Bike,,, 2009 flht Electra Glide, Stage 1 ,,, 120,000 km ,,, Hydraulic tensioners ....

Pulled cam chest to inspect cam tensioners... Primary tensioner shows  a lot of wear and due for replacement .... Secondary tensioner shows a lot  more wear, and  is diffenitely past its  use by date .....

My advice would be,  (with Hydraulic tensioners), is to inspect, and or replace at approx 80,000 km... Seems the Secondary tensioner can wear more than the Primary.... To inspect the secondary tensioner the cam chest must be removed ... Can be an expensive excercise to just inspect the tensioners, but that is the way it is .... You can remove the rocker boxes and reuse your original pushrods, (and save some money),, but most replace with adjustable pushrods... While your there, its a no brainer to replace inner cam bearings,, lifters,, oil o-rings and gaskets, etc .... 

 

 

Other pic regarding the secondary cam tensioner and the secondary chain....

As you can see the tensioner has worn down to the metal insert inside the tensioner.. That being the case, the secondary chain, (cam drive), has taken a beating, because it has been sliding over the worn down tensioner and hitting the metal insert... Not good , as the sharp and cut edges of the chain  would dramaticlly increase the wear  of the tensioner... (The chain all around is the same as in the pic)..... Of course chain will be replaced .....

 

 

I did mine at 30,000, no where near that bad but I don't plan to be in there again anytime soon so took the opportunity for the sake of a few bucks

A seriously shit design. Both the original, and the improved hydraulic setup.

I have swapped mine out at 50k and 100k. Probably overkill - not worn as much as the pics above, but worn.

Definately a service item. I am still astounded that there is no mention of even inspecting them in my (2005 Dyna) manual.

mine were done at 65,000... I'll post up pics when I find them.

 

Mark,

was there any noticeable noises you were hearing from the chain rubbing on the metal, especially on the cam tensioner?

rob

Changed mine to updated cam plate on 2001 dyna at 53000 hardly any wear mate changed his about same kms his had hardly anything left on the adjusters

Couple of pics of the oil pump .....

PS ,, If look at top pic, you will see a piece of tensioner that is lodged in bottom  channel of pump..,,  Bottom pic shows tensioner piece removed on face plate of pump....

 

gear drive cams rids that issue. been running in mine 3 years now.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIHeWVXs9bg

Found the photos on a backup external drive... lucky I catalogue most of my shit. This is from some time in 2010..

Photos were my Scotty so sorry for the quality. I've also included crank runout... bike is 2007 Street Bob and cams upgraded to Andrews 26H Chain Drive between 60K-70K

Having issues with videos... placed link instead.

 

 

http://s126.photobucket.com/user/MYFXDBI/media/FXDBI/Cam%20Inst/runout_zpsf0f7f847.mp4.html

http://[URL=http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p86/MYFXDBI/FXDBI/Cam%20Inst/runout_zpsf0f7f847.mp4][/URL]

is there a need to use a special tool to remove the rocker box covers on the rear cylinder? Manual states you need the ratchet but is it a real requirement. I am getting the stuff ready for an inspection of my tenshioners as well. Last time was when I had the cams in at around the 20k mark. And after seeing this thread it had me thinking.

is there a need to use a special tool to remove the rocker box covers on the rear cylinder? Manual states you need the ratchet but is it a real requirement. I am getting the stuff ready for an inspection of my tenshioners as well. Last time was when I had the cams in at around the 20k mark. And after seeing this thread it had me thinking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wiZjyjjITM

Interestingly I have just replaced tensioners and chains on Chris's bike. Parts were under $300 delivered to my door. The tensioners show less wear than any of the ones in the pics above. A fair bit less. He says he has done 70000kms+ of hard riding. I also know he changes the oil often. This is a common theme. I recently pulled down a bike with 11000kms on it and the tensioners were worn more than Chriso's. I bet the oil was the oil still in the bike from the 1000km service, it was black and stinky.

Thanks Robots. Got all the other stuff, gaskets, new tensioner shoes etc... I am interested to see what they are like and will post pics when done.  One thing i learntfrom last time is to make sure the tensior assembly is assembled correctly.  Mine form the factory waasn't  and that's why is was worn down after 20k.  The spring and tube were around the wrong way so the shoe was always hard against the chain all the time.

 

 

Freaking hell. That's low mileage. Is it a problem with the 1450 Twinkie?

 

Thanks so much for the advice - much appreciated

It's an 03 model so it has the non hydraulic tensioners but I expect the advice provided by you would be the same hydraulic versus non hydraulic

I'll be keeping it until I am buried as I just don't see any need to upgrade att all 

Interesting to hear the second tensioner should in all likelihood be in the same condition as the outer one that I have inspected ( buggered if I know where I heard the second tensioner would wear a lot more than the outer one but it's always had me thinking )

Cheers 

 

 

07 models and the 06 Dyna were the first to go to the Hydraulic setup. They also changed the composite of the materiel after 09. Mine were a cream color when I changed them over and the new one was a darker color.

I had mine replaced on my 08 FLHT at 80,000 kms. They didn't have much life left in 'em. I always have done regular servicing and don't thrash my bike.

I've never been inside the cam area, but I'm guessing not all installs are identical and the tension on one installation only needs to be 0.5mm tighter or looser than another to make a difference to pressure on the tensioner. Springs would not all be identical either...