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Motorcycles » alt.motorcycles.harley » Cam chain tensioners
| Cam chain tensioners [message #519709] |
Sun, 13 November 2005 16:58 |
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How many miles can be expected to be put on before the cam chain
tensioners need replaced on twin cams. Ive heard about 25K from some
and others say they havent had any problems at all. Whats the real
story?
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519710 ] |
Sun, 13 November 2005 17:35 |
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ftwhd wrote:
> How many miles can be expected to be put on before the cam chain
> tensioners need replaced on twin cams. Ive heard about 25K from some
> and others say they havent had any problems at all. Whats the real
> story?
IMO mostly in town replace 'em at 30K miles is safe. Mostly highway
miles and replace at 50K miles is safe. These limits are coming from what
I've seen on the engines we've worked on and from the type of riding the
owners tell us that they do. Others opinions may vary because no matter
how many miles are on the bike the tensioners are going to show wear.
Roger
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519711 ] |
Sun, 13 November 2005 17:43 |
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"ftwhd" wrote...
> How many miles can be expected to be put on before the cam chain
> tensioners need replaced on twin cams. Ive heard about 25K from some
> and others say they havent had any problems at all. Whats the real
> story?
That is the real story. Do a Google search on the subject and you'll get a
million hits with a million different stories. There are just too many
variables to put an approximate life span on them. At 25-30k, you may want
to take a look at them. At 40-45k you really should be concerned. Anything
over that and you're pushing your luck. YMMV.
--
hawgeye ©
www.hawgeye.com
www.stealer-dealer.com
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519712 ] |
Sun, 13 November 2005 19:42 |
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"ftwhd" <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote in message
news:aaoen1lduuuc0qn0fr4k7kg019bbg020ge [at] 4ax.com...
> How many miles can be expected to be put on before the cam chain
> tensioners need replaced on twin cams. Ive heard about 25K from some
> and others say they havent had any problems at all. Whats the real
> story?
The dealer I bought my bike from recommends checking them at 20K and working
from there.
I believe the type of riding will greatly affect the longevity of the
tensioners.
Short trips, bar hopping = short life.
Distance touring = long life.
--
PoorUB
'05 Ultra Classic
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519713 ] |
Sun, 13 November 2005 20:36 |
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On Sun, 13 Nov 2005 10:58:41 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>How many miles can be expected to be put on before the cam chain
>tensioners need replaced on twin cams. Ive heard about 25K from some
>and others say they havent had any problems at all. Whats the real
>story?
65,000 miles on my 99 FXD without any trouble (so far). Yes, it has
the original "bad," bearings. Before riding to Sturgis this year
(3,600 miles round trip) I asked a H-D trained mechanic if I should be
concerned. He told me to ride it like I stole it.
Okay, I know I am pushing my luck, but as I said, this is an early 99
with the cam bearings that were failing all the time, so I have been
pushing my luck since I bought it.
SuperGlide
- 99 FXD Don't pity her, she don't know what she is.
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519716 ] |
Mon, 14 November 2005 00:21 |
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"ftwhd" <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote
> How many miles can be expected to be put on before the cam chain
> tensioners need replaced on twin cams. Ive heard about 25K from some
> and others say they havent had any problems at all. Whats the real
> story?
I've seen at least 6 with between 7,000 miles and 11,000 miles that were
*toast*....
I've seen others with 40,000+ miles with minimal wear.
I changed mine out at about 14K miles when I did the cams, they had minimal
wear. About half of that mileage was long trip miles, the other half was
around town (maybe slightly more long haul).
Preacher - AH #89
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519719 ] |
Mon, 14 November 2005 05:33 |
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ftwhd writes:
<< How many miles can be expected to be put on before the cam chain tensioners
need replaced on twin cams. Ive heard about 25K from some and others say they
havent had any problems at all. Whats the real story? >>
I've got a 2000 Road Glide closing in on 77,000 miles.
The outboard tensioner failed on me during a road trip at 60,000 miles. At
that time, the tech who replaced it said the inboard tensioner still looked OK.
There seems to be a _very_ wide variation in experiences with this problem.
I'm guessing that the failures were not due to problems with the plastic
tensioner assemblies, but rather had something to do with the
roughness/smoothness of the outer edge of the silent cam chains.
I believe that HD has revised the cam chains, and is now using chains with a
polished outer edge. I believe they've also upgraded the tensioner itself with
a harder compound plastic.
- John
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519755 ] |
Thu, 17 November 2005 03:56 |
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Thanks for all the replys sounds like ill be looking at them this
winter. I dont want to have one shit out on the road. I like to do
my own work and I have the tools to do it but ill take any tips on the
TC motor.
Any input on the S&S gear drives?
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519758 ] |
Thu, 17 November 2005 20:04 |
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On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:56:05 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>Thanks for all the replys sounds like ill be looking at them this
>winter. I dont want to have one shit out on the road. I like to do
>my own work and I have the tools to do it but ill take any tips on the
>TC motor.
>
>Any input on the S&S gear drives?
There's been a ton of good info, tricks, and experiences posted in rmh
and here about alla that. Seriously, when ya have some extry time, go
do an advanced groups google search on it. Well worth yer time man.
Snarl... the "you'll be glad ya did" Asshole(tm)
--
Snarl AH#67 BS#37 SENS
EKIII rides with me...
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519759 ] |
Thu, 17 November 2005 22:54 |
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On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 11:04:25 -0800, snarl67 [at] trippin.net wrote:
>On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:56:05 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>
>>Thanks for all the replys sounds like ill be looking at them this
>>winter. I dont want to have one shit out on the road. I like to do
>>my own work and I have the tools to do it but ill take any tips on the
>>TC motor.
>>
>>Any input on the S&S gear drives?
>
>There's been a ton of good info, tricks, and experiences posted in rmh
>and here about alla that. Seriously, when ya have some extry time, go
>do an advanced groups google search on it. Well worth yer time man.
>
>Snarl... the "you'll be glad ya did" Asshole(tm)
Yeah. The part that kinda makes me mad about harley is they always
have some sort of glitch that needs constant attention. I think it is
pathetic to have to open any part of the motor after only 25-30K.
I think Im going to look at the gear drive solution instead of dealing
with this every so often. Fix it once. Any opinions on that?
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519760 ] |
Thu, 17 November 2005 23:37 |
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ftwhd wrote:
> Yeah. The part that kinda makes me mad about harley is they always
> have some sort of glitch that needs constant attention.
I agree!
That gas tank refilling is a pain in the ass after every other 170
miles after a constant day of 80 mph..(up hill!)... and the oil that
"might" need replacing after 5K miles? WHATAPISSER! :)
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519762 ] |
Fri, 18 November 2005 01:19 |
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"ftwhd" <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote in message
news:eiupn1hd6ksr8fme9r79n5mudjfor1jckg [at] 4ax.com...
> On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 11:04:25 -0800, snarl67 [at] trippin.net wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:56:05 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Thanks for all the replys sounds like ill be looking at them this
>>>winter. I dont want to have one shit out on the road. I like to do
>>>my own work and I have the tools to do it but ill take any tips on the
>>>TC motor.
>>>
>>>Any input on the S&S gear drives?
>>
>>There's been a ton of good info, tricks, and experiences posted in rmh
>>and here about alla that. Seriously, when ya have some extry time, go
>>do an advanced groups google search on it. Well worth yer time man.
>>
>>Snarl... the "you'll be glad ya did" Asshole(tm)
>
> Yeah. The part that kinda makes me mad about harley is they always
> have some sort of glitch that needs constant attention. I think it is
> pathetic to have to open any part of the motor after only 25-30K.
>
> I think Im going to look at the gear drive solution instead of dealing
> with this every so often. Fix it once. Any opinions on that?
>
>
>
>
Personally I would not worry about it unless you plan on hopping up your
bike. How many miles do you plan on putting on your ride? most people will
need to replace tensioners once, some never as they will take years bar
hopping to get to 20K miles! When the tensioners on my Ultra need changing
I will probably just do just that, change them. I think of it as just a
routine matainance issue, just like changing oil or replacing the tires.
Gear drive cams are fine, I have no problem with them, but why spend so much
money to cure something that is really not a problem? If I was going to a
big bore kit and some other hop ups I would probably go to gears, but stock
I would just run the stock stuff.
--
PoorUB
'05 Ultra Classic
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519763 ] |
Fri, 18 November 2005 01:48 |
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On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:54:32 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 11:04:25 -0800, snarl67 [at] trippin.net wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:56:05 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Thanks for all the replys sounds like ill be looking at them this
>>>winter. I dont want to have one shit out on the road. I like to do
>>>my own work and I have the tools to do it but ill take any tips on the
>>>TC motor.
>>>
>>>Any input on the S&S gear drives?
>>
>>There's been a ton of good info, tricks, and experiences posted in rmh
>>and here about alla that. Seriously, when ya have some extry time, go
>>do an advanced groups google search on it. Well worth yer time man.
>>
>>Snarl... the "you'll be glad ya did" Asshole(tm)
>
>Yeah. The part that kinda makes me mad about harley is they always
>have some sort of glitch that needs constant attention. I think it is
>pathetic to have to open any part of the motor after only 25-30K.
True enough. Some of those fixes are much easier than others and
really don't bother me much. But that's just me <shrug>. See below.
>I think Im going to look at the gear drive solution instead of dealing
>with this every so often. Fix it once. Any opinions on that?
Well, yes I do. I won't buy a twin cam. Evo's, IMHO, are th' best
motors H-D ever came out with. True, I still change out lifters every
30k, but that's nothin' but a six pack job, pretty cheap too. On that
note, there's tons of really cheap, low milage Evo's on th' market
right now. Newer isn't necessarily better.
As far as gear driven cams for TC's, some folks don't like th' noise
they make. If that doesn't bother ya, and you plan to rack up a bunch
of miles on it, that's what I'd switch to. I'm fuckin' damn near deaf
anyway <g>.
Snarl... the "YMMV and all that" Asshole(tm)
--
Snarl AH#67 BS#37 SENS
EKIII rides with me...
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519765 ] |
Fri, 18 November 2005 03:46 |
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<snarl67 [at] trippin.net> wrote ...
> On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:54:32 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 11:04:25 -0800, snarl67 [at] trippin.net wrote:
>>
>>>On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:56:05 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
>>>
snip
>>I think Im going to look at the gear drive solution instead of dealing
>>with this every so often. Fix it once. Any opinions on that?
>
> Well, yes I do. I won't buy a twin cam. Evo's, IMHO, are th' best
> motors H-D ever came out with. True, I still change out lifters every
> 30k, but that's nothin' but a six pack job, pretty cheap too. On that
> note, there's tons of really cheap, low milage Evo's on th' market
> right now. Newer isn't necessarily better.
Gotta agree with Snarl on several points. My Evo never had a glitch in the
40+k miles that I owned it, but then again it was mostly stock.
The TC88 cam chain tensioners aren't really that hard to do. Not exactly a
six-pack job, but more of a nuesence. Something that really could have been
avoided if it would have been designed better, IMO.
> As far as gear driven cams for TC's, some folks don't like th' noise
> they make. If that doesn't bother ya, and you plan to rack up a bunch
> of miles on it, that's what I'd switch to. I'm fuckin' damn near deaf
> anyway <g>.
I've never ridden a TC with a gear drive but I can't imagine it being too
much louder than the stock setup. I wear ear plugs just so I can't hear it
despite having hearing loss as well.
--
hawgeye ©
www.hawgeye.com
www.stealer-dealer.com
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| Re: Cam chain tensioners [message #519768 ] |
Fri, 18 November 2005 04:51 |
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hawgeye wrote:
> <snarl67 [at] trippin.net> wrote ...
> > On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:54:32 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
> >
> >>On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 11:04:25 -0800, snarl67 [at] trippin.net wrote:
> >>
> >>>On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:56:05 -0500, ftwhd <ftwhd [at] home.com> wrote:
> >>>
>
> snip
>
> >>I think Im going to look at the gear drive solution instead of dealing
> >>with this every so often. Fix it once. Any opinions on that?
> >
> > Well, yes I do. I won't buy a twin cam. Evo's, IMHO, are th' best
> > motors H-D ever came out with. True, I still change out lifters every
> > 30k, but that's nothin' but a six pack job, pretty cheap too. On that
> > note, there's tons of really cheap, low milage Evo's on th' market
> > right now. Newer isn't necessarily better.
>
> Gotta agree with Snarl on several points. My Evo never had a glitch in the
> 40+k miles that I owned it, but then again it was mostly stock.
> The TC88 cam chain tensioners aren't really that hard to do. Not exactly a
> six-pack job, but more of a nuesence. Something that really could have been
> avoided if it would have been designed better, IMO.
>
> > As far as gear driven cams for TC's, some folks don't like th' noise
> > they make. If that doesn't bother ya, and you plan to rack up a bunch
> > of miles on it, that's what I'd switch to. I'm fuckin' damn near deaf
> > anyway <g>.
>
> I've never ridden a TC with a gear drive but I can't imagine it being too
> much louder than the stock setup. I wear ear plugs just so I can't hear it
> despite having hearing loss as well.
>
I've heard plenty of gear drives that were noisy as hell. My most recent
experience with them tells me maybe they have changed the gear pitch or
manufacturing process. The gears looked a good bit different from the older ones
I worked on. The latest set I put in recently was real quiet. A small whine at
cold start up, nearly inaudible after the bike is warmed up good. A damn site
quieter than the valvetrain noise all of the twinkies seem to have. The only
problem I see with the gears now is the entry fee.
Roger
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