Can I ask why you are changing the cams? Not trying to be smart. I just want to know what symptoms you got that made you come to that decision, or what performance goal you are seeking. Or was it that you broke open the cam chest and saw something inside that alerted you?

 

People change cams for more power and better performance. There's nothing wrong with the cams in my bike but I've changed them 3 times.

 

He asked about bearings. Nothing else. This forum gives me gas.

Oh yeah, replace the bearings.

 

Thanks for all the reply here on this thread BUT, it seems I should clear up a few things, this is getting way out of hand.
First, Thanks! I really do appreciate the replies I got about replacing the bearings and that the SE tuner will get the job done!
I now know which map I could have used had I decided to stay with it (to follow is why I am not, and a bit more in explanation)
Tuners:
I do believe it's a very good tuner, I have heard this from a few sources (done a lot of looking and asking over the year) BUT, this is only true IF, "YOU" "KNOW HOW" to use it, Unfortunately I don't, and in fact have next to no clue!.
You see I, and all those I know, are old school DIY wrench'ers as in carburetors with jets and needles, not this electronic stuff.
Lastly on tuners, to be honest I really don't want to learn it. I will not (I hope) be needing to be playing with it don't what to play with it, I expect to set it and forget it. this is true for metric bikes and I assume its true for this Harley to! its a nice bike! "IMHO"
Once done with this performance upgrade I am now doing which will end at stage 2, I wont need any more power from it.
I bought the Power Vision for "three reasons"
#1 They have a map for "my setup" my exact setup in fact and it "should" just be, download the map, plug in to the bike, flash it, and ride it! THIS I can do!
I am expecting that it will give me a decent enough tune on the bike, not a perfect tune!, but better then "I" could get with the SE Pro. I will then take it to a Dyno tuner and now for reason two.
#2 IF there are any Dyno tuners that tune with the SE-Pro tuner they are not on this side to the US (West Cost) as every one I have talked to including the one I will be taking it to uses, wait for it.... Power Vision! and NOT SE-Pro
#3 As has been stated, it just easy to use which is something I NEED,

As to the last question, WHY I am doing this upgrade, strictly the desire for more power, riding two up with my wife on the trip last summer the bike just needed more "IMHO" that's all,
It has been running very well other wise and I hope that continues! I have not opened it as of yet.

Now, The money pit comment: And yes when I bought the bike, I told my wife it will cost a pretty penny to do all the things I want to do to it, but it has been far beyond all I imagined in costs,
I have owned nothing but Metric bikes my whole life (street and dirt, and I'm no spring chicken). Just before this bike, I had a 2001 Yamaha V-Star 1100, bought new and owned until March of 2020. Bought this Harley January of 2020.
Why a Harley then? Wanted a bagger to tour this country of ours and really Harley is the only "bagger" I have ever liked! Any thing less then the full dress and I would have bought another metric bike and save myself a crap load of money!
Oh my brother is an old school Harley guy from way back but again he knows nothing about this electronic stuff he LOVES the Evo motor and wont get anything else cause he can rebuild it from ground up, ah cause he has :-(
Although I have rebuilt my dirt bikes from the ground up I have never, and never will own a street bike that I "have to" build from the ground up. NOT interested! SELL IT and buy a more reliable bike is my philosophy on that!

I have on this bike and, YES this was my choice but some folks are commenting unfavorably on My comment about the bike being a money pit so I am only explaining the WHY I said it here Not trying to put anything or anyone down.
to be clear, it had NOTHING to do with a $20 bearing! heck that's chump change.
But...
I put on 14" ape hangers, WELL over $1000 spent on this bike here. On my V-star about $300 including cables!
And just to attempt to head this off, I don't need the comments that "you" could have done it for less
I am comparing apples to apples here, my research\findings\concerns on buying a product, what I find in my research for this or that is what counts here and is being compared not you and yours.
Replaced the Seats about the same on both bikes.
I also went LED lights all the way around on this bike (safety first) and had I done that to the V-Star It also would have been about the same I suppose, and now that I have done it on the Harley I wish I had done it on the V-Star in fact, told the guy that bought it to get LED lights on it and he did. but in short another $2000 on lights for it.
AND WOW this puppy gets HOT!!! cooking me and my wife!
I'v never ridden a bike that cooks you like this bike so I have spent about $1000 on cooling which has helped (hoping that getting a richer mix in the AFR will help a bit more here also)
THIS has never been an issue on a metric bike so that's money I would not have had to spend at all.
There has been a number of didn't know I would need this or that costs for adjusting or improving for me is part of the comment BUT, specifically as for the cam upgrade on this bike which is what is really driving the comment by me.

Here is a list of "literally everything" you need when replacing the cams in a V-Star:
Assembly Lube, Lithium soap grease (for O-ring lube), New cams, Gaskets: (2) Intake valve cover O-rings, (2) Exhaust valve cover O-rings, (2) Timing chain tensioner gasket, Main jets for your application, Shims for the carb needles per your application.
That's it, oh, and you might notice, "no bearings", yet this is a 200,000 mile rated motor and I had 70,000 plus moles on it when I sold it, in excellent shape\looks ready for the next 70,000 miles.

And by the way, NO WHERE will you see ANYBODY on any forum say: and you should replace "X,Y, and Z" while your in there! Cost for it was somewhere around $300 to $350!

I am closing on the 3000 dollar mark on this cam upgrade, by the time I get it on the Dyno. Yes I am sure a number of you will say this is not REQUIRED you don't need A, B, or C,
But that is missing the point, there are an overwhelming amount of "opinions" within the forums that these things really should be done if the bike is a keeper and that is all I will own is a keeper so here we are.
cam upgrade project cost so far!
Wood Performance Triple Deuce 222 Chain Cam "Package" $900 plus
S&S TC3 Oil Pump and Cam Plate Kit $700 Plus
S&S Hydraulic Cam Chain Tensioner Kit $130 plus This because of all the talk about the shoes disintegrating way early on my forums and sites, to me, while in there, cheep insurance, Just do it
and because of the electronic tuning (and my comments above) the Dynojet Power Vision tuner $450 replacing the SE tuner I already own :-(
OH I have to buy a tool for the bearings another $150 for the puller and installer tool
Dyno tuning session lets say $500 (hoping for less as in 350 to 400) BUT, ya right!

So that's: $2800 PLUS so IMHO, ya money pit! but at least its nearing its end, I think

Again, thank you all for commenting, there has been some great and very helpful replies!
I hope I am not offending anyone with this LONG reply, and I am not trying to bash Harley or lift above metric bikes, its just my story and my take on this experience.

Lets put the thread to bed!

 

Sandwiz
--> "this is getting way out of hand."

You know this is a Harley forum. What we do here. .... Damn that's a lot of typing ...

 

Welcome to H-D!

 

well said!

 

Like Kirby said, change the bearings NOW, and add a cam if you like. When you compare the old and new you'll see why.
And if you are going with a gear drive check your shaft runout, 0.002 max and you won't need cam chain tennsioners.