I'm deffinately going to gear drive at some point but I just checked mine at 22000 hard miles and there is no problem. I run Amsoil in the motor and use a Pure Power life time filter and change every 3000 or less miles.

 

Got rid of the tensioners (TICKING TIME-BOMB) a long time ago, couldn't be bothered having to check them on a regular basis. GEAR DRIVE all the way baby!!!

 

You're a cam tensioner lottery winner. And it truly is a lottery. I've had it go both ways. Shot at 30k on my 02 Dyna, barely worn at 36K on my 06 EG. Checking them once a year is a reasonable approach. I look at mine every 10K.

 

I wish others like Trex would post the oil they used that gave longevity to the tensioner pads. Looks like another Amsoil win.

 

I think it has more to do with the smoothness or quality of the chain more so than the oil. But I could be wrong. I've run Mobile1 V twin Amsoil and Syn 3 in mine...

 

I run Syn oil and I changed my tensioner at 70,000 miles I could made to 100K but I was not going keep check it because somebody else had a problem with dino oil and tensioners.

 

The type of oil has nothing to do with it....As far as Amsoil goes, my buddy that had them worn out in 30-some thousand uses Amsoil.

 

Oil aint got nothing to do with it...Amsoil aint no liquid gold...It's just crazy how everyone thinks Amsoil hung the fn moon and if you run synthetic... their engine will last 500,000 miles and 1 millon miles with Amsoil....for us that use dino, we're just crazy as hell, uninformed and our bikes might hit 40k before needing a rebuild!!!

 

Harley put special cam chain tensioners in my FXSTDI. They will never wear out.

 

I'm using Amsoil; not being an Amswhore.
I'll guess that if you had a syn oil and a tight chain on one bike and dino oil on the other with the chain tension correct, the tensioner on dino would last longer. Just a thot.