I’m rotating the engine to adjust my pushrods and have found Something Concerning… I have the Plugs out and have the transmission in 6th gear .
when I try to turn the engine over , it’s taking two hands and a fair amount of effort to get to the next cylinder.. Seems like a real tight spot and then once it passes that , gets easier and tightens up again.. IIS THIS NORMAL ??? The bike has been running fine . I’ve not found any metal in the oil since the rebuild..
2007 Softail originally a 96 with 110 Jugs and pistons .. S&S 585 cams . Different Heads . And fuel delivery..

 

My method is. On left side of bike, I take my left thumb to cover spark plug hole to feel for the push of air from the cylinder as I slowly rotate the rear wheel with my right foot. Once the air from the cylinder blows my thumb off the spark plug hole, I know that I am on the power stroke, the piston is rising. I then return to the right side of the bike, I then watch the push rods on the cylinder I am working on begin to move as I continue to turn the rear wheel with my hands, I continue to turn until I see the same push rods begin to rise and fall. Keep turning until you have both pushrods moving at the same time. When you reach the point where they both match, you are at TDC. If you go a little too far, reverse the rear tire rotation until the push rods equally begin to move again.

Good luck.

 

Yes

 

Yep, had the same when I had to pull the Rockers on my 124.

 

Yes, it is normal.

Remember, you are working against the valve springs being compressed, so they give you a fair bit of resistance.

 

Yes

 

I am 72 years of age and not in the best of shape after suffering the big one two years ago. I have never been able to turn the rear wheel on my 2000 Springer with my right hand. In fact, even with both hands, I have trouble and need my son to help me out. It could be that I have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, or I am just "light in my loafers."

 

Place in top gear and bump the rear wheel.. There is enough play in the tranny and rest of the drivetrain that you can rotate the rear tire freely for a few degrees. Simply use that play to bump the crank.. Pull the plugs first..

 

Being an old guy myself; that is what I do. Keep bumping, a few crank degrees at a time, until you hit TDC.