I aligned the two pistons with the original one, connected with piston pins, in both directions.
The pistons are aligned with each other.
I measured from the piston pin bore, top to bottom and there is no off set.



The pistons are similar to the originals (Wiseco) which however were marked on the crown with an arrow and an opposing X.



I will use the side with the chamfered step, to insert the piston pin.

 

That piston has an arrow it points to the front of the engine front and rear pistons

some of the inventory some company’s have is 30 even 40 years old as they bought thousands of them technology has caught up to new old stock

what they do today is different - with a stock shovel engine at .010 over dont be concerned about the re location pins in a newer pistons - while it does work 10s of thousands of engines still in use do not run them

the mechanical end of what happens is at top dead center and again at bottom dead center the off set holds the piston at a better angle so it does not make noise a piston RATTLE its called cold but once it warms up it goes away - most dont hear it with the 60 weight thick oil used in a Harley

 

Some day I will be having my shovel head engine apart. What would be a good piston with an offset wrist pin to purchase. Stock compression ratio.

 

Mid usa motorcycle parts sells the newer style pistons but use the moly ring set as the hone on most machines today is much finer then it once was and the moly ring set will double the use mileage - we fit them at .003 loose - have done thousands this works

 

Are they the same weight as stock so the assembly does not need re balancing ? When you say you fit them a .003 loose are you talking piston to wall clearance.

 

Yes and yes

 

personally I'd drop more money on better made pistons, it will pay in the long term

 

Were the factory pistons from back in the day (40 years ago) made with off set wrist pins ?

 

Better pistons are forged OEM pistons are cast - we have customers with cast pistons in a shovel flat side 74 inch 120 thousand miles

racing requires with hi compression forged pistons and i have never found a 7 1/2 to 1 forged piston

1932 to 1948 Indian chief 6 1/2 to 1 cast 4 piston rings and they are one piece including the oil ring with a T slot - only cast they run in a machine 12 to 15 years

knuckles have been converted to the pan and shovel pistons when you convert the connecting rods from 7.470 to 7.440 and only in the last 10 years have we been seeing offset pins in the newer type pistons in only 2 compressions 7 1/2 to 1 and the 8 1/2 to 1 in 3 7/16 bore 74 inch engines been told the 3 1/2 bore now has them but have not seen them -

they do not list them that they are offset its the luck of the draw but mid usa has a much newer inventory and we buy only from them now

 

I have also determined that the piston is not offset as far as I can tell. What I'm having issues with is these supplied clips or spacers...is this installed properly?..no installation paper work in supplied DS pistons 750751 Edit...think I was supplied wrong clips as my pin is not like the one on attachment below

My pin is short, flat faced unlike this one