HarleyTechTalk

   98 Sportster, what is the easiest way to change the lifters. Cutting the tubes and pushrods or pulling the heads.

That really depends on what pushrods are in there, and how good your bolt cutters are.

I personnally would cut them unless you have oil leaks somewhere on the top side. Just remember you need to buy the New 3 piece design tubes and ideally quickee adjust pushrods. I have done the head removalway several times, the back cover is a bitch to get on and off. Cut em save yourself some headache

Quote from: BUGLET on April 09, 2019, 05:21:28 AM
   98 Sportster, what is the easiest way to change the lifters. Cutting the tubes and pushrods or pulling the heads.

You don't need to pull the heads to swap lifters on your bike. Just the rocker boxes.

Yes, the rocker boxes the back top is a bitch to get in and out, it can be done but I guarantee you will wonder how the hell does this go back in there. Either way you do it just make sure you install new gaskets, I was just trying to save him the hassle because he could just cut them and put in quickee pushrods or remove everything and use the old solid pushrods and tubes its your call you will save couple $2-300 by taking it apart and not cutting.

   It looks like you have to take the boxes of to get the new push rods in. 

Quote from: BUGLET on April 12, 2019, 01:27:38 PM
   It looks like you have to take the boxes of to get the new push rods in.

You don't have to take the rocker boxes off to replace the pushrods. Remove the 2 shaft bolts on the pushrod side, slide the shafts out then remove the rockers to expose the pushrods.
Removing the rocker shafts, rockers and the pushrods on the rear cylinder also makes it easy to remove the rocker cover.

Quote from: Julio on April 12, 2019, 05:08:57 PM
You don't have to take the rocker boxes off to replace the pushrods. Remove the 2 shaft bolts on the pushrod side, slide the shafts out then remove the rockers to expose the pushrods.

As soon as you take that shaft out and remove the pressure that's on the pushrod, the lifter plunger comes up and the lifter fills with oil. You're not going to get the rocker and shaft back into place at that point. So you end up removing the rocker box anyway, so that you can reassemble everything.

   That might work if you put adjustable push rods.