TW26G Cam (gear drive) advice ?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 14
From: Idaho
TW26G Cam (gear drive) advice ?
I've been doing my homework & reading a lot and paying very close attention to the rpm's I tend to ride.
One of the goals this winter is to change over to gear drive cams, I have the SE upgrade with the baisley spring. All works well just feel like there is a ticking time bomb with those shoes. So gear drive is very close to top of the list.
Looking at a lot of cam profiles I keep coming back to the Andrews TW26G cam, I can run it with the current upgrades (stage 1-1/2) & stock heads I have at the moment or any other mods I add onto the list for this winters build.
I tend to ride between idle and I tend to shift right before 5k if I'm really pulling hard. I need the grunt to be down low as I get into and out of traffic.
But feel free to school me up something I may of missed with that cam.
(current list of upgrades already installed on 2000 88TC Ultra Classic)
Stock cams.
Johnson Hylift lifters.
SE Cam plate upgrade.
SE adjustable Push rods.
MMI / PC3USB.
Ture Duals. <-- (yes I know I need to change this out to a 2into1)
Ness Big sucker intake.
Thanks
One of the goals this winter is to change over to gear drive cams, I have the SE upgrade with the baisley spring. All works well just feel like there is a ticking time bomb with those shoes. So gear drive is very close to top of the list.
Looking at a lot of cam profiles I keep coming back to the Andrews TW26G cam, I can run it with the current upgrades (stage 1-1/2) & stock heads I have at the moment or any other mods I add onto the list for this winters build.
I tend to ride between idle and I tend to shift right before 5k if I'm really pulling hard. I need the grunt to be down low as I get into and out of traffic.
But feel free to school me up something I may of missed with that cam.
(current list of upgrades already installed on 2000 88TC Ultra Classic)
Stock cams.
Johnson Hylift lifters.
SE Cam plate upgrade.
SE adjustable Push rods.
MMI / PC3USB.
Ture Duals. <-- (yes I know I need to change this out to a 2into1)
Ness Big sucker intake.
Thanks
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,779
Likes: 2,609
From: san antonio
I don't think you have missed anything about the 26G but I do believe there are other options that are even better.
I am not sure I understand your "ticking time bomb" reference to the hydraulic tensioners. You did not provide the PN for the SE upgrade cam plate but since you are running stock cams, I assume the upgrade is the SE "hybrid" cam plate and pump? PN 25282-11? If so, you have eliminated the time bomb by replacing the spring loaded tensioers with hydraulic. Having said that, converting to gear drive cams is what you want to do, by all means go ahead but I wouldn't convert to gear drives out of fear the the hydraulic tensioners were a ticking time bomb.
Check your crank runout before purchasing the gear drive setup. If greater than .003", keep the chain drive setup.
If you did not upgrade the inner cam bearings when you converted to the SE cam plate, you should address them when you next venture into the cam chest. BTW, I don't t think you need the Baisley spring with the SE cam plate; that pump is upgraded in flow and scavenge capacity.
You are limited, without head work, to cams with lifts less than .510" which is the max lift the early heads will accomodate. Another cam that you might consider is the S&S 509. Oh yeah, I would definitely upgrade the exhaust to a good 2:1, D&D FatCat or Bassani Road Rage II, short muffler. JMHO.
I am not sure I understand your "ticking time bomb" reference to the hydraulic tensioners. You did not provide the PN for the SE upgrade cam plate but since you are running stock cams, I assume the upgrade is the SE "hybrid" cam plate and pump? PN 25282-11? If so, you have eliminated the time bomb by replacing the spring loaded tensioers with hydraulic. Having said that, converting to gear drive cams is what you want to do, by all means go ahead but I wouldn't convert to gear drives out of fear the the hydraulic tensioners were a ticking time bomb.
Check your crank runout before purchasing the gear drive setup. If greater than .003", keep the chain drive setup.
If you did not upgrade the inner cam bearings when you converted to the SE cam plate, you should address them when you next venture into the cam chest. BTW, I don't t think you need the Baisley spring with the SE cam plate; that pump is upgraded in flow and scavenge capacity.
You are limited, without head work, to cams with lifts less than .510" which is the max lift the early heads will accomodate. Another cam that you might consider is the S&S 509. Oh yeah, I would definitely upgrade the exhaust to a good 2:1, D&D FatCat or Bassani Road Rage II, short muffler. JMHO.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 14
From: Idaho
I don't think you have missed anything about the 26G but I do believe there are other options that are even better.
I am not sure I understand your "ticking time bomb" reference to the hydraulic tensioners. You did not provide the PN for the SE upgrade cam plate but since you are running stock cams, I assume the upgrade is the SE "hybrid" cam plate and pump? PN 25282-11? If so, you have eliminated the time bomb by replacing the spring loaded tensioers with hydraulic. Having said that, converting to gear drive cams is what you want to do, by all means go ahead but I wouldn't convert to gear drives out of fear the the hydraulic tensioners were a ticking time bomb.
Check your crank runout before purchasing the gear drive setup. If greater than .003", keep the chain drive setup.
If you did not upgrade the inner cam bearings when you converted to the SE cam plate, you should address them when you next venture into the cam chest. BTW, I don't t think you need the Baisley spring with the SE cam plate; that pump is upgraded in flow and scavenge capacity.
You are limited, without head work, to cams with lifts less than .510" which is the max lift the early heads will accomodate. Another cam that you might consider is the S&S 509. Oh yeah, I would definitely upgrade the exhaust to a good 2:1, D&D FatCat or Bassani Road Rage II, short muffler. JMHO.
I am not sure I understand your "ticking time bomb" reference to the hydraulic tensioners. You did not provide the PN for the SE upgrade cam plate but since you are running stock cams, I assume the upgrade is the SE "hybrid" cam plate and pump? PN 25282-11? If so, you have eliminated the time bomb by replacing the spring loaded tensioers with hydraulic. Having said that, converting to gear drive cams is what you want to do, by all means go ahead but I wouldn't convert to gear drives out of fear the the hydraulic tensioners were a ticking time bomb.
Check your crank runout before purchasing the gear drive setup. If greater than .003", keep the chain drive setup.
If you did not upgrade the inner cam bearings when you converted to the SE cam plate, you should address them when you next venture into the cam chest. BTW, I don't t think you need the Baisley spring with the SE cam plate; that pump is upgraded in flow and scavenge capacity.
You are limited, without head work, to cams with lifts less than .510" which is the max lift the early heads will accomodate. Another cam that you might consider is the S&S 509. Oh yeah, I would definitely upgrade the exhaust to a good 2:1, D&D FatCat or Bassani Road Rage II, short muffler. JMHO.
I have the full SE Hydraulic Cam Chain plate upgrade kit installed. I think one reason I'm constantly worried about the shoes even with the upgrade was I saw the condition of the shoes before they were replaced. I got lucky, much more I would of been into my motor for a rebuild a few years back.
Are the hydraulic tensioners really that much of an improvement? I have 99k miles and want to get another 99k after the upgrades this winter. Yup ride it till shes dead ... lol
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,779
Likes: 2,609
From: san antonio
I have the full SE Hydraulic Cam Chain plate upgrade kit installed. I think one reason I'm constantly worried about the shoes even with the upgrade was I saw the condition of the shoes before they were replaced. I got lucky, much more I would of been into my motor for a rebuild a few years back.
Are the hydraulic tensioners really that much of an improvement? I have 99k miles and want to get another 99k after the upgrades this winter. Yup ride it till shes dead ... lol
Are the hydraulic tensioners really that much of an improvement? I have 99k miles and want to get another 99k after the upgrades this winter. Yup ride it till shes dead ... lol
Having said all that, gear driven cams will eliminate all concerns, whatever they may be. However, and JMHO, it is flawed logic to replace the hydraulic setup with a gear drive setup because you think the hydraulic setup is a "ticking time bomb"; it's just not.
On the other hand, if one just wants a gear drive setup, $$ notwithstanding, one should proceed. Check crank runout to insure it is in acceptable limits, purchase the Andrews kit that blocks off the oil passages to the tensioners, upgrade the inner cam bearings and get it done.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 14
From: Idaho
You currently are running the SE cam plate upgrade kit with stock cams. This would mean that you are running the SE "hybrid" cam plate upgrade kit, PN 25284-11. So, you already have the hydraulic tensioners and, yes, those tensioners are very much an improvement. They are not spring loaded as were the early tensioners which were under what some believe to be extreme pressure as opposed to relying on oil pressure to maintain contact with the chains. Additionally, the new shoe material is very much like the primary chain tensioner material and is not brittle and subject to craking and breaking as is the early tensioner shoe material. The upgrade kit inclues roller chains verses the link chains in the early setup and the rollers allow the links to "roll" over the tensioner shoe rather than a link chain being "dragged" over the tensioner. Those changes make for a much more reliable setup. The "hybrid" kit does not include a roller chain on the inner tensioner so that early OEM and aftermarket cams can still be used. IMHO, not big deal but worth noting for clarity.
Having said all that, gear driven cams will eliminate all concerns, whatever they may be. However, and JMHO, it is flawed logic to replace the hydraulic setup with a gear drive setup because you think the hydraulic setup is a "ticking time bomb"; it's just not.
On the other hand, if one just wants a gear drive setup, $$ notwithstanding, one should proceed. Check crank runout to insure it is in acceptable limits, purchase the Andrews kit that blocks off the oil passages to the tensioners, upgrade the inner cam bearings and get it done.
Having said all that, gear driven cams will eliminate all concerns, whatever they may be. However, and JMHO, it is flawed logic to replace the hydraulic setup with a gear drive setup because you think the hydraulic setup is a "ticking time bomb"; it's just not.
On the other hand, if one just wants a gear drive setup, $$ notwithstanding, one should proceed. Check crank runout to insure it is in acceptable limits, purchase the Andrews kit that blocks off the oil passages to the tensioners, upgrade the inner cam bearings and get it done.
Plus I still have not decided on a 95 or go a 98 kit. But the more home work I do I think the andrews cam is going to put the torq right about where I want it.
Thanks
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
TO34 I ran the Andrews 26's in an 88ci and to be honest I was not happy with them. The power gain was not worth the effort and the loss of power below 3000 was noticeable. I gained 3hp on top but lost about 5 ft lbs down low. Others may have different experiences but that was mine.
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: san antonio
TO34 I ran the Andrews 26's in an 88ci and to be honest I was not happy with them. The power gain was not worth the effort and the loss of power below 3000 was noticeable. I gained 3hp on top but lost about 5 ft lbs down low. Others may have different experiences but that was mine.
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 242
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It all depends on the setup; if the compression is right, pipe and tune on; the 26 is a good cam. I think there are better options for TC88 but the 26 is tried and true if the setup is right and your experience with the 26 is atypical. If you lost 5TQ down low over OEM cams, something was wrong with the setup.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,779
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From: san antonio
It was a stock compression healthy 88ci with SE air cleaner and Supertrapp 2 into 1. I had the bike dynoed before and after the cam change but on different dynos. The first dyno run was with a power commander canned map. The second was a tune as there was no canned map for it. There are variables involved here that could explain part of it. But the bottom line for me was that cam in that 88ci engine was a waste of time and money. Regardless of what the dyno said there was no seat of the pants difference. Like you say it could be atypical. And since the OP is considering going with a 95ci that would surely help.
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