Chain tensioner
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Road Master
Joined: May 2010
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From: Rijssen, the Netherlands
Chain tensioner
We all know the disadvantages of the gliding chain tensioners of Harley Davidsons primary and secundary chains. Although already redesigned to hydraulic tensioners instead of the manual adjustables still the wear particles of the gliding 'tensioner shoe', made of nylon (I assume with a teflon coating) will be mixed with the oil.
When one is not attending these gliding shoes the wear will extend to the metal brackets and metal particles are mixed in the engine oil than.
Other brands (like MotoGuzzi, Kawa, BMW and some more) are applying small sprocket wheels to tension the primary and secundairy chains with less risks of the mentioned problems of extreme wear due to contaminated oil with particles.
When will the MoCo 'see the light' and change both the gliding tensioners for hydraulic sprocket wheel tensioners for the both the camshaft chain and the secundary chain between the engine and the gearbox? It can be also the reason to extend the intervals between services of the bike to normal periods of 10,000 or even 15,000 kms instead of the 8,000 now.
When one is not attending these gliding shoes the wear will extend to the metal brackets and metal particles are mixed in the engine oil than.
Other brands (like MotoGuzzi, Kawa, BMW and some more) are applying small sprocket wheels to tension the primary and secundairy chains with less risks of the mentioned problems of extreme wear due to contaminated oil with particles.
When will the MoCo 'see the light' and change both the gliding tensioners for hydraulic sprocket wheel tensioners for the both the camshaft chain and the secundary chain between the engine and the gearbox? It can be also the reason to extend the intervals between services of the bike to normal periods of 10,000 or even 15,000 kms instead of the 8,000 now.
Last edited by Bart van der Meulen; Mar 8, 2017 at 03:33 AM.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2010
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From: Rijssen, the Netherlands
And the chain between engine and gearbox? Still gliding shoe?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
Way behind the times fellow. Harley in 2007-08 went to a roller chain on the cams. Once it grooves in, it will roll just like in the primary and cease to roll.
Good idea to change the cam shoes ever 10 years just do to heat making the delrin material get brittle.
That small amount of plastic delrin chips and dust hurts nothing. There is no passage ways that small in a Harley. And it surely is not going to hurt any bearings in there.
You do have a pretty sorry upgrade show. It actually is worst then what you had. Using Hydraulics on a cam tensioner with a link chain will be lucky to go 10K. If someone modified the oil relief spring, even less. My attachment is like your set up but the front had a roller chain. Rear was link and you see what happens.
Harley went to Hydralics as a smoke screen to hide their error for the first 6 years of TCs. The fix was the change. They truly should recall all all 6 years long ago but they got away with it now.
Most SE conversions just leave the inner chain as a link since the sprocket is part of that cam. Not sure why yours is on outside unless yours has that cam sensor on it and back when done they did not have a roller sprocket then with the sensor probe on it.
Good idea to change the cam shoes ever 10 years just do to heat making the delrin material get brittle.
That small amount of plastic delrin chips and dust hurts nothing. There is no passage ways that small in a Harley. And it surely is not going to hurt any bearings in there.
You do have a pretty sorry upgrade show. It actually is worst then what you had. Using Hydraulics on a cam tensioner with a link chain will be lucky to go 10K. If someone modified the oil relief spring, even less. My attachment is like your set up but the front had a roller chain. Rear was link and you see what happens.
Harley went to Hydralics as a smoke screen to hide their error for the first 6 years of TCs. The fix was the change. They truly should recall all all 6 years long ago but they got away with it now.
Most SE conversions just leave the inner chain as a link since the sprocket is part of that cam. Not sure why yours is on outside unless yours has that cam sensor on it and back when done they did not have a roller sprocket then with the sensor probe on it.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 14, 2018 at 07:48 AM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
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From: Alberta
Have you been in the primary on an HD? Once broken in, older manual "shoes" required little adjustment and I see no room for a heavier, bulkier sprocket assembly without a major re-design. Also, utilizing a sprocket assembly may not take the torque pulses as well, 3/4 ton of bike weight and 100ft lbs + of torque bearing down on that sprocket axle. Harley is not about re-design like most other brands, in case you never noticed. Every mechanical device has it's own maintenance peculiarities. I've never heard anything about multiple catastrophic failures of the primary from contaminated lubricant...and major change would be the answer to a question few are asking...
Last edited by sharkey; Mar 8, 2017 at 08:17 AM.
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From: Honah Lee
That's the FP Bart's picture of a very old primary manual tensioner I think. However, nice tin man sneak in.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Mar 8, 2017 at 09:51 AM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
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From: Honah Lee
95, for my records, do you remember how many miles and how old bike was? Did you ever hit the rev limiter or run it a lot above 4000rpm.
Need to add a signature line on your bike,year and letters.
Need to add a signature line on your bike,year and letters.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Waukesha, WI
Bike is an 01 Heritage with 53k. I've had it since September, bought it off a friend who had it for 3 years, bought it from the original owner. Neither my friend or I beat on it, not sure about the original owner (older guy).