no...not "hard" to pull out. Was difficult to get to. Lifter slide out nice. Literally all the faces, edges and sides of lifter have no markings whatsoever. These are flat tappet hydraulics, so the face is shiny and flat...no grooves or indentions.

Didn't put any extra restrictors or anything in galley. There was oil in the lifter hole...though I don't know if it was enough. It slide out will the same force as the #8 intake (I took out for reference).

Rocker studs look the same length as the others....they are threaded if I remember right as these are Edelbrock Performer Series heads and I think they screwed in to set them. They look visually the same height and nut goes on rocker and looks the same amount of travel as the others.