When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I installed the Hayden about 10k miles ago when I did the 30 tooth sprocket conversion because of all the bad Id heard about the auto primary chain tensioner. A few months later I did a 103 conversion with auto compression releases and a SE 204 cam.
Bike has run fine until 4th of July weekend, I rode all weekend and on the ride home the temps got around 96-97 degrees and I hit traffic for about 40 miles of 1st 2nd gear when I heard a bang in the primary almost like a gear Clicking in. It did it quite a few times and I was preying Id make it home without a tow. I chalked it up to being a bad compensator because mine was original with almost 30K on it and being 2009 so I figured it might be finally giving out because startups always gave me lots of banging.
So I bought the new SE compensator plus I bought the new and improved auto tensioner because of the stuff Id been reading on here and funny thing is When I pulled it apart the first thing I seen is the Hayden was grenaded, I mean the shoe had broken completely in half and was chewed up all over everything thing. So the banging I heard was the primary chain getting kicked everywhere.
Get in touch with Hayden. I'm betting they'll replace the defective shoe.
I ran the older version in Reaper for over 5 years, and 80,000+ miles without any wear on the shoe beyond the initial wear-in from new. The only reason I took it out is that I installed a Baker DD6 kit last year, and it isn't compatible.
FWIW I tried a Hayden on a CVO Ultra I had a few years ago. Ratcheted the chain so tight that the primary was screaming. I've got a manual one (can't remember the brand) in Vader, and it's held up to a ton of abuse just fine.
FWIW I tried a Hayden on a CVO Ultra I had a few years ago. Ratcheted the chain so tight that the primary was screaming. I've got a manual one (can't remember the brand) in Vader, and it's held up to a ton of abuse just fine.
I thought the Haydens didn't ratchet. Don't the newer style float on springs, like the old ones?
Your Train is named Vader? My car (murdered out '06 BMW 330i) is named Vader, haha!!
I just put the latest updated auto tensioner in. Most of the reads on here have stated they’ve been trouble free. I’ll tell ya after installing it you can whip that chain up and down hard it don’t ratchet like the old version did. The shoe actually just pivots up and down on it’s own springs. It maintains the 5/8s up and down chain clearance.
Also after installing the new SE compensator this primary is quite, no banging on startup and no clunking on shut down. Very happy with it. I bought the compensator kit 40100061 for the 07-11 HD with rotor from New Castle HD for $322. I also decided to buy the new updated primary cover 60782-06A but that was my choice as mine had some scratches and they annoyed me.
Last edited by Dave0176; Aug 11, 2020 at 10:44 PM.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Hayden M6
