ticking
- Thread starter Dragonman
- Start date
nine lives
Active Member
Shawn,
Do a search, this maybe the most requested information on these bikes. Lot of info on this.
Do a search, this maybe the most requested information on these bikes. Lot of info on this.
pauldeepsea
Guru
the ticking sound could be a loose primary chain not sure what is sounds like but my primary chain was loose and it used to tick or rattle pretty loud.
Dezertrider37v
Member
I love this topic!
Does it sound like it is coming from the rocker boxes?
Is it consistant with the rpm of the engine (the more you twist the throttle the more it ticks)?
Do you have TP rocker boxes? (4 bolts on top) or s&s rocker boxes (six bolts).
It can be as simple as you need to adjust your pushrods (lots of good how to's here).
It may be that you need to clean the tappet screen (too much metal in screen means starving top end for oil).
If you have the TP boxes you are experiencing the worst case scenario.
You will have to replace the boxes,rockers, and rocker shafts with ones from S&S (big bucks).
I have done a lot of homework on this one (i have the TP ones) and it has everthing to do with the geometry of the TP boxes (destroying valveguides) and the rockershafts hammering themselves into the pillowblocks and creating excessive lateral wear in the rocker boxes (when they move back and forth they tick loud).
You can shim the rockers with harley shims, but you can't prolong the inevitable damage to the valve guides.
My .02 hope this helps.
Does it sound like it is coming from the rocker boxes?
Is it consistant with the rpm of the engine (the more you twist the throttle the more it ticks)?
Do you have TP rocker boxes? (4 bolts on top) or s&s rocker boxes (six bolts).
It can be as simple as you need to adjust your pushrods (lots of good how to's here).
It may be that you need to clean the tappet screen (too much metal in screen means starving top end for oil).
If you have the TP boxes you are experiencing the worst case scenario.
You will have to replace the boxes,rockers, and rocker shafts with ones from S&S (big bucks).
I have done a lot of homework on this one (i have the TP ones) and it has everthing to do with the geometry of the TP boxes (destroying valveguides) and the rockershafts hammering themselves into the pillowblocks and creating excessive lateral wear in the rocker boxes (when they move back and forth they tick loud).
You can shim the rockers with harley shims, but you can't prolong the inevitable damage to the valve guides.
My .02 hope this helps.
BATMAN2696
Member
I went out and checked mine. I have 6 bolts on the rocker covers. I hear a ticking from the rocker box tops. I had the same sound on my Harley, That is one of the reasons I need a stereo. Every little sound makes me crazy wondering if something is going wrong. I put 50,000 miles on it with the same sounds so they must have been normal.
Dezertrider37v
Member
Even if everything is perfect they still tick a little, thats what loud exhaust are for!
Nukeranger
Nukeranger
X2:2thumbs:Even if everything is perfect they still tick a little, thats what loud exhaust are for!
if it was sitting for 3 years, the first thing you should have done was to change all the fluids no matter what they looked like. synthetic oil will cause a little more noise usually but you get better protection than with dino. probably just the pushrods.
Bmarchant
Active Member
Your fine......They all tic a little.
This has to be the hardest thing to get used to on a V-Twin.....tic...tic...tic...tic.. Drives me CRAZY!!!! I'm not talking about when it ticks because the push rods need adjusting...... Just the normal ticking sound these engines make.
My best friend has a brand new Road King, and he kept bringing it back because it was ticking........ Nothing wrong. In fact, the mechanic told him to remove the windshield. Hey sound went away. Not really, he just can't hear it now with the wind noise.
I did the same thing when I first got my Big dog, kept asking my mechanic to take if for a ride because its making ticking noise. Nothing wrong.
I finally gave up when I listened to a few other V-twins all making the same tic, tic tic noise. Even went on YouTube to listen to other bikes. They all make it. Someone up here gave me some great advise (sorry, can't rememeber who) " Ride it till it breaks, then fix it".... Funny, that was almost 15 thousand miles ago. Still running fine.
Bill
This has to be the hardest thing to get used to on a V-Twin.....tic...tic...tic...tic.. Drives me CRAZY!!!! I'm not talking about when it ticks because the push rods need adjusting...... Just the normal ticking sound these engines make.
My best friend has a brand new Road King, and he kept bringing it back because it was ticking........ Nothing wrong. In fact, the mechanic told him to remove the windshield. Hey sound went away. Not really, he just can't hear it now with the wind noise.
I did the same thing when I first got my Big dog, kept asking my mechanic to take if for a ride because its making ticking noise. Nothing wrong.
I finally gave up when I listened to a few other V-twins all making the same tic, tic tic noise. Even went on YouTube to listen to other bikes. They all make it. Someone up here gave me some great advise (sorry, can't rememeber who) " Ride it till it breaks, then fix it".... Funny, that was almost 15 thousand miles ago. Still running fine.
Bill
nine lives
Active Member
Dragonman, I also have an 06 Mastiff. Been through the lifter adjustment, adjusted mine about four times before I got them quiet and I do mean quiet. I would do the search and re-adjust the lifters so you know where you are with them, pretty simple just time consuming. You should also consider removing you clutch hub nut, and re-installing it with red locktit on the threads and using an impact gun, if you don't, It will come loose. Again do a search. One more thing you should do. Remove your head light connector and replace with a good ceramic H4 connector. Starter may also be an issue at some point, just do one thing at a time.
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Dezertrider37v
Member
I thought I might post an update on ticking for those who have the same problem.
Backstory: I bought my Ridgeback from a BD dealer in 2007 with 228 miles on it (new right?), at 1000 miles it was already ticking. Took it in again and they said "it's normal". Took it back at 2500 they adjusted the pushrods (under warranty) no change. I figured no biggie I'll just live with it.
Fastforward: 9000 miles ticking has gotten progressively worse! Adjusted pushrods myself (pretty mechanically inclined) every oil change, no difference.
FINALLY found out about this site and learned about the TP Boxes and the ticking.
Last weekend: Ticking too loud can't stand it anymore!!!!! I pulled rockerboxes and heads, took all the parts to a very experienced machinist at a motorcycle shop locally. He didnt agree that it was caused by the TP boxes so I stand corrected! He did find that my exhaust valve guides were egg shaped and I may need to replace my valves as well.
This is consistant with what I suspected, I have built high horsepower big and small block motors and am familiar with what alot of spring and a big cam can do to the valvetrain.
It looks like it could have been heat related (its 114 here and i ride her daily) should have bought a cooler right?
Well.. if I had waited to much longer i might have broken a valve! That would have been really expensive!
More to come
Backstory: I bought my Ridgeback from a BD dealer in 2007 with 228 miles on it (new right?), at 1000 miles it was already ticking. Took it in again and they said "it's normal". Took it back at 2500 they adjusted the pushrods (under warranty) no change. I figured no biggie I'll just live with it.
Fastforward: 9000 miles ticking has gotten progressively worse! Adjusted pushrods myself (pretty mechanically inclined) every oil change, no difference.
FINALLY found out about this site and learned about the TP Boxes and the ticking.
Last weekend: Ticking too loud can't stand it anymore!!!!! I pulled rockerboxes and heads, took all the parts to a very experienced machinist at a motorcycle shop locally. He didnt agree that it was caused by the TP boxes so I stand corrected! He did find that my exhaust valve guides were egg shaped and I may need to replace my valves as well.
This is consistant with what I suspected, I have built high horsepower big and small block motors and am familiar with what alot of spring and a big cam can do to the valvetrain.
It looks like it could have been heat related (its 114 here and i ride her daily) should have bought a cooler right?
Well.. if I had waited to much longer i might have broken a valve! That would have been really expensive!
More to come
BATMAN2696
Member
:roll:
XTREEME
Active Member
So true! I went through the whole deal a few years ago of changing out my TP boxes for S&S, bigger springs, re-bore, bigger cam, etc, etc, etc, and all I really did manage to accomplish was lose a whole summer of riding along with thinning out my wallet. It still ticks like a frikken time bomb. F it, I don't worry about it anymore.
Just get a louder exhaust and ride it like you stole it.
(I am happy with the extra power I have now though...)