Shovelhead rocker shaft plug-how do you break them loose?

[Nimrod]

I tried using a hand impact driver, putting 2 jam nuts the other end, and nothing seems to get them to break loose before the rocker shaft starts spinning. Any tips on how to break them loose while still on the motor without tearing shit up?

thanks

[Dragstews]

[Guest]

Are they slotted, acorn nuts, or the hex kind? What kind of hardware do you have on the other side of the shaft? Is the rocker box off the bike?

[Nimrod]

Still on the bike. Im wanting to change out the hex drive chrome plugs with brass ones. Has acorn nuts on the other end. Just cant get the plug to break loose without the rocker shaft spinning. I read to use an impact, but kinda worried that will fuck things up.

[Guest]

I knew I was going to need to shim mine anyway so I broke them loose on the bike before I yanked the heads. All I did was tighten the nuts on the backside then took a ratchet on the plugs and used a rubber mallet on the handle to break them loose from the red loctite's(not my fault) hold. That shit should only be like 22ft/lbs I thought, the loctite is what fucked me up.

[Dragstews]

The nuts on the carb side of the rocker bores are only there to provide a seal for the oil path to the bushings....
They can stay in and don't have a need to come off the shaft, for the shafts to be removed...
Can pull them and install a long bolt with a jam nut just to hold the shaft from turning while working the nuts on the spark-plug side...

A little heat on the nuts will most likely get them off with-out the need for a nut spliter...
Avoid letting the shafts turn in the boxes as much as possible. (Doesn't do the bores in the boxes any good)

[Guest]

The nuts on the carb side of the rocker bores are only there to provide a seal for the oil path to the bushings....
They can stay in and don't have a need to come off the shaft, for the shafts to be removed...
Can pull them and install a long bolt with a jam nut just to hold the shaft from turning while working the nuts on the spark-plug side...

A little heat on the nuts will most likely get them off with-out the need for a nut spliter...
Avoid letting the shafts turn in the boxes as much as possible. (Doesn't do the bores in the boxes any good)

^ This disregard my idiocy.

[FooDog]

Had the same problem....got 3 changed and the last started to spin. I hit mine with the air gun and it came right off. Haven't noticed any ill effects, but it wasn't wailing on it with the gun for long time either..

[Nimrod]

Ill try the heat before the air impact. Im going to bet they have loctite on them.

[Dragstews]

Still on the bike. Im wanting to change out the hex drive chrome plugs with brass ones. Has acorn nuts on the other end. Just cant get the plug to break loose without the rocker shaft spinning. I read to use an impact, but kinda worried that will fuck things up.

Try using a little heat....
Sometimes the shaft will need to be pulled from the boxes in order to chuck them in a vice to hold them....

Pulling the shafts out while still on the motor can be a little difficult.
Will need to install a shaft to hold the washer and arms in line or they will fall in a position that makes the shafts impossible to re-install... (Boxes would need to come off the motor to re-load)

__________________________________________________

^ This disregard my idiocy.

No-no....
All advice is welcome here......

Just may keep him from having a need to buy up new parts, while a little finises would have got the job done..