RAISINGCAYNE
New Member
I have 3 friends that have had problems with cam tensioners. I have a 05 screamin eagle electra glide 103 with 36000 miles .when should these be changed?
Cam chain & tensioner
- Thread starter RAISINGCAYNE
- Start date
marcus22
Junior Member
this can be very different for the same type of bikes. At 24,000 miles I looked at mine and they were still good but this winter I will replace them at 34,000-35,000 miles im guessing. I know a couple of people that have well over 40,000 and they still look fine. my suggestion is to pop the cover off and take a look at yours. its not that hard to look at it and you will have plenty of help here
All you guys and girls with the spring-loaded tensioner - I suggest popping off the nose cone for an inspection every year. It is easy to do that, although eyeballing the rear tensioner is a trick until you get used to using a cheap dental mirror to look back there.
Any tensioner with 50% wear or more SHOULD be replaced, or consideration given to a change in system (roller chain conversion or gear drive).
TQ
Any tensioner with 50% wear or more SHOULD be replaced, or consideration given to a change in system (roller chain conversion or gear drive).
TQ
trickydoc
Active Member
this can be very different for the same type of bikes. At 24,000 miles I looked at mine and they were still good but this winter I will replace them at 34,000-35,000 miles im guessing. I know a couple of people that have well over 40,000 and they still look fine. my suggestion is to pop the cover off and take a look at yours. its not that hard to look at it and you will have plenty of help here
What are you looking at replacing them with? The HD Hyd unit or the S&S gear drive, or something else? and what are you basing your choice on? I have over 50K on mine and am looking to replace after ridding season. thinking of the S&S unit but would like to consider all choices.
Just more food for thought. A guy at a dealership here told me that the entire problem stems from "unpolished" or rough chains riding on the tensioner pads and thus wearing them out. IF - (IF) after 20K 30K 40K miles, or so, you MAY not have such a concern since the chain will NOW have polished itself - so to speak.
Bill
Bill
BUBBIE
Well-Known Member
Yes Bill,
I think that may be true but what about the first set of shoes that it took to Smooth out the sharp chain...
Myself, I would at least LOOK n SEE then make the detirmination of what to do.... I did a full SS gear drive and the Bearings when I looked at My Chipped shoes at 14,000 miles... Some Need it sooner and some don't need it YET BUT ALL will need it sometime....
signed....BUBBIE
You are the man Bubbie, I was typing so fast I wasnt thinking of replacing the worn out shoes - after all that chain polishing. But, perhaps, by then, with the shinned up chain, the next set should last a nice long time. I agree with you, however, they do need to be inspected and replaced if need be. ;-)
Bill
maine-e-axe
Junior Member
While your in there, the inner cam bearing's should be changed to Torrington bearings on any hopped up motor like a 103" and there only like 8 or 10 bucks.
Not sure if the 05 is much different than the 01 but I would change out all of the cam bearings since the cams and support plates are out of the motor
I found the site below with details on how to do it without the use of a press, I tried it and it not that hard, i got the HD cam service kit and it came with all of the bearings and gaskets needed for the job I tossed the HD inner and used Tottington though, I removed the top end so I didn't need adjustable rods.
HarleyHogs Cam Bearing Install