Engine Mechanical Topics Discussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.

2006 88" Cams question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 9, 2015 | 10:31 AM
  #1  
jamess71's Avatar
jamess71
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 563
Likes: 4
From: Raleigh, NC
Default 2006 88" Cams question

I'm about to change out my tensioner shoes with cyco and I think I'm going to change my cams. I bought my 2006 Electra Classic with the Crane 316 cams in it. I'm thinking of going to Andrews 21 or 26. My mileage sucks now, get right around 30 mpg. I also like a quieter bike than most. It had Rhinehart true duals that I swapped out for a stock header with no cat, and stock 2010 mufflers. So of the two Andrews cams 21 or 26 which one would give me a quieter exhaust and better mileage? The tuner is a Power Commander III and I won't have the $ for a dyno for a while. Thats another issue. How easy to tune, or at least get running decent, with just a map. Thank you.
 
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2015 | 12:25 PM
  #2  
Hillsidecycle.com's Avatar
Hillsidecycle.com
Sponsor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,084
Likes: 829
Default

The 21 will make more, sooner, and the 26 will have the torque peak over to the right a bit.
The 26 really likes 9.4, 9.5 cr, though.
Scott
 
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2015 | 06:33 PM
  #3  
cdorsey50stang's Avatar
cdorsey50stang
Advanced
10 Year Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 94
Likes: 4
From: OHIO
Default

Check out the S&S 509. I'm considering switching from tw21 to the 509 myself.
 
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2015 | 08:52 PM
  #4  
fidel's Avatar
fidel
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 296
Likes: 4
Default

2006 ur head can handle the andrews 48

my choice
 
Reply
Old Oct 12, 2018 | 04:29 PM
  #5  
skills's Avatar
skills
Road Captain
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 539
Likes: 284
From: Coldstream B.C. CA.
Default

Why aren't you considering gear timing and forget about all the inherent problems and servicing that come with chain timing? Even the upgrade tensioners can never live up to the durability of gears. The runout on my 06 electra was within allowable specs to go gear timed and to no surprise I can barely hear the difference at an idle and once rolling I honestly don't hear any cam gear drive sound, and these gears should by far out live any chain dive. If I had not changed out the stock trash before it failed, my 88 would have probably been destroyed by now. So while ***** deep in correcting Harley's short coming (chain tensioners),it was only a few hundred bucks more to go with some nice performance cams. I went with 551 easy start S&S. On the dyno my stage 1 gave me 73.71 hp. and 76.36 torque. Add the 551's and I get 77.36 hp. and 92.51 torque. I'm not crazy about riding a deafening loud bike so my full length "out the back" pipes I have now are way nicer that my old softail with the shorty's. I really like my gears & 551's. Ask around mate,I bet you'd be satisfied with something like this
 
Reply
Old Oct 12, 2018 | 06:10 PM
  #6  
Screamin beagle's Avatar
Screamin beagle
Seasoned HDF Member
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 5,315
Likes: 4,272
From: Granville New York
Default

Gear drive solves the shoe problem but some people have a budget for upgrades. Po stated he won't have the cash for a dyno tune for awhile so it sounds unlikely that he'll blow out his budget to go gear drive. So since we're spending his money that he doesnt want to spend...im suggesting he pull out the 88" and buy an s and s 124". It's "only" a couple thousand more lol. Listen to scott, he's built a few motors, and you'll be fine for a long time with just replacing your shoes with some cycos.
 
Reply
Old Oct 12, 2018 | 07:26 PM
  #7  
skills's Avatar
skills
Road Captain
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 539
Likes: 284
From: Coldstream B.C. CA.
Default

Well, I feel his pain. Took me seveal years to muster the play money to get my bike to where it is now and even then I had to spread it out and do a little at a time. Interesting you bring up an S&S engine, the thought crossed my mind too but here in B.C. Canada it would have been like 6K more to swap it out. Who was it that once said "The only thing that replaces cubic inches, - is more cubic inches". I'm an old automotive machinist (specializing in engine rebuilds back in the day) and I know whoever coined that phrase was right.
I punched out many Harley cylinders, shaved allot of heads and such back then and would daydream of my youth and early riding days as these bikers would come through the shop. All my wages would go into necessities. Now my business is no more, my kids are all grown up and gone,---most of my wives are all gone --and I finally have my hog! Life is good
 
Reply
Old Oct 13, 2018 | 05:42 AM
  #8  
DonnieM's Avatar
DonnieM
Road Captain
Veteran: Army
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 713
Likes: 203
From: The Nature Coast, FL
Default

I am very happy with the Andrews 21.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Oct 13, 2018 | 07:07 AM
  #9  
Hillsidecycle.com's Avatar
Hillsidecycle.com
Sponsor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,084
Likes: 829
Default

Andrews 21's are a VERY good cam in an 88".
Scott
 
Reply
Old Oct 14, 2018 | 11:17 AM
  #10  
Kaycee's Avatar
Kaycee
Road Captain
15 Year Member
Liked
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 564
Likes: 6
From: Wyoming USA
Default

I use the Andys 26 in my 88 very good cam ,I also did the 06 cam plate and oil pump(used) from a newer bike hyd. tensioners and adj. pushrods ,PC 3(used) . .Shop around I got some parts from the forum and other places all for under $450 never could score a set of geardrives which was what I was wanting . Never have had it on a dyno never skipped a beat yet ,you can look up on there site for a map or e-mail them and they will set you up .
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:50 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE