leave the tank and rocker boxes alone. Then you have to deal with adjusting pushrods; your call.

Get the magnet lifter holders or use the ACCO bnder clip method (in the service manual) to hold the lifters in place or you will have to R/R the lifter block covers (new gaskets required) and pull the lifters.

Borrow blind hole puller with correct size collet from Auto Zone and use one of the take out cams as the "driver" to install the new innner cam bearings. Freeze the bearings overnight, coat with some assembly lube and install flush with bearing bore; numbers facing out.

Agree that you can re-use o-rings but they are cheap and not a bad idea to have a set of pushrod tube o-rings, cam plate o-rings and oil pump to scavenge port o-rings. You could lose or damage one in the R/R process and would be fukked without a replacement. When re-using orings, I clean them up and apply a silicone based oring lubricant to them; not mandantroy, just something I do.

You didn' mention the model year but I assume with only 6400 miles it is a late model and thererfore will not require a new oil pump oring as the late models don't require an oring between the oil pump and cam plate.

You will need to align the oil pump. You can order the alignment pins from George's Garage; not a must have but handy. Or you can use the "rotate the motor (trans in 5th gear and plugs out) while with two pump fasteners finger tight tightening as you rotate the rear wheel. The pump will self align but the pump body must be held stationary while the gerotors line up with the pinion shaft as the shaft turns.

You will lose a bit of oil when you crack open the cam chest so hand made aluminum foil shield/drain to minimize the mess should be used. You should buy, borrow or steal a service manual for your model; it will answer all your questions. Take your time, keep things clean and it's a piece of cake.

 

sg34-- I found this video of S&S doing a cam install to be of great help when I installed my cams. Note that he leaves the oil pump in situ when he pulls and reinstalls the cam plate.

I used the binder clips to hold the lifters up, but you will have to grind the ends sharp to get them to hold the lifters properly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5KvamRqCis

 

When I did mine I wished I had purchased all the different size shim washers and had them ready instead of having to make a extra trip to the dealer.

 

Buy the cam install kit from FuelMoto, comes with the bearings. When you look at the difference between the stock bearing and torrington bearing, you'll see why everybody says change them out. (I didn't pull my oil pump when I swapped my cams, so didn't use the o rings that came with the kit.)

 

i did mine it gave me piece of mind but its your engine do what you are confortable with

 

"do I really need to change the bearings..." Reminds me of the Fram oil filter commercial..."you can pay me now or you can pay me later". Do it. Change the bearings.

 

Anyone out there ever have or know of someone that has had a failure of the original cam bearings. This is not a high stress area for a stock motor and the 255 is not a high lift cam. I know of zero cam bearing failures. HD does not even include or recommend replacement of these bearings with their kit.