Have a 03 softail with an 88 in it. Was thinking about throwing some cams in it and was wondering what everyone suggested as far as best bang for the buck. Riding style is a little bit of everything, dont take long trips often, half the time I just cruise when I ride the other times I treat it a race bike. 200# rider no passanger most of the time. Eventually plan on adding some ci's and doing some headwork so would like a cam that has that potiental but will still work with my mostly stock motor for now.

Also was wondering if its possible to just get oem 95 pistons and bore my 88's jugs out, or did the two platforms have different strokes?

Thanks!

 

Andrews 37 cams would fit your style and plans. A great all around cam. It will work well in a stock 88 but is better with bigger CI and bit more compression. I went the same route as you; cams then BB kit. For pistons, give Scott at Hillside Performance a call, they are a sponsor here. He did a 98" kit for me for just over $600. That really woke up the cams.
You're gonna get a lot of info on this subject.

 

Agree, I was thinking the 37's also. good cams for solo rider and will grow very well with a BB kit and head work.

 

An otherwise stock or Stage I TC88 will be soft on the bottom with the 37 cams; the Andrews 26 cams would be a much better choice. The '03 heads limit your selection to cams with no more than .510" lift; limited by the valve springs which changed in '05.

Yes, you can purchase a set of SE cast flat top pistons and bore your cylinders to fit to go to 95".

You didn't say whether the bike was carbed or EFI. If carbed, you will need to rejet and if EFI you will need some sort of tuner which is another discussion.

If you do go to 95" and have the heads worked, including changing valve springs to beehives that will accomodate up to .590" lift, a cam change would be in order.

If you have not checked or addressed the early cam chain tensioners and inner cam bearings, those are two things that should be addressed with a cam change.

 

I installed SE 203 cams in an 03 Carb'ed Night train with Stage 1 intake and exhaust. Was very pleased with the results. Gained low and mid range torque without sacrificing top end. I recently had the opportunity to ride an 88TC EFI with Andrews 21 cams. I was so impressed that I've ordered a set for my 02 EFI Fatboy.

I do have a couple recommendations. If you're planning to increase cubes and change or perform head work, Do everything at once and purchase components that are designed to perform in conjunction with each other. Additionally, you apparently plan on keeping the bike for many years. Consider upgrading to a Hydraulic Cam Chain Tensioner system. I installed the Harley SE Hydro system in my 03 Train. Huge improvement in oil pressure. The bike ran much cooler and oil pressure never dropped below 10 psi at idle on hot days when stuck in heavy traffic.

 

TBY what part of Iowa are you from?

 

No disrespect to anyone, but I was very happy with the 37s in my 88" and am even happier with them in the 98." I have a set of 96" heads to be cleaned up as this winter's project to complete the build (for now).

 

Disrespect? No worries there; not an issue.

You are happier with them in the 98" because of the increased compression. The TC88 OEM compression is just not going to deliver the same performance, as you have experienced first hand, as the higher compression of a larger bore motor.

I can assure you that if you replaced the 37s in the TC88 with the 21 or 26 or SE204 you would have experienced a similar difference to what you now experience between the 37s in the 88" and the 98". The 37s may perform better in the TC88 than the OEM cams but they are still "soft" on the lower end compared with the other cams previously mentioned.

Many forget that a cam change most usually changes the CCP and dynamic compression although static CR may remain the same. The added compression is a contributing factor to the increase in performance that is associated with different cam timing.

Get those late model heads decked to set chamber volume between 80cc-82cc, install with a .030" head gasket and you will see what I mean.

 

You are correct. I put them in with the 98" kit in mind.
Since the OP suggested he was going to do a build in the same manner as me and seemed to describe a similar riding style, I suggested the 37s for him as well. If I could have done this all at once, I would have, but my funding for this limited, so this is the path I took. You're suggestion on the head work is precisely what I had in mind.
Not to blow smoke, I value your opinions on engine work as they seem reasonable and knowledgeable. Any time I see your sig in a thread my ears open up. Thanks.

 

Juiced I am in the Waterloo area, how about yourself? A

And thanks for all the info guys it really helps. I may just go ahead and upgrade to the 95 ci at the same time, and clean up the heads at home for a little better flow. Is it possible to pull the cylinders off with the motor still in the bike, I assume there is but not sure if there is enough clearance to get them pulled off of the case. Also it is a carbed engine, I already jetted it, not sure off the top of my head what size but did enough to clean it up since it was running so lean stock.

Thanks again.