Scooter Tramp Scotty has a couple videos chronicling his experience with an S&S engine. I was shocked at some of the things he said happened during that debacle. It sounded like they really tried to stand behind the product and make things right, but after 2 crate engines failed very shortly after install he just gave up and said never again.

 

Yeah, a guy can’t argue that S&S will replace their parts if they’re found faulty but the shop building my engine is losing money hand over fist tearing my bike apart to replace the parts over and over again. S&S should be on the hook for some of that as well. The shop shouldn’t have to suffer this much due to S&S’s incompetence…. and I shouldn’t be on the hook for additional labour either. These shops will either stop using their parts or go under if the issues continue like this.

 

That sucks. Especially if you only have 1 bike.
hope you get everything figured out.

 

Don't know where you got that from but the original TC cranks were crap if you put any power to them.. They used a 1.5 inch cranks pin instead off 1.671. They would spread or pinch and some broke rear rods. I've been through 2 of them one got rebuilt by dark horse and later broke a rod, the other got disassembled for parts and weights.. Both of them spread. There are a couple other guys that broke rear rods that I know of. The new 3 piece ones are pretty good.

I've not had any luck with their cylinders and pistons, 4inch bore 116 TC and 4 inch bore 113 evo..

The heads I've seen have been pretty good as far as manufacturing goes.. Seats, guides etc. They cast iron guides tho.

 

I had one of S&S's old TC 4.375 cranks also pinch, scissor or whatever it did about 10 years ago and that was on a 110" motor making only 115hp/116tq. Had 0.002 tir. when new pinion side, was 0.006 when removed. Gear drive sounded like I was mixing concrete. Tossed it. Replaced with new, at the time, 3 piece crank and runout was only 0.0005 tir. 60,000mi later and crank has been bullet proof in a 117".

Can't say the same about their cylinder and piston kits. Been through several over the years. I've just given up on their 4.125 pistons. Maybe it's the ring packs. Especially the flimsy oil rings. No first hand experience with other S&S piston diameters. I do use their 4.125 cylinders now on two different 117 TC motors but had them bored and fit with KB forged, coated pistons with custom cometic metal base spacer/gaskets to make up difference in comp heights.

Both have S&S 3 piece cranks. Newest crank is about year and a half new. Zero issues with them.

More than one way to skin a cat

(don't tell my girlfriend I said that about cats) ; )

 

I just purchased the 110 kit along with new crank and 89 heads. Entire rebuild on 2010 Fatboy. Back order from hell. Not worried about it. S&S has been around since 1958. Human error is going to happen when making parts. S&S will back their parts which is good enough for me. The S&S dealer I bought the parts from has run a shop here in Southeastern Oklahoma for a long time. If the parts S&S makes for Harleys is crap then why is there such a demand for them? Am looking at reality here.

 

Likely because they are the only manufacturer of a lot of the aftermarket parts used for HD. Lol. Try finding anyone else making a 124 kit for a 103B engine.... I'm sure it goes for other engine models as well

 

I wouldn't even consider another crank besides darkhorse period. JOHN Hoban has shown time and time again he's got the secret sauce for building bottom ends. I just built a 124" and didn't think twice before putting in my WO to DH. Absolutely the best in the business. I used S&S cylinders I believe they call it the sidewinder kit for my top end. Time will tell how they Do. My cylinder guy said they where .001 bigger then he likes to see when preparing and cutting them for zero. If I have to buy them again I'll use Tman or get them unfinished and use CP or KB for the pistons.

 

Bought the S&S Sidewinder 2-1 in black for the 2019 RGS. Within 2 weeks the muffler started to delam. The black was flaking off bad. When I spoke to the they tried to blame me for chipping it on the install. Showed them the pics of where it started and that I had nothing to do with it. If I caused it. I wouldn’t be asking for a replacement. They sent me a complete new exhaust system. Told me just toss the old one. So yes. They seem to have an issue. But in my case. I’d say it was material prep. But they fixed it. Made it right. Love this pipe.

 

I cant prove anything but I believe an S&S oil filter starved my engine of oil this spring. Freak incident? 2000 RK 88" stock 105,000 miles well maintained. Changed oil (Mobil 1 since new) and S&S oil filter, rode 1,000 miles with zero issues. Put the bike in my house for winter. This spring pulled it out and in 70 miles the oil turned pitch black and valvetrain got VERY loud. Never lost oil pressure but did have higher than normal pressure. Disassembled my valvetrain, triple checked clearances/condition and nothing was out of the ordinary except lifters not pumping up. Finally changed my oil again and went with K&N filter and now its back to normal with only a slightly louder valvetrain noise. So something got worn out. Cam chain tensioners were done by me last summer with HD parts by the book, torque specs and all. Been racking my brain since, hoping it was something with the oil filter.