New hydraulic lifters

How would you rate Custom Chrome, Sifton, and Crane

Top End (cylinders pushrods etc.)
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PanPal
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New hydraulic lifters

#1

Post by PanPal »

I am buying replacement lifters for a 59. How would you rate Custom Chrome, Sifton, and Crane?
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#2

Post by Jack_Hester »

PanPal -

I don't know who makes the CC lifters, but my suspicions are they are Taiwan. Sifton doesn't seem to have a good name, these days. They were bought out some time ago, and not the company they were. Crane is in the cam/lifter business, and has been for a good many years. I've used their automotive parts and it is high quality.
I don't buy from CC. I no longer use Sifton, because of the drop in quality. I haven't used Crane motorcycle products. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Crane product, if they made what I needed.

Jack
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#3

Post by sleeper »

I agree with Jack, on every point.. 100%

My info is that Crane has been making the new cams/lifters for the new HD's for some time now. At least for sure during the evo era. Not Positive on that new fangled Water Buffallo, or Twin-kee's ??
Crane's no stranger to HD sickles..... ;D
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#4

Post by Cotten »

WHoa,..don't look now,..but Crane just repackages products from other manufacturers.
There seems to be three species of hydraulics out there:
Some are reputed to be made by the OEM maker Eaton.
Oddly, they are sometimes not up to snuff.
I suspect Crane sells some made by a Japanese supplier;
Oddly again, these seem to have the best reputation.
Then there are the D I Y (stamped on the barrel) cheapo's. Possibly made in India??
Oddly for the third time,...I have little problem with them as long as it isn't an andrews cam.
But after a right motorcase disaster with a stuck hydraulic (found out after I warranteed it that the owner blew it in a wild cocaine frenzy, and then he stiffed me for the rest of his tab), I have narrowed my installations to the Crane offerings out of paranoia. This is no guarantee that Crane may suddenly switch suppliers.
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#5

Post by Jack_Hester »

Cotton -

Glad you brought up the name Eaton. We have one of those right here in Roxboro, NC. A young fellow just came to work at the Power Plant, from there. I'll quiz him as to what they make in our local plant. Never heard him mention the products, but said that the quality control was outstanding. Tells me that Eaton has a good act.

Jack
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#6

Post by dirtydistrict »

Hey guys what about Jims ? are they manufacturers or just packagers?
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#7

Post by sleeper »

Jim's was the TOP name in Quality. Not sure about now?
I know there were some lifter problems posted elsewhere about Jim's. I don't know. I give up....
I'm sure Cotten knows !!!
I read they sold off their shaft biz to Riveria Mach. Today, I would prefer any shafts be from Eastern, over Jim's...
I just got in a couple specialty tools from Jim's.
Fine Craftsmanship...
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#8

Post by Cotten »

I used to swear by JIMS.
Now I swear at them.
Even when customers bring in their hardware to install (I do a lot for other shops), there always seems to be a problem.
Usually where they re-designed away from the original.
They got too big for their own good, and everyone elses. They really crap on the vintage market.
As far as their lifters, I have no clue,...but mostly they push an update for latemodels. The 'modern' forums are full of threads about them. Lotsa questions. What does that tell ya?
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#9

Post by VintageTwin »

Tells me go to solids.... Where- I- (jabs thumb at his own chest)-Got-Control- over my own pushrod lash destiny.
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#10

Post by sleeper »

Yeah I hear ya Plumber,
But you still want Good needle bearings & rollers.
Well, there's still NOS
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#11

Post by Jack_Hester »

Billy -

I'm glad you brought up the subject of rollers. Don't mean to go off on a tangent. But, these are very important, as far as solid lifters go. I try to encourage people who run solids, and use their bike as a primary ride, to plan on an annual inspection of the tappet rollers. Mainly, if they are needle rollers. If I could find a source for the old style rollers, which had no needles, I would load up on them. Needles take a pounding with solids. The only reason they hold up so long in our (yours and mine) Flatheads, is the weaker valve springs. Needle rollers have a very good life with hydraulics. Your mention of rollers should always be a part of talking solids. It is something that I've rarely seen spoken about in forum.

Jack
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#12

Post by VintageTwin »

Yeah...your probably right. V-Twin has a tappet roller repair kit, contains 4 pins and 4 roller assemblys. With Torrington bearings (VT 10-8541). Then you need the handy axle remover and peener clamshell (VT 16-0874) and you'll be set.
It was a two-liner in PowerSports trade journal that I saw that Rivera had bought JIMS.
All kinds of mergers over the years. People going in and out of the Knuck and Pan parts business. An outside observer would think there is a real industry going on and there is, but you never see anything much in print about it (not that we care), but even with business ramped at full output, we don't even show up on the industry radar screen. Take transmission mainshafts, only two companies make them. Eastern (Sifton, V-Twin) and Andrews (and they were backordered). We're lucky anybody is making anything.
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#13

Post by Cotten »

Eastern,

Sifton-V-TWIN (or multiple Taiwan producers we can easily lump together), and Andrews is three fingers.
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#14

Post by VintageTwin »

V-Twin mainshaft (35039-50) (VT 17-0139) is sugg. retail $74.83. Their "Motor Shop" (Sifton) mainshaft (VT 17-0223) $117.50, and Andrews is (VT 17-8500) $184.24.
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Re: New hydraulic lifters

#15

Post by sleeper »

Jack, I agree that solid lifter rollers need checked.
As they are often over-looked. & all the rest of a motor gets re-built......
Same thing for trannys, seems you don't hear much, unless they are crying out for rebuild..
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