Guys, apologies if this has been discussed before. The thought of those damn cam chain tensioner shoes imploding in my TC 88 is a concern. I have 22,000 k's on an otherwise stock 2005 Softail Deluxe. I use Mobile 1 V Twin, service her every 8,000, and love her to death!!!! I have a Ness Big Sucker air filter, and some Outer Cycle slip on mufflers, and overall she goes well... Damn tensioners worry me though!!!! . If I am going to have to do the shoes, I will do the cams. By all accounts, Screaming Eagles cams are shite, and the nylon shoes would have to be replaced again later on..So should I go the Andrews Gear Drive conversion??  I rang a place in Sydney the other day, Andrews 54 with the whole gear drive conversion kit....$1350, WTF?? Then I gotta pay someone to put them in. I am looking at over $2000. Anyway, I have two questions. The 54's the sales guy offered, are they too big? If my missus does'nt find out, I'll probably go a big bore kit later on. I hear the Andrews 26's are good for low down torque. BTW I'm about 90 kilos and need low down to mid range torque. Second question, is this a good deal? I'm still waiting on a price for delivery, but even if it;s a hundred bucks, whaddyareckon?? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130328696925&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT          Works out at about AUD $617 .

Any thoughts, comments feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks again guys.

 

andrews 54's have too much lift for stock 88 heads, and will coil bind for sure
thats why the moco do the 203's fpr 88, but 255's for 96
there is a great upgrade kit to convert to late chain drive style, and that would be my pick
I dont recall the link, but it will be mentioned, I am sure
It is definitely cheaper to do as much as you can in one go

Thanks, what do you guys think of the E Bay "special" I dont know if I can use gear drive yet, as I have'nt measured the crank runout. Should I just buy replacement chain drive cams, (37,s), bearings, lifters and adjustable pushrods, and use the stock shoes? I am assuming the chains have now smoothed out somewhat, and would be OK for another 25,000k's

Chain drive cams from M&M cycles for US $230. Sounds like a good deal, but it is still chain drive with nylon shoes. Once again, you would assume the chains have smoothed out, and the contact on the new shoes is not as bad. Still would need to buy bearings, lifters etc.

https://www.mandmcycles.com/Default2.htm

Robcig
Been doing alot of research into this exact same topic as I too ride the same as you. FYO is right in what he said in combinations, I,m going the andrews 37 with 95 kit but checking for crank runout first & if ok putting gear drives in & if to much runout putting the new hydra chain set up in. They use this set up in 06-later Dynas & 07-later softails. There has been no issues with this set up supposedly.

Is it significantly cheaper to run chain drives as opposed to gear drive? How much would a stealer/independant charge me to put them in and dyno?

Got a price back from M and M cycles. US $230 for TW 26 and US $119 for Quick install pushrods. Delivery US $44, not bad??

OK guys, update! Finally got her back today after installing the Andrews TW26. She is certainly more responsive, and seems to get to that sweet spot in the torque curve quicker. No loss of torque down low, probably a little more. I dont redline my motor, so I'm not sure about top end, but she was humming at 120 km/h. She has a certain bark about her now, it's not significant, but I am happy with the results. Best part, I got my cams, tensioners, and bearings done, easy clutch kit installed (so much easier on my crappy left hand), Lyndall brake pads, braided front line, flushed out and replaced brake fluid, (stops very well finally), full major service using Mobil 1 and Redline Shockproof in the tranny. Even the bloody rain on the way home could'nt wipe the smille off my dial. Not cheap, but very happy!!.