Primary Chain adjustment Pad
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,785
Likes: 4
From: Oklahoma
I'm curious about this too. A quick search doesn't turn up anything, and I can't remember any complaints about worn out primary pads. Wonder why these seem to wear so much better than the TC88 cam tensioner pads.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 5
Hey Wes, yep. At about 27K miles. Had a vibration nobody could find for a few thousand miles. Was servicing the bike, as the primary was draining I noticed it was slow to do so. We pulled the cover and there by the drain hole was a piece of nylon pad.
Put a new pad on, adjusted the chain, buttoned her up and the vibration was gone.
Piece of cake.
edit: Mine was cracked/broken not worn. Small pieces of nylon actually embedded into the links of the chain.
Put a new pad on, adjusted the chain, buttoned her up and the vibration was gone.
Piece of cake.
edit: Mine was cracked/broken not worn. Small pieces of nylon actually embedded into the links of the chain.
Last edited by RoadKingRon1; Jul 7, 2009 at 06:47 PM.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 6
From: Burb of Chicago
Here's the deal.......a couple of weeks ago on a 350 miles ride....I suddenly start hearing a clanking noise coming from the primary. Couple of days later, I adjust the primary chain, drain and add new fluid, and all is good. A few weeks later, that clanking is starting again. When I checked the pad when I adjusted it last, it's hard to see how much of the pad has been worn down. I figured with 73K miles, I'll tear it down, and put in a new pad....30.00 bucks for parts, and a quart of oil, with some up close and personal time with the scoot sounds like a fine way to waste a rainy day.
After I get the pad off and can get a good look at the worn pattern, I'll report back.
Thanks for your input......
Ed
After I get the pad off and can get a good look at the worn pattern, I'll report back.
Thanks for your input......
Ed
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 6
From: Burb of Chicago
I have an 01 Wide Glide.....in the Primary, the Chain's tension is adjusted by raising or lowering a plastic pad (shoe) which the chain runs against. Very much like the old Cam chain tensioners.
Ed
Ed
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 537
Likes: 1
From: Southern California
The frisbee gasket fits around the derby cover. What you see under the derby cover is the clutch assy. The primary chain is inside that case, it connects the crankshaft to the clutch assy. A primary pad is the tensioning system that takes the slack off the primary chain. This pad is made of a composite material I believe that is spring loaded to keep the chain snug. This tensioner mechanism on newer models are made a bit better with better lubrication which extends the life of the pad.. I believe this is accurate, I may be wrong..
Last edited by Juve996; Jul 7, 2009 at 08:42 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,785
Likes: 4
From: Oklahoma
In order to see the primary pad without removing the whole primary cover, you need a bike with a primary chain inspection port. You will find these only on Big Twin 06s or earlier (05s or earlier I think on Dynas). When HD went to the automatic primary chain tensioner, it removed the need for easy access to check chain tension regularly.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,235
Likes: 65
From: Joliet, Illinois
I didn't have a problem with my primary chain tension, but threw an automatic chain tensioner on at my 20,000 mile service. I figure that's one less thing I need to adjust or check on future services.