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 had a Hayden M6 BT07 tensioner installed on my 2012 Ultra Limited about 2000 miles ago. There has been a whining noise getting louder and louder so I took the primary cover off today and pulled the tensioner. This is what I found.
Hayden isn't answering their phone right now so I'm waiting for a returned phone call.
Anyone seen anything like this before? only 10,000 miles on the bike, 2000 on the tensioner. There were no shims installed, just the bracket, double spring assembly and shoe.
Looks like the 3 rows of links is fully worn in and the rollers are rolling. Those missing hunks are from the load and chain speed cavitating in the oil blasting out the material. Not sure if that would whine. Did you see many chips of steel from a too tight chain? Did you pull clutch hub and peer in there and make sure inner primary bearing looks and that race on the transmission shaft it runs on lookd good? With clutch hub off, look in the back side of it and spin it and make sure that huge ball bearing that supports the hub looks and fills good. That sure is a lot of wear for 2K of miles. My manual adjustment block has never grooved in but half of that and rollers still don't roll in over 48K of miles
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Feb 3, 2015 at 02:01 PM.
I hate to say it but that appears to be the typical issue with the M6 if you look around.
Most either remove a spring and try again or remove the whole thing all together in favor of something else...
The thing is simply too tight and not enough surface.
I had the M6 for ~4000 miles. Whining noise never go away, and then one day I got a loud grinding noise, took the primary off, the shoe broke into halves. Used springs as instructed and no shims, clearance is 1/4" when new.
Changed back to stock tensioner. Just check the tensioner every 5000 miles to make use it doesn't over tighten.
I just got off the phone with Hayden, They said the shoe looks like it may have been defective from the factory and are sending me a replacement shoe and springs at no charge.
I should receive the new parts by the end of the week so I'll report back with my findings.
Ripsaw, would I be able to feel a bad IPB just by rocking the clutch hub while it's still assembled? I don't think I have the tools to pull that off.
I use the HB125 hyd.tenioner never had a problem. The whining everyone has complained about is due to an over tight chain.this is whats causing the shoe to wear prematurely
I had the M6 on my 12 Ultra. Almost immediately it was making noise, which just got worse over the course of about 500 miles. Off it came and I reinstalled the stock tensioner. No more issues. You will find as many folks who swear they are the greatest thing ever as those who have had the same experience I had and are disappointed with it. It seems to work best on older bikes, particularly with well worn (stretched) primary chains. Mine happened to be very tight, even without the addition of any shims.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.
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.