15,565 miles opened up my cam cover and took a look at my cam chain tensioner. I was expecting it to be much more newer looking. This thing is showing too much wear for my liking. I know the cam chain tensioner has always been an issue with the twin cams and supposedly they were made with better quality material after the TC88's. Does this look normal or excessive? Harley wants $95 bucks for this thing. I found one on JP for $75. Anyone try those ones? I'm not going to switch to gear drive cams.

 

Actually the wear is not that bad; still plenty of material left. Having said that, not that it is out, replace it with OEM or take a look at the Zippers replacement. It will cost more but is supposed to last longer; don't know for sure as I have never used one.

 

Thanks! I'll take another look at it around 25k or so.

 

Note that your bike has the roller chain. Sure they ought to be replace at say 10 years do to heat but yours was if not grooved in with the roller will roll, so it would never wear any further. They will go 100K easily. Only the link chan years have a problem. Older Toyota had a hydraulic tensioner that had a hard rubber pad. It would never wear out. (Some did have to guide tensioners were the chain was trucked down to clear water pump inner cavity and there the tensioner broke. These are a retrofit were the chain on the inner chain remains link since the cam sprocket is not replaceable. Just the outer. The second picture is one with 90K just like your bike

 

I have a 2006 Dyna Street Bob 88'. I read some posts that say I have the dreaded tensioners that fail. Other posts I read say I have an "upgraded" setup. Can You clarify which I have? Im tired of this hanging over my head.
Thanks in advance,
-Looch

 

You have spring type cam chan tensioners. 2007 and up have a different style. Yours should be checked every 15K miles or so. You can replace the shoes with Cyco shoes and get the oil pump spring upgrade and change the cam bearings out for fully caged ones and you'll be good to go.

 

The OP does not have the spring loaded tensioners. The '06 Dyna's were the only '06 models that were upgraded with six speed tranny's, new ball/ramp that lightened clutch lever pull, better flowing cylinder heads, helical cut gears, hi-flow oil pump, new cam plate, hydraulic tensioners and roller chains.

As Ripsaw points out, the roller chain should be noted. Once the chain links cut through the tensioner and the tensioner comes in contact with the tensioner, it will "roll over" the pad and the wear is basically stopped at that point. The OP photos show the tensioner right at the point of wear.

AFAIK, Cyco does not make a replacement tensioner for the hydro tensioners.

 

I stand corrected. Thanks friend.

 

Thanks for the info, i'll run with it. Much appreciated

 

I was wrong, you DO NOT have the spring tensioners in your Dyna.