I received my new Man O War compensator today for my 2023 Road Glide Limited. Looking for recommendations on aftermarket primary chain tensioners. I saw a video on the Twin Power manual tensioner (part #216094) but can’t find one online.

Recommendations?

 

Personally, I would not move away from the factory tensioner. Yes, in the past there were issues. The current stock design works very well.

From GMR Performance: We strongly recommend using the current version stock Harley auto chain adjuster. This has proven to be reliable and provides the smoothest and quietest operation.

 

I’ve researched a lot of reviews and videos online and everything I’ve seen states the auto-adjuster puts much too tension on the chain and doesn’t even keep the chain tension within Harley’s specs (1/2”-5/8”). Personally, I prefer going to a manual adjuster that allows you to set the exact chain tension and keep it there, thereby, overtime, saving your crank and cam bearings and preventing increased pinion shaft runout. Given, it may not need to be upgraded for mild hp gains, but since I’m in the primary anyway, might as well upgrade. Thanks for the info.

 

The 1/2 - 5/8 inch setting is the initial assembly setting of the OEM tensioner, not the position where the tensioner operates. As stated in the notes in the service manual: "Primary chain tensioner will not complete adjustment until vehicle is ridden."

The stock tensioner is not overly rigid and provides some compliance to the system. It does not make the chain too tight. The primary chain has well over 500 pounds of tension in it when engine torque is applied.

 

Feel free to do whatever you want, but examples of M8s (stock or built) with crank/ cam bearing issues, or excessive pinion runout are pretty much non-existent. Those problems were somewhat common on twin cams, depending on year, but really don't exist on the M8.

 

You might want to watch this and learn how your stock tensioner “over-ratchets” itself. Doc Harley states the same in one of his videos.

 

Ok. It's true cause some vid on YouTube said so.
Like I said do what you want it's your money, but you'll be fixing a problem that doesn't exist. Highly recommend trying to find actual real world examples of people who've had issues due to the factory tensioner.

 

The primary chain is tighter when hot, not cold, like that guy says. The hot aluminum cases expand the center distance between sprockets more than the steel chain grows in length.

The primary chain may feel tight from the tensioner to a finger, however, that is nothing compared to what the engine is doing to it. Wide open throttle is what puts load on the transmission main shaft bearing that fails on occasion.

 

So it’s not true because you say so? I think I’ll bet my money on experienced Harley techs like Doc Harley, Kevin Baxter at ProTwin, etc., with 25+ years repairing and building engines.

 

It's your money, bet it on whatever you want. I was just trying to offer advice. I don't really care what you do. If you want to throw aftermarket stuff in your primary, do it. However, saying the factory Harley adjuster puts too much pressure on the primary chain leading to bearing failure and excessive pinion runout is baseless. I don't care what video you watched.