Valve Spring Removal ?

[Relic]

I've got a 117 with TP rocker boxes & I want to inspect the valve guides.

I'm planning to look @ the exhaust valve stem when I remove the exhaust but I also wanted to remove the keepers & springs on the front head to look @ the guide just for piece of mind.

I've done this on car engines (piston to top, air in cyl & compressed the spring with a manual bar).

Does anyone make a special tool for this (heads still on motor) or has anyone done this with something they have fabricated ?

Thanks in advance.

[narow37]

I know you are asking about just checking the valve guides but, are you getting any of the tell tale signs like white smoke. if so, the valve guides are probably trashed and will need repaired which will obviously require heads coming off. while your at this point you might as well replace the rocker boxes and rocker arms. you could even go wild and send the heads to john sachs to have head work done, send them for diamond cutting, of hell, once the heads are off there's a lot you could do. its only money, that is if ya have I guess. thats why I refuse to take my heads off, to much temptation.

[V]

A company called Irving Customs/ Nub Tools had a kit for removing valve springs on Harleys/S&S I still have their link but they are not coming up and did not see them on Google. I think the price was around $229. special removal jig while using compressed air.

[BadBrad]

Originally Posted by Relic

I've got a 117 with TP rocker boxes & I want to inspect the valve guides.

I'm planning to look @ the exhaust valve stem when I remove the exhaust but I also wanted to remove the keepers & springs on the front head to look @ the guide just for piece of mind.

I've done this on car engines (piston to top, air in cyl & compressed the spring with a manual bar).

Does anyone make a special tool for this (heads still on motor) or has anyone done this with something they have fabricated ?

Thanks in advance.

To remove the springs, you'll have to remove the heads. Once you have the rocker boxes off, it's just 4 bolts to remove the heads. There are some special tools out there for removing the springs, but after you look at them...and the price, you'll see how easy it is to make your own tool. I took a 6" C-clamp and welded to pieces of flat bar to each side of the top part of the clamp. It works like a champ!!! I'll take a picture of it tonight and post it tomorrow. J&P cycles sells a tool for about $190. It's just a C-clamp with a modified tip to push down on the spring and still give you room to remove the keepers.

[Thumper169]

Id be interested to know as well,,,, I have the valve clamp, I think I paid around $400 for it but Id prefer not to remove the heads.

[Relic]

Not the answer I hoped for. On car heads, you can use a simple bar / tool (about $40) that attaches to the rocker stud and you pry down on the spring cups.

I've got to replace one of the compression release boots on the front cyl anyway so I will see if I can rig something. I'm definately not going to pay $200 to just look @ 1 valve guide (I'll take the head off if the stem is covered in oil on the exhaust port).

Thanks.

[V]

Originally Posted by Relic

Not the answer I hoped for. On car heads, you can use a simple bar / tool (about $40) that attaches to the rocker stud and you pry down on the spring cups.

I've got to replace one of the compression release boots on the front cyl anyway so I will see if I can rig something. I'm definately not going to pay $200 to just look @ 1 valve guide (I'll take the head off if the stem is covered in oil on the exhaust port).

Thanks.

Well I'll tell you I had a 05 Pitbull and changed the stock springs out for the
.640 S&S while they were on the bike. Iused just about every configration of tools that I had. It took something different for each because of the bike frame. The front exhaust was the easiest, the rear exhaust was a bitch.

Our bike heads dont have a rocker stud like a chevy to use the tool you're talkin about. But you can install bolts in the heads in different locations as you work. I used compressed air on the cylinder with the piston at TDC just in case a valve did drop it would not be out of reach. For the air you will need the 12mm adapter.

I did the job, was a pain in the ass and the bike still runs like a champ.

But I would not do it again with out tools specific for the job, just to easy to mess somethin up with the aluminum heads. Also if you do change out the springs you should mic the new retaniners for 1.8" installed valve spring height

V

[Relic]

Thanks V.

I want to look @ the front exhaust port and since you said it was the easiest, I'll give it a try with the tools I have.

If it's worn, heads will be coming off.