What holds the valve in place?

Valve keys and the matching spring retainers. In Harley-Davidson production engines, the generally known two-piece valve keys, which are held in place by the pressure of the valve spring, only became fully established in the 1930s. The older solution is a hole in the valve stem through which a small pin is pushed. This naturally weakens the valve stem, as our crew member Paul experienced in 2016 during the Cannonball Run across the USA.

As inconspicuous as valve spring retainers and keys are, the careful production and selection of materials is extremely important. With the brands Kibblewhite, Manley, Andrews and Colony, we are spot on. These parts - assuming you didn't make a mistake with the numbers when ordering - simply fit and are good for many carefree miles or kilometers.