Knuckle Rocker Arms

[Bill Pedalino]

Gentlemen,

I recently purchased new rocker arm and shafts for my '47 FL. In performing my research prior to the purchase, I was looking for the Sweedish company that originally remanufactured the Knuckle head-assemblies, as those that I personally observed were of very high quality. Apparently they either sold out or had a business chnge of some sort. I swallowed hard, threw caution to the wind and ordered a set of rocker arms and shafts from Ted.

Wow, was I pleasantly suprised! The rocker arms are of the highest qualiy, the fit on the new shafts is perfect and everything lines up as well as the factory units that I am replacing. Even better - they have bushings! and the bushings have the machined oil distribution grooves !! This saved me a LOT of time because if these repops were of poor quality, I would have had to machine the old rocker arms and fit shovelhead/Sportster rocker arm bushings. Also, a fair amount of meat would have to be removed from the valve pads on the arms and I would have had to replace the pushrod balls as well. In the end, my labor would have exceeded the cost of the new rocker arms.

It seems that Ted now sells the parts manufactured by the pevious company and my guess is that he probably purchased the entire operation in support of the knuckle motors that he sells. If so, this as a wise business decision - I'll have to ask him when I see him at the next meet.

My stongest recommendation goes to those who are contemplating buying a set of these rocker arms through V-Twin.

[Paps]

Bill.....I believe S&S Cycle took those products over, if you ever need anymore. Paps

[bmh]

If they are not in packs marked S&S or Flathead power I would have the shafts checked for proper hardening before I ran em. I can say from personal experience that the -58 XL cam thrust plates are not. They looked real nice outta the pack, 500 miles later it was pretty grim. They were tested at a local machine shop and found to be completely unhardened mild steel. Really nice way to break-in a completely fresh motor huh?

[Early Iron MC]

Bill, S&S Cycle now owns Flathead Power, Tedd's knuckle head parts are his own line, and seem to be getting better. I'll be trying out his lifter blocks and rockers and shafts soon.

[Bill Pedalino]

Thank you all for the additional informatio and suggestions.

Unfortunately, there were no markings on the rocker or shaft packages, but he box that the packages looked like thjat 'expanded' cardboard that comes from eastern Asia. My guess; not S&S (unfortunately). But I reitterate - great fit and finish.

WHile I don't know about the rocker arms themselves, I know that for a fact that Gil May(Eastern) makes individual knuckle rocker shafts for Ted. While I did not do a Rockwell test, the Easten shafts that I've used in the past were of proper hardness, as they are still performng well. I know Gil personally (I use to work for him on Long Island 30+ years ago) and I've used his shafts before and its obvious that Gil's shafts and the ones that I just received are of different manufacture. Therefore bmh's suggestion is probably good advice.