Well, I just got done installing mine.
I'm surprised how tight the chain is, it has no play at all now. The springs are very stiff and it was hard to compress the shoe down. I had to put it in a vice to compress it down to put the zip ties around them for the install. I made sure the springs was set in to the shoe properly.
I didn't use any shims and I only have 1/4" of compression left from the bottom of the shoe to the top of the guideplate. I started my bike up for just a bit to see if the shoe and chain moved up and down but they don't. I'm no expert but to me it looks like the shoe is close to bottoming out.
I have over 17000 miles on my bike and that chain is now tighter then any primary chain I've ever seen.
On there web site they have a video and I can see the chain shoe move up and down with the chain. My chain is so tight now I don't think the shoe could have any movement.
Any of you that has installed one have your chain get real tight with very little shoe movement left?

 

Something doesn't sound right. I just opened my primary up to remove the Hyden unit since they are sending me out new heavier springs. I used the thin shim when I first installed it with about 15,000 miles on the bike and the chain has the appropriate sag.

One thing I did notice today, the very top center of the shoe is gouged out slightly from the chain. The sides are marked up some but no gouges like the center. I'm hoping that the shoe will stand the test of time and not wear through in that area which is thin already from the spring recesses.

 

Why are you guys replacing the spring tensioner?

 

You mean the primary chain tensioner....Search Hyden Tensioner here and your see why....Seems like the factory auto tensioner just keeps tightening and causes excessive wear on primary & trans items...

 

This is my concern with the shoe not being solid.

 

Right, that's what I meant, I used the wrong word. How can I tell if a problem is developing, do I need to see it or are there other signs? From what I have been reading because of this thread, I need to check the tensioner every 20k miles. I have 60k on my 09 and have never checked.

 

I went back out tonight and restarted it, this time I watched wile it was turning over and the shoe moved up and down quit a bit. When it's running, even with 2 hard hits with the throttle The shoe will not move. The chain is still very tight with no play what so ever.

 

I would submit that at initial start-up, your chain is cold and is as short as it is going to get. The spring is cold and is as stiff as it is going to ever be. When the primary heats-up under normal operation, all that changes. Good to hear that it bounces up and down a little at cold start-up. That alone may save a starter clutch some day as compared to the piano-string tightness that can occur on start-up with the stock tensioner.

 

Thanks man, you made some very good points.
I'm going to call up Hayden anyway to find out what they think about only having 1/4" clearance between the shoe and guide plate with no shims.

 

The primary chain gets tighter the hotter the motor gets. Take a sportster that is easy to adjust the primary chain and adjust it to about 3/8" free play and ride it to get it up to operating temp and see how tight it gets. This is the problem with the harley adjuster. When the engine is cold it tightens the chain and as engine warms up and every thing grows the bottom part of the chain that is on the shoe that is being pushed up to take out slack tries to come down as the motor grows as it warms up and cant because it is locked with the teeth on the harley style adjuster making the chain way to tight. You do have 2 little springs that if you mash on the chain you can get a 1/2 in movement in the chain but that is not enough at operating temp. For a test set the hyden to the 1/2" between bottom of shoe and mounting plate and go for a good ride and get the bike to operating temp and take the primary cover off real fast and see if you got the 1/2 inch I bet it will be less if you get the cover off fast enough before it cools down. On 06 and back that is why you set it at 5/8 to 7/8 cold and 3/8 to 5/8 hot simple hum. This **** is simple in fact the whole bike is like this. First thing a man or woman needs to do is when the buy a harley understand all you got is pretty paint and chrome and a bike that is more simple than a Briggs & Stratton. Dont get me wrong i will not ride anything else i am die hard harley rider and this is the over priced out dated under designed bomb i ride Oh ya it has a Bake adjuster in it