1948 Pan rocker arm push rod sockets

[Steve Little]

Hi. I am restoring a few of sets of Pan heads and launched into honing the rocker arms today. Tomorrow I'll work on the rocker pads and size them to the rocker arms. I have a couple of 1948 rocker arms that don't have the push rod sockets.
The sockets were listed as a separate part #17426-48 but I've never seen any and don't know where to find them.
Anyone have 4 they wish to sell? Personal message me if you do.

[T. Cotten]

Steve!

It is amazing that you found that many arms that were still round upon their journals.

And whether the early design or not, beware that many must have the wear that produces an "eye" that must be ground away. (First attachment)

Going on to the later design with a welded gallery, beware that some had filler rod inserted so deep that it prevented any flow to the top of the pushrod. (Second attachment)

....Cotten
PS: I have dozens of block assemblies, many that have been ground and hone upon a torque plate, but without quality replacements for the arms, they are nearly worthless.

[Steve Little]

Hi Tom. Thanks for the info.
Q
It is amazing that you found that many arms that were still round upon their journals.
A
They wern't. They all had different levels of gouging, galling, pitting and were acid etched. But they are nice and round now.
Here are a couple of pictures of the shafts before honing.





Q
And whether the early design or not, beware that many must have the wear that produces an "eye" that must be ground away. (First attachment)
A
Thanks. I lap the sockets to each push rod during assembly.

See rocker arm lathe attachment and Sunnen external hone.


Q
Going on to the later design with a welded gallery, beware that some had filler rod inserted so deep that it prevented any flow to the top of the pushrod. (Second attachment)
A
Thanks. I'll have a poke around in there and make sure its clear.
Q
PS: I have dozens of block assemblies, many that have been ground and hone upon a torque plate, but without quality replacements for the arms, they are nearly worthless.
A
Yeah I know your pain. I have more rocker blocks than arms. And more heads than rocker assemblies.

Thanks for the floats at Davenport. Sorry for causing you a seizure on the quantity I wanted.

[exeric]

Now that is an interesting, and ingenious fixture Steve. I look forward to seeing more pictures, and text about your rocker restoration.

[T. Cotten]

Steve!

The "eye" in the sockets is a raised area, not a depression, so it must be ground down before lapping.

My Sunnen catalogs must be greatly out-dated! Thanks for the tip...

....Cotten
PS: I greatly underestimated demand for my Linkert floats, as my competitors' floats are failing in increasing numbers.
PPS: Geez Sunnen's web site is useless.

[BigLakeBob]

Great work Steve! I have ground the radius end but have never done the shaft itself.

[Steve Little]

Thanks fellas.
I didn't get back to this job yesterday. Helped second son get ready for his flight to England. He is doing his Masters at Oxford university for the next couple of years.
Up until now it's been fine, it has just been a phrase, “he's going to Oxford”.
If I'm seen me at the airport tonight, I got dust in my eyes and the runny nose is hay fever. And that's all I got to say on the matter.

I did a few hours to distract myself today. This tool will become evident later on.
I am still in the hope that someone can help out with some push rod sockets or a lead on a supply.

[Steve Little]

FOR SALE
Sunnen external Hone and Pan head rocker arm lathe adapter US$550.
Renew that bucket of worn Pan head rocker arms.

Hone was new for this job.
Australian Sunnen distributor has another one in stock AU$1200.
New stone and guide fitted for this job. See previous posts for use

Personal message me.

[Steve Little]

Last machining operation.



All finished.
No its not a muzzle flash suppressor for a 50 caliber.



Nope!! Its not a silencer.



I could have a lot of fun with a big Sunnen hone, but I only work on my own parts so I cant justify the expense.

I have wanted one of these Sunnen valve guide hone sets for a while, and when I found one at the Davenport swap meet, I haggled and got it for what I consider “a bargain”.



Now that I have it home, I've been sitting here looking at it and got it into my head that if I made a rigid adapter I could use the adjustable driver head in the lathe and buy whatever mandrels I needed.
Yes. I know,....I might have a bit to much time on my hands
But it has worked out nicely. I have a PAK 20A adapter, mandrel, and stones coming soon.

[Steve Little]

My original question is still hanging...Early Pan head rocker arms had a push rod socket that was fitted into the rocker arm and peened over to hold it in place.
It was listed in the early parts manual with its own part number #17426-48.

Have any of you “certified” part scavengers ever seen a push rod socket as a New Old Stock part?
Or, am I chasing a ghost part which is listed with a genuine part number in the Parts manual, but never existed as a separate part outside the Harley Davidson assembly line?

[Steve Little]

After a bit of a think and a look back at this picture, I think I can answer my own question.
The pushrod socket wasn't intended to be replaced.

My reasoning is posted below and sound debate is welcome;

The copper coating protects any part that is not intended for hardening.
The socket was installed and peened in place, which means that it could not have been hardened before it was installed....must be soft to peen over.
The copper coating process was applied after the socket was installed and peened.

The socket depression, the bearing journal, and the nose of the rocker arm would have been the only parts to accept the hardening process, as they would not be copper coated.
This means the completed rocker arm, was put in heat treatment after the socket was installed.
Have I got it wrong?

[BigLakeBob]

A friend of mine has one NOS socket, wanted me to post the pictures. Guess they were available unassembled. Kinda like a 3 brush armature commutator, available but not practical to replace.

[Steve Little]

The truth is out there....and so must the sockets. Woohoo!

[exeric]

Steve, I've seen your work and I know you could make your own pushrod sockets. If they were easily obtainable, it's always easier to buy a part than make a part; but obviously they are not falling out of trees. Are you going to make your own? Also, would it not be reasonable to dress the radius of the existing sockets that you do have?

[Steve Little]

Hi Bob.
Thanks to your friend, and you for posting the picture.

With the exception of the pushrod socket, the replaceable insert looks to be copper coated. This makes sense as the socket depression needs to be hardened, but the area to be peened would be soft.

In comparison; the complete rocker arms (as seen in my pictures) were fully assembled before the copper coating process was applied. Evidence of this is in the peened area which still has a perfect layer of copper.

Bob.
Do you think your friend would allow the socket to come for a "two week" all expenses paid, holiday to Australia?

Dear Mr Socket.
Your proposed holiday itinerary would include:
Soothing, sensual, measuring to asses your individual body size.
Exciting, and fun filled action as 1000 clones pop out of a cnc lathe.
Reinvigorate those tired pores in a luxuriant, copper bath, and receive a free SPF 2000 copper sunscreen.
Finally. Our all important sun baking facility. Relax in our state of the art solarium, which is temperature controlled to ensure a comfy 1400°F.


Failing that idea, maybe a certain machinist who resides in the Ohio area, and has a preference for big lakes, might launch in and do a run.

Somebody posted that the reproductions are inferior. What!!! How can this be true??

The pictures I've listed, show that original journals are easy to renew.
eg, a good one takes about 5 - 10 and a bad one takes about 10 -20 minutes.

Eric. See above idea and encourage anyone who likes big lakes.