Question about S&S pushrods

[Mark44]

A couple of years ago I attempted to adjust the lash on my '55 panhead motor. Thinking I had hydraulic lifters, I adjust the lash too tight and wound up bending a couple of my aluminum pushrods. Following that fiasco, I replaced the bent pushrods with ones I got from JP. This took me a couple of tries to get ones that sort of fit. Sort of - the pushrods are for shovelhead engines, so the ball at the top of the pushrod is smaller than what is used on a panhead.

Based on numerous threads here, the consensus seems to be that steel pushrods are superior to aluminum, so I got a set of S&S pushrods from a seller on eBay, Fox River Cycle, part # 93-5058. These pushrods have ball tips at both ends, with the adjustment in the lifter. Unfortunately for me, the lifter doesn't fit into my tappets. My current lifters have an O.D. of .516", and the ones in the S&S set have an O.D. of .519".

Since I couldn't use these pushrods, I ordered a different set of S&S rods, p.n. 93-5091. These pushrods don't come with adjusters, but I was able to use the adjusters that are on the ones I bent. The trouble with these pushrods is that they are too short, measuring about 8 - 13/16" in comparison to a length of about 9 - 3/16" on the ones I bent. (These lengths are for the shorter rods, not the exhaust rod for the front cylinder.)

I sent an email to S&S yesterday, but haven't heard back from them yet. It might be that S&S has the pushrod I need, but their web site is not as informative as I would like, as it doesn't include the specs (such as length) for the pushrods, only the years of application.

One possiblity is to turn the S&S lifters that came with the 93-5058 set, taking off .002". The pushrods seem to be the length I need, but the two styles of S&S pushrods have the adjusters in different places (93-5058 - adjuster in lifter, 93-5091 - adjuster in pushrod), so I need to do some more measuring to see if turning down the lifter will solve the problem. In any case, it seems odd to me that the S&S lifters don't fit into my tappets (I don't know what kind they are - they came with the motor). Also, I don't think the motor has longer than stock cylinders, but I haven't measured them, and don't know the motor's history.

I would really like to go with steel pushrods, but I'm getting stymied at every point, so if necessary, I would settle for a set of aluminum pushrods. Can you guys come up with some alternatives for me?

Thanks,
Mark

[1951 adam]

I don't like steel pushrods if your not using hydrolics . I'd use the colony set and be done with it. Expansion is better with alloys . I know there's some people that have had issues, but I never did. Option 2 is find some OEM pushrods... Also steel. But I'd use hydrolics depending on cam.
Adam

[58flh]

Mark--Thats whats-up with S&S--(Its a kit-tappets & rods--adj. on tappet)--I use solid-tappets so Im on steel-p-rods!--Colony ALUM. fair ALOT better with HYD-tappets!//Again I have a shobox of Busted-colonys!-98% on SOLIDS!--REST were owner mis-adjustment on HYDs!.--What I did IS I pull all the ADJ.s & Ball-tops out of the Colonies as they are very GOOD & HARD!.--GET some used shovel-steel P-rods & Put the ball-top in CRIMP!--T-& the ADJ. threads right in!--(Its a cheap way to have good P-rods CAUSE S&S is $$$$!--Or you can make your own if you have acess to a Lathe!--Thats what Alot of guys did ! including me!.If you already got the S&S Tappets & RODS--HELL HONE the blocks !--You wont be sorry thier p-rods are a sweet set-up!---Just bend a 7/16s wrench a bit to lock-up the ADJ. once done!--(it helps getting in there!).----RICHIE

[Huck]

Agreed Richie.

I have the S&S set, solid rod, adjustable perches. They are somewhat of a PITA to adjust. I’d like to come up with a set of adjustable steel and solid perches myself.

ps. I googled myself bored looking for a set, I couldn't find anyone that makes them.

[kitabel]

I adjust the lash too tight and wound up bending a couple of my aluminum pushrods

The other possibility is that you opened the valves, and when the pistons hit them the pushrods bent.

[Huck]

They do kick over easier with all the valves open
Actually bending a rod while adjusting it does seem odd.

[Mark44]

Mark--Thats whats-up with S&S--(Its a kit-tappets & rods--adj. on tappet)--I use solid-tappets so Im on steel-p-rods!--Colony ALUM. fair ALOT better with HYD-tappets!//Again I have a shobox of Busted-colonys!-98% on SOLIDS!--REST were owner mis-adjustment on HYDs!.--What I did IS I pull all the ADJ.s & Ball-tops out of the Colonies as they are very GOOD & HARD!.--GET some used shovel-steel P-rods & Put the ball-top in CRIMP!--T-& the ADJ. threads right in!--

What sort of setup do you use to pull the ball top out? A small gear-puller? I don't understand part of what you wrote -- "CRIMP!--T" Crimp I get, but what is "T"?

(Its a cheap way to have good P-rods CAUSE S&S is $$$$!--Or you can make your own if you have acess to a Lathe!--Thats what Alot of guys did ! including me!.If you already got the S&S Tappets & RODS

My problem is that the tappets aren't S&S, so the S&S lifters I have don't fit into my tappets.

--HELL HONE the blocks !--You wont be sorry thier p-rods are a sweet set-up!---Just bend a 7/16s wrench a bit to lock-up the ADJ. once done!--(it helps getting in there!).----RICHIE

[awander]

Spin the S&S lifters in a drill(or a lathe), and take off a few thousandths with emory paper backed by a file-shouldn't take too long to get them to fit into your tappets.