Twin Cam Chain Tensioner
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: livingston co,mi
Thanks Ses for posting the pics thats nice to know
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: san antonio
Those haven't even worn down to the roller; once the shoe and roller come in contact the grooves should not get any deeper and thousands of miles left.
Cam Tensioner Replacement
I replaced my cam tensoners last week at 23235 miles on my 03 FLHRSEI2. I replaced the tensioners with replacements from MC Spare Parts, they were excellent and the actual shoes are Teflon verses Nylon. They are exact fit replacements at half the cost and the frame is stainless steel.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 421
Likes: 4
From: Alabama
I replaced my cam tensoners last week at 23235 miles on my 03 FLHRSEI2. I replaced the tensioners with replacements from MC Spare Parts, they were excellent and the actual shoes are Teflon verses Nylon. They are exact fit replacements at half the cost and the frame is stainless steel.
This is the first time I've seen reports of UHMWPE H-D tensioner shoes! Please post your in-service experience with these over time; how long they last; whether or not they pit/fracture like the crappy Delrins. I'm using Cyco tensioners now & they're doing a great job, but maybe the next ones will be UHMWPE.
Last edited by M&P340; Sep 13, 2015 at 07:34 AM.
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 578
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From: Durango CO
I replaced my cam tensoners last week at 23235 miles on my 03 FLHRSEI2. I replaced the tensioners with replacements from MC Spare Parts, they were excellent and the actual shoes are Teflon verses Nylon. They are exact fit replacements at half the cost and the frame is stainless steel.
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but that's interesting! I think the material you have is not actually teflon (PTFE) but UHMWPE (ultra high molecular wt polyethylene). Also known as poor-man's teflon. The OEM orange tensioners are not nylon, but Delrin (acetal) and weak under abrasion. Cyco tensioners are nylon 4.6 and seem to be much more robust under the abrasion of a rough cam chain.
This is the first time I've seen reports of UHMWPE H-D tensioner shoes! Please post your in-service experience with these over time; how long they last; whether or not they pit/fracture like the crappy Delrins. I'm using Cyco tensioners now & they're doing a great job, but maybe the next ones will be UHMWPE.
This is the first time I've seen reports of UHMWPE H-D tensioner shoes! Please post your in-service experience with these over time; how long they last; whether or not they pit/fracture like the crappy Delrins. I'm using Cyco tensioners now & they're doing a great job, but maybe the next ones will be UHMWPE.
This is definitely what I would do if I had a pre-2007 engine.
Last edited by Durango Dave; Sep 13, 2015 at 02:35 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 421
Likes: 4
From: Alabama
You had the spring activated tensioners. They apply a firm constant pressure on the chain. That was the problem, more so than the material that they were made out of.
These spring loaded chain tensioners would only last from 15k to 30K miles. In 2007 harley Davidson when to hydraulic actuated tensioners. This seemed to fix the problem. If you have a pre-2007 twin cam engine Harley has a kit to upgrade the tensioners. Better yet get rid of the chains. S&S has a kit to install cam gears.
This is definitely what I would do if I had a pre-2007 engine.
These spring loaded chain tensioners would only last from 15k to 30K miles. In 2007 harley Davidson when to hydraulic actuated tensioners. This seemed to fix the problem. If you have a pre-2007 twin cam engine Harley has a kit to upgrade the tensioners. Better yet get rid of the chains. S&S has a kit to install cam gears.
This is definitely what I would do if I had a pre-2007 engine.
). Also, later OEM delrin tensioner assemblies have a spring with noticeably reduced tension (or so it seemed to me), so they put less strain on the friction surfaces. I have a later set of tensioners packed with Cyco pads, and after about 12K mi, they are showing virtually no wear. "Better" is good enough for me, don't need & can't afford "best." I appreciate the advice.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,780
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From: san antonio
You had the spring activated tensioners. They apply a firm constant pressure on the chain. That was the problem, more so than the material that they were made out of. These spring loaded chain tensioners would only last from 15k to 30K miles. In 2007 harley Davidson when to hydraulic actuated tensioners. This seemed to fix the problem. If you have a pre-2007 twin cam engine Harley has a kit to upgrade the tensioners. Better yet get rid of the chains. S&S has a kit to install cam gears.
This is definitely what I would do if I had a pre-2007 engine.
This is definitely what I would do if I had a pre-2007 engine.
The later hydro tensioner/roller chain setup, while still a maintenance consideration, will last much longer, probably longer than most will own the motorcycle. However, if one needs to check for insurance, I would not bother checking at every oil change as M&P340 is planning to do. Checking at 35K mile intervals is adequate.
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: Durango CO
However, while there were certainly failures of the early OEM tensioners, when one compares the failures to those '99-'07 (except Dyna) motors that ran for anywhere from 50K to 100K miles on the OEM tensioners with no issues, the percentage of failures was quite small. No consolation to those that had first hand experience with failures but facts are facts.
So many people get catastrophic engine failure before 30,000 miles and others go over 100,000 miles without a problem? How's that? Is it the brand of oil? Could it be that a lot of people ride with low oil levels?
Granted when someone gets the kind of mileage they expect out of an engine they don't say anything. But when they have catastrophic engine failure at only 20,000 miles they want to tell the whole world.
Here's one article I found very troubling: http://www.jamesrussellpublishing.bi...buyharley.html
Yes maybe he trumped up the issue but if you have anything to counter it I would really like specifics, not just "My brother knows someone who has 150,000 miles an early twin cam engine with no problems".
Here's another article: http://www.hdopenroad.com/guest-arti...ust-know-this/
also: http://www.lawabidingbiker.com/73/
Last edited by Durango Dave; Sep 14, 2015 at 01:48 PM.
