Piston wrist pin reamers

Bottom End (crankcases and crankshaft)
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Plain
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Piston wrist pin reamers

#1

Post by Plain »

Got a question that I hope will result in good answers. About eighteen months ago many of my ancient and well used Harley tools were stolen. In all my days of working on engines I have only used the old Harley Tool 94800-26 adjustable reamer for reaming piston wrist pin bushings with the rods in the case. That tool is of course no longer available, or if one exists I cannot locate it. Kent-Moore makes this tool as HD-94800-26, but of course Kent-Moore will not sell directly to me. I have to order it through a Harley dealer, and the only dealers in this area only care to sell $ 25,000.00 Duces, leather clothes, and $ 300.00 cycle service. They will not order a tool for anyone.
Before I jump through hoops to locate a Kent-Moore tool, I need to consider what else is out there. I find a wrist pin bushing reamer made by Jim's - fixed reamer. Ram Jett offers a fixed reamer with guide. Aerosharp has a very interesting fixed solid carbide reamer with a lead in pilot. Has anybody out there had any experience with the Jim's, Ram Jett, or Aerosharp tools and how do they compare the the old Harley adjustable reamer. Any and all opinions would be appreciated.

Plain
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Re: Piston wrist pin reamers

#2

Post by Cotten »

Anything is better than an adjustable.
The Ramjet reamer isn't bad, but the "guide" is an expensive joke.
Reaming rod bushings with the rods installed is risky, no matter how sweet your reamer is: All rods should be re-straightened after re-bushing, and doing that in the cases is a roll of the dice.
Plain
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Re: Piston wrist pin reamers

#3

Post by Plain »

Thanks Cotten:

I have always done really well with an adjustable. Maybe years of practice. And, I fit wrist pins very exactly.
The Ram Jett is quite expensive. I was wondering about the guide. Hard to tell from a picture in a catalog.
And yes I will agree that replacing bushings and reaming in the case is risky, and not the best practice but there are those odd times when it is preferable to do it that way rather than tear it down entirely.
While we are at it, I am finding the current crop of bushings to be much less than desirable for many areas on the engine. Reaming a bushing is only as good as the hole drilled exactly in the center of the bushing. I am finding enough variance in concentricity that I even chuck an idler gear or circuit gear up in the lathe to ream the bushings to prevent eccentric runout.
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Re: Piston wrist pin reamers

#4

Post by Jack_Hester »

Plain -

I have a Ram Jett, that I fabricated new bases for, to use on 45 cases. A buddy of mine has one, that is unmodified. I borrow his, for use on Big Twins. I have an original H-D that I bought new in the early 70's. I have another much older NOS original, that I haven't used (bought it as a collectable). I quit using my original several years ago, as one loan out of the shop brought it back with chipped teeth. I don't loan anymore. My buddy doesn't build engines, and bought his for one job. He doesn't care. Anyway, the stepped reamer with the Ram Jett is made for the two most used sized wristpins, that you would run into on Harleys. I got a really good price on mine, though my buddy paid full price for his. I think that it makes a very clean and accurate ream throught the bushing. I've never used the Jim's or the Aerosharp reamers. However, I think that Aerosharp makes some of the finest on the market. They made me a custom reamer for 45 cam bushings, and it is very high quality.

Jack
Plain
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Re: Piston wrist pin reamers

#5

Post by Plain »

Thanks for the information Jack. I still have some head scratching to do, but I am getting closer.

Adios-----Plain
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