How important are 'Head Steadies" on unit Triumphs?

[Billdozer1811]

I've been told by some people that you have to run head steadies on unit Triumphs or you'll break the cases at the front mount. And I've been told "Ah fuck 'em man, you don't need that shit."

How important are they on a machine that gets ridden hard and often but is no dragster? Seems to me they'd be pretty important, but the stock ones are pretty poorly made, so maybe all the bottom motor mounts are plenty. The one I'm using it on is a '70 650 engine in a '67 T120 frame.

Thanks,
-Bill
______________________
http://www.eldiablorun.com

[Dragon]

I've been told by some people that you have to run head steadies on unit Triumphs or you'll break the cases at the front mount. And I've been told "Ah fuck 'em man, you don't need that shit."

How important are they on a machine that gets ridden hard and often but is no dragster? Seems to me they'd be pretty important, but the stock ones are pretty poorly made, so maybe all the bottom motor mounts are plenty. The one I'm using it on is a '70 650 engine in a '67 T120 frame.

Thanks,
-Bill
______________________
http://www.eldiablorun.com


Bill, I feel they are crucially important.

and as to the stock pieces, look what they do, they tie (triangulate) 4 points on the topend to 2 points on the backbone. and those are not just 4 studs from the rocker box, they are full-length studs that thread all the way into the cyl. block, the inner 4 "head bolts".


they do very much towards controlling the intense hi-freq vibration that is the most damaging, much as the sheer-torque damage you mention. I've never seen front mounts broken, but I have seen very many brackets & misc. mounts break off, sissy bars break, taillights taking flight, and most dramatically (twice to the same guy) a drive-side lower tab on the bolt-on hardtail break aft of the bolts. that gets squirrelly Real fast.


another thing many folks dont realise that's such a big factor on Triumph & BSA, for the same reason (vibration); is using the correct oem bolts for the lower & front (through-engine) mounts. the "shank" portion is very close-tolerance to both the case casting and the frame lugs. substituting lesser stuff that "fits" by length will lead to letdown, sooner or later.


just some real-world lessons learned from 30-some years of making stuff work on Brit customs....

.

[ratrodshrum]

No wonder I lose shit down the rode all the time.

[scraper]

yeah man, seems like a lot of people cut them off so its easier to slide the motor in & out. i actually had to make a front tab & weld it on my 70tr6 because someone had chopped it off. my motor guru wouldnt warranty the work he did on my rebuild without using all 4 head steadies. i thought they were overkill until i fired the thing up & realized how much that little 650 vibrates.

my vote: very important.

[Trumpnut]

I've seen the cylinders crack right above the base plate . Thet are needed !

[copperbobber]

Get em on there! they will make a big difference on your hands too. Without I found that my handle bars shook like a bitch.

[Billdozer1811]

Yeah, I got some that Hal and I made, they seem way better than stock. I'll keep 'em on there, all the advice makes sense.

Thanks.

-Bill

[thecj3man]

Can someone post a picture or diagram of these head steadies?

Bill

[DutchRumbler]

Yeah please soem pic of what you mean cause I've got no idea this my first Trump project and I want to do it right the first time Greetz DR.

[Billdozer1811]

Here's what the stock ones look like. We made some out of angle iron.

-Bill
______________________
http://www.eldiablorun.com

[biker]

alright, I`ll be the odd man out here. I rode my triumph like a total mad man for 9 years without them on it, did wheelies on a regular basis (well, actually, more like jumping the front end up. LOL)
anyway, never had a problem. mine was/is a 1973/750 on a hardtail frame. (chopper)

[Dragon]

Here's what the stock ones look like. We made some out of angle iron.

-Bill
______________________
http://www.eldiablorun.com

yep that's them, & again, they mount onto the inner 4 headbolts with the front 2 going forward to a tab on the frame & the rear 2 rearward to another tab.

here is a breakdown showing the inner headbolt (38), which has a stud-end for attaching those head steadies.


http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2849/68headeditedyc3.jpg



note these inner 4 are long, because they go thru/sandwich the rockerboxes and head, threading into the cyl. block.


comments were made above about "cutting them off" to ease engine installation..... here's another tip - when installing your completed engine, Leave the Rockerboxes OFF .... gives you much more "wiggle room" & saves your paint.

also, I have occasionally had frames that would not let you pull or install one or two of those 4 inner bolts, being too close on the backbone. so, the deal is :

set the engine, less rockerboxes, into position in the frame.

fit the rockerboxes onto the head, and while able to move engine around if needed, install 4 inner headbolts and remaining rockerbox fasteners.

install & torque lower engine mounting bolts.

in proper sequence, torque 9 headbolts.

adjust valves.

install 4 head steadies.


and if it's your first time doing the head on/off or replacing just the rockerboxes, make extra sure all the pushrods/lifters/arms are seated positively in their ball/cups; by spinning the engine over many times with kicker & plugs out, sometimes it can take several tries sitting the rocker box onto the head, with several fingers thru the adjuster holes tipping the rockers home as you go.

many times the pushrods will come off the tappet or not index into the rocker as you offer it, that's what I mean for "getting the feel"....

once you do it you'll see..... yet another tip, wipe a dab of wheel bearing grease into the cup ends of the pushrods, top & bottom before assembly - makes it "cling" to the lifter & rockers' ball ends.

.

[ssjones]

Shoot, mine are missing and I thought I could get away without them. So, I'll have to get someone to weld tabs on the bar under the tank? Is there anywhere I can get the mounts, I don't really have a way of making my own at this point.

Here is what it looks like now.

[hatch]

Use em....only makes life better.

[Billdozer1811]

Hatch,

Thanks for the solid advice and detailed description, diagram, etc.

-Bill
________________________
http://www.eldiablorun.com

[hatch]

Hatch,

Thanks for the solid advice and detailed description, diagram, etc.

-Bill
________________________
http://www.eldiablorun.com


Sure...let me expand.....use all four.:D

[Dragon]

^