Any trick to getting the pushrod retaining covers back on : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

rpbrock · 05-21-2005, 05:41 PM

Any trick to getting the pushrod retaining covers back on? Or do I just muscle them on?

I'm almost done and hope to start her in a few hours!!!! Then hopefully no more dumb ass questions out of me for a while....

springer- · 05-21-2005, 06:03 PM

Place the top in first and use a screw driver against a fin to push down the spring. Then slip the bottom in and release the tension held with the screw driver.

jalexand · 05-21-2005, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springer-

Place the top in first and use a screw driver against a fin to push down the spring. Then slip the bottom in and release the tension held with the screw driver.

Don't pry on any fins! Make sure the o-rings are seated properly, insert the top first and using a small screwdriver slipped between the keeper and the bottom piece, pry up slightly which seats the top and also forces the bottom down at which point you can slide the keeper down the screwdriver shaft and into place. I have also used the open end of a wrench which matches the O.D. of the bottom tube and use this to compress the spring and the keeper slips right in. This will only work if you do the pushrods 1 at a time as you will not be able to get at inside ones once the outside ones are in.

lectraglidedad · 05-21-2005, 08:16 PM

my new ones were hard to install also. I finally got frustrated and ground down the top end so they would fit. The frustration came to a head while using a screw driver as previously stated and having it slip off putting a big scratch on the top of my new cam cover! Protect any chrome nearby while using a screwdriver!

springer- · 05-21-2005, 09:00 PM

I have used my previously mentioned method for years and have never damaged a fin or cam cover. I guess there is a technique to it. It also doesn't damage the clips. To each their own.

Fourcats · 05-21-2005, 09:19 PM

If you installed new tube seals, did you remove the old ones?

02purpledeuce · 05-21-2005, 09:54 PM

Jireh sells the special tool to install the clips for around $35. It makes it a snap and no chance of damaging any nearby chrome. I had tried the screwdriver method but gave up after several attempts.

Candyx · 05-21-2005, 11:38 PM

Take a large flat tip screw driver and grind a little radius on the tip to match the push rod tube.Then take the keeper and insert the top and take the bottom and place it on the screw driver tip that is placed on the spring top of the tube.Slowly push the keeper in as the screw driver pushed down, the keeper acts like a wedge and will slip in rather easy.The two screw driver trick works but it is a pain in the ass when they slip out all the time and you take the chance of breaking a fin.

csoday · 05-21-2005, 11:51 PM

Or you can just do it like Springer said.

Seahag · 05-22-2005, 12:26 AM

The screw driver method described by jalexand works well for me....that said, I found it A LOT easier to do with a smaller gauge screw driver than the larger one. The width of the blade at the tip being the crucial factor. The wider the blade is there...the more you have to compress the spring to slide the keeper in.

rpbrock · 05-22-2005, 01:15 AM

I did it like Springer and Chuck mentioned. No damaged fins. I need that $35 bucks to buy flowers for the ole lady since she's pissed that I've been in the garage for 3 days working on my other ole lady.

BUT... that piece of head gasket that overlaps and needs to be cut off or bent out of the way is a bitch to work around. Wished I had remembered that one before I put the retainers back on....