2006 rk tensioner questions
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Georgia
2006 rk tensioner questions
My 17 year old son picked up a nice Roadking custom with 13k miles. The bike was owned by an elderly gentleman and it was obviously maintained well. We opened the cam chest and The tensioners look fine. My concern is the age of them, Even though the visually look good, should we plan to replace simply due to age, do they deteriorate over time? This is his bike and his $. I'm aware it would be best to upgrade to hydraulic or gears but his budget will not allow that + he's 17 (idk if he will keep the bike long term or not). No plans to cam it. I plan to put cyco shoes in it when we do decide to do it. What else should be changed on a stock 88 with 13k on the clock? Were the stock lifters and inner cam bearings problematic in these years ?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,730
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From: Honah Lee
@LRS
In my opinion, if there original, and they very well could be and he bangs the rev limiter, I would replace them. They get hard over time with hot oil. Of course, replace the inner cam bearings and look closely at the roller bearings on the lifters if you decide on the work. Be sure to do a careful job with the Cyco shoe rebuild. Make sure there fastened well.
However, driven reasonably, around town, they may last a long long time.
There is no advantages to going hydraulic. The issue is not the tensioners. It's the link chains that never stop wearing the tensioners.
To actually do it right, it would need the cams changed also to get roller chains on both tensioners.
The hydraulic conversion leaves the inner tension chain links since the cam has the link chain sprocket made on it.
My 2004 Softail has 50,000 on it. All original. Just drove it the other day. Runs and sounds like it always has. Do all my own work on all my vehicles. I never beat on it is why.
Good luck.
In my opinion, if there original, and they very well could be and he bangs the rev limiter, I would replace them. They get hard over time with hot oil. Of course, replace the inner cam bearings and look closely at the roller bearings on the lifters if you decide on the work. Be sure to do a careful job with the Cyco shoe rebuild. Make sure there fastened well.
However, driven reasonably, around town, they may last a long long time.
There is no advantages to going hydraulic. The issue is not the tensioners. It's the link chains that never stop wearing the tensioners.
To actually do it right, it would need the cams changed also to get roller chains on both tensioners.
The hydraulic conversion leaves the inner tension chain links since the cam has the link chain sprocket made on it.
My 2004 Softail has 50,000 on it. All original. Just drove it the other day. Runs and sounds like it always has. Do all my own work on all my vehicles. I never beat on it is why.
Good luck.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Today at 06:21 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,730
Likes: 6,493
From: Honah Lee
@LRS Not sure what MAX calls low speed but I been observing tensioners on here since 2010 and the ones out of the large heavy cruisers that people beat on to get up to speed literally have chunks blasted out of them from oil cavitation.
My theory is it's like the aluminum propellers with big engines on bass boats.
I had two of those since my fresh water days was in NC and it had cypress hazards. Easier to replace a wheel than the output shaft.
Now interestingly, when I checked my Harley at 30k years ago, they were hardly worn.
If its low speed, I guess I been doing it all wrong. Now I do the speed limit and occasionally if on the interstate keep up with the flow of traffic.
I promised myself with my last bike purchase in 2006 that I still have that I drive it safely or stop riding. Now that I like about only half the population drive safely, I gave up anything that doesn't have seat belts and 10 air bags.
.
My theory is it's like the aluminum propellers with big engines on bass boats.
I had two of those since my fresh water days was in NC and it had cypress hazards. Easier to replace a wheel than the output shaft.
Now interestingly, when I checked my Harley at 30k years ago, they were hardly worn.
If its low speed, I guess I been doing it all wrong. Now I do the speed limit and occasionally if on the interstate keep up with the flow of traffic.
I promised myself with my last bike purchase in 2006 that I still have that I drive it safely or stop riding. Now that I like about only half the population drive safely, I gave up anything that doesn't have seat belts and 10 air bags.
.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Today at 09:06 AM.
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