Hello Fellow Enthusiasts: It’s Bike Week Daytona Time!
Hello fellow enthusiasts, it’s finally March and anybody who has been riding for more than 5 minutes knows that it’s time for Bike Week in Daytona. This year promises to be just as hectic as every other year so get there early and try to get involved with as many activities as possible. Yours truly will be there for 10 days, so I hope to see you there. If you should happen to see me say hello and I’ll buy you a beer.
The Sportster Rebuild Journey
I hit a stall on the Sportster rebuild because of some backordered parts, but we are trying to acquire them from another supplier so we can get moving on this project. But, in the meantime, I received a communication from a brother in South Carolina.
Quigley’s Query on Sportster Cam Swap
Quigley writes: "Hi trigger, I was reading your article on the Sportster project bike and I was wondering if you have an easy way to change the cams in my 2005 XL 1200C Custom. I really don’t want to take off the heads if I don’t have to."
Thanks, Quigley.
P.S. I love your column!!
Navigating the Cam Swap Without Head Removal
Well Quigley, first off, thanks for the compliment.
Now I’m going to hurt your feelings. There is just no getting around not taking the heads off ‘UNLESS’… you want to buy a set of multiple piece pushrod tubes. Drag Specialties has a great set that I use - part number 338034-430490 for around $100 bucks AND, you’ll need a set of adjustable pushrods. The pushrods, in my opinion, that are the best are expensive, they’re from S&S Cycle, part number 93-5122 for about $210 bucks. Now I hate to say this but I would be remiss if I didn’t because for customers that can’t spend big bucks I have used the Customoto store at Amazon.com. They sell a set of adjustable pushrods and covers for about $120 bucks complete. Here is the link for anyone interested.
Step-by-Step Guide: Changing Your Sportster’s Cams
Now, once you acquire the proper parts all you need to do is the following:
1st, You will need these tools: shop vacuum, cut off wheel, safety glasses, air compressor, and air blower attachment, 1 can of spray contact cleaner, hand tools to unbolt the cam cover, and patience.
2nd, Before you do anything, take all precautions to protect any chrome, take off the air cleaner, mask off the throat of the carb or throttle body whichever you have. Clear or protect any wires or fuel lines that may be near the pushrod tubes.
3rd, Cut the pushrod tubes and pushrods in half one at a time wherever you can get to them without having a chance of slipping and hitting the engine, carburetor, or throttle body. Make sure you have the shop vacuum sucking as much of the grinding debris as possible (an extra set of hands is great for this) and remove the pushrod and pushrod tube pieces.
4th, once you have removed all of the pushrod pieces CLEAN THE AREA WITH THE SHOP VACUUM AND CONTACT CLEANER. THEN SPRAY IT DOWN WITH CONTACT CLEANER AND BLOW IT CLEAN AND DRY WITH COMPRESSED AIR!! You can’t skip the cleaning.
Looking Ahead: Back on Track with the Sportster and Daytona Awaits
Next month we should be back on track with the project Sportster. I hope to see some of you in Daytona for Bike Week, say hello and I’ll buy you a beer!!!!
Ride it Like You Only Live Once and Speed Safely!!!!!
Trigger
Email questions or comments email them to: Trigger@sophisticatedbiker.com
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