The one I was looking at covers '84 to '99 Softails.
I notice that in your instructions it tells you to drop a ball bearing down the stud holes and then tighten the stud on top of them.
Mine doesn't use the ball bearings.

 

'84 and early '85 used different cylinder stud bolts and the heads from those years won't fit over the newer cylinder studs.

 

Did not know, was there a problem, mine 86

 

I din't either until a friend of mine wanted me to put a top end gasket set on his '85.

 

Sometimes they installed flange up. The later way, and the correct way, is to install flange down. That may be where the different heights come from.

 

I read the instructions to place the ball bearing in the head bolt, then tighten the bolt on the stud, then run the stud down into the case. FWIW all my studs had the shoulders up so I flipped them, my 92 manual also has the length method, not torqued, seems hard to torque without bending them. The ball bearing is to keep the head bolt from locking on the stud and the rag is to keep the bearing out of the cases upon removal of head bolt.

 

is the purpose of the ball bearing to serve as sort of a crush washer, allowing a certain amount of "squish"?

 

it's to keep the bolt from locking onto the stud so you can remove it once you get the stud torqued. I used a chunk of Allen wrench since I couldn't find a ball. Worked perfectly.

 

The bearing keeps the head bolt from locking onto the stud, easier removal to help prevent the stud backing out.

 

Early 87 and older, no shoulder. Late 87 to 98 has a shoulder, according to my manual.