Recent content by airhead81

I did my brother's water boxer GS. It was a cake walk by comparison. I could (and did) adjust the valves on my airheads in the motel parking lot with the tools under the seat. Still, all things considered, I aint about to go back. One pain in the ass every 27K is a reasonable price to pay...

“Motorcycle maintenance gets frustrating. Angering. Infuriating. That's what makes it interesting.” Robert M. Pirsig I think he wrote that about the S Ten valve adjustment. I have been wrenching on motorcycles for over 40 years. Generally, I find it therapeutic. It’s something I look...

It is not necessary to remove the engine. Are you sure it says that? I do not recall reading it. In fact, it tells you to remove the break lines in order to more easily be able to remove the valve cover from the head while it is in the bike.

The piston goes together like this. The threaded barrel threads into the piston. When you re retracting the piston, you are threading the barrel further into the piston. This is what is happening when you are rotating the piston or the body. I still am not clear on what exactly holds the...

Sorry, 2015 model with 26,223 miles. All of the exhaust valves were out of spec (tight). All of the intakes were in spec but on the low side. I changed all of the shims but one intake. Photo of valve lash readings attached.

I did try that in a vice and also with some clamps. The problem is that the threaded inner part has to be "stopped" by friction against something at the bottom of the housing. Otherwise it just spins right along with the piston and never retracts. That was my problem. No amount of clamping...

Here is my contribution. The new CCT came from the factory retracted (thankfully). I had to take this macro photo and study it for a minute to understand the mechanism by which the piston is held back, and then later released by compressing it slightly with the tip of a screwdriver, and then...

Thanks to everyone for this thread. I am in the middle of a valve adjustment and found it helpful. I had a frustrating experience with the CCT. After removal, I held it in my hand, observed how the protruding piston rotated inside the housing when all of a sudden it came apart in my hand. I...

I'm back in Baby's arms. Spring is right around the corner.

Yes. Rounded down the edges and will touch up with black paint.

Of course the grab rails need to be removed as well in order to utilize the lower position for the rear rack.

The Alt Rider web site shows two positions available for the rear rack. One is the elevated position. The other is with the riser removed, which gives you essentially one large platform as it merges with the front rack (where the passenger seat used to be). The problem is, the rear rack will...

She's a tough old gal. Doesn't even flinch during minor surgery.

Nothing sounds better.