Should I worry ?
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 651
Likes: 72
From: Harleysville, PA
They are hardly scored, and look rather well for 60k, should be good for another 15k IMHO, buuuut now that you have it apart replace it!
B Bop
2012 FLHR (Road King) Stage II Red Ember Sunglo/Merlo Sunglo, Original HD Chrome Laced Profile Aluminum Spoke Tubeless Rims, ABS, Cruise Control, Security Package, Saddlebag LED Spoiler lights, and array of nostalgic & high performance accessories that enhances appearance & blood curdling performance.
It’s a shame there is nothing available today that can measure white knuckles & big a$$ smiles.
B Bop
2012 FLHR (Road King) Stage II Red Ember Sunglo/Merlo Sunglo, Original HD Chrome Laced Profile Aluminum Spoke Tubeless Rims, ABS, Cruise Control, Security Package, Saddlebag LED Spoiler lights, and array of nostalgic & high performance accessories that enhances appearance & blood curdling performance.
It’s a shame there is nothing available today that can measure white knuckles & big a$$ smiles.
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 76
Likes: 36
From: Southern Ontario
Hi everyone.
Thank so much for all the replies.
It appears the vote is about 50/50.
I had planned to check mine.
It looked easy, pop off the cover and have
a look see.
But then learning more about what's involved.
And realizing there is a second cam tensioner
behind the cam plate.
I started to feel uneasy.
cutting off the push rods??
Finding top dead centers??
bleeding tappers??
lifts ??
Oh geeze, this is sounding pretty complicated!!
As much as I love to wrench on my bike,
my wrenching skills are not much more than
doing the oil changes , spark plugs, etc.
Sigh.
I'd love to attempt the cam tensioners, but
it appears over my head.
I wish I had a skilled buddy to help guild me.
hmmm....
Unsure of my next move.
But again, thank you for your replies.
regards.
SG.
Thank so much for all the replies.
It appears the vote is about 50/50.
I had planned to check mine.
It looked easy, pop off the cover and have
a look see.
But then learning more about what's involved.
And realizing there is a second cam tensioner
behind the cam plate.
I started to feel uneasy.
cutting off the push rods??
Finding top dead centers??
bleeding tappers??
lifts ??
Oh geeze, this is sounding pretty complicated!!
As much as I love to wrench on my bike,
my wrenching skills are not much more than
doing the oil changes , spark plugs, etc.
Sigh.
I'd love to attempt the cam tensioners, but
it appears over my head.
I wish I had a skilled buddy to help guild me.
hmmm....
Unsure of my next move.
But again, thank you for your replies.
regards.
SG.
Novice
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 17
Likes: 7
From: The US
The cam chain tensioner issue was overblown to begin with. Don't get me wrong, it was definitely an issue for some people but it's not as if Harley's were blowing up left and right. The fact remains that a great many early model twin cams are still on the road with stock spring tensioners and way more than 20k miles. The tensioners on yours (and mine as well, I have an 07 Road King) have much, much more tolerance. They're probably the last things I'd be thinking about if I had less than 100k miles lol. Actually, I think in 08 they put even more durable material on them so yours would be even better than mine. I don't know what the actual service intervals are on them (they aren't in the manual I have lol) but I'd guess about 60k miles is a good guess, however service intervals are ALWAYS incredibly conservative for liability's sake. No one would blame you if you checked them now, but I would bet money (or in this case, my motor haha) that they will last a hell of a lot longer. Plenty of people check their shoes at 30k, 40k, 50k, 60k with only signs that they've simply been used and not much more. That's just me though, if it's bothering you that much and seems like a bigger job than you wanna do just pay someone to change them and all the other wear items they gotta go through in the process. Like the other fellow said, peace of mind is priceless.
If you're still looking for opinions, mine is to just forget about it and ride or you'll just end up creating issues trying to fix one that didn't exist to begin with, or just pay someone to do it all and then forget about it and ride lol.
If you're still looking for opinions, mine is to just forget about it and ride or you'll just end up creating issues trying to fix one that didn't exist to begin with, or just pay someone to do it all and then forget about it and ride lol.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 680
Likes: 224
From: Buhl, Idaho
Agree on doing an inspection. Did that on my '08 FLHT at 50,000. They looked almost new. replaced them at 100,000, as I was also doing the inner cam bearings, and all that. The shoes were still good, with only slight wear on either of them. So, good idea to be preventive, and check them out. Much cheaper than tearing your motor down because one went south on you.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 308
From: coastal sc
Hi everyone.
Thank so much for all the replies.
It appears the vote is about 50/50.
I had planned to check mine.
It looked easy, pop off the cover and have
a look see.
But then learning more about what's involved.
And realizing there is a second cam tensioner
behind the cam plate.
I started to feel uneasy.
cutting off the push rods??
Finding top dead centers??
bleeding tappers??
lifts ??
Oh geeze, this is sounding pretty complicated!!
As much as I love to wrench on my bike,
my wrenching skills are not much more than
doing the oil changes , spark plugs, etc.
Sigh.
I'd love to attempt the cam tensioners, but
it appears over my head.
I wish I had a skilled buddy to help guild me.
hmmm....
Unsure of my next move.
But again, thank you for your replies.
regards.
SG.
Thank so much for all the replies.
It appears the vote is about 50/50.
I had planned to check mine.
It looked easy, pop off the cover and have
a look see.
But then learning more about what's involved.
And realizing there is a second cam tensioner
behind the cam plate.
I started to feel uneasy.
cutting off the push rods??
Finding top dead centers??
bleeding tappers??
lifts ??
Oh geeze, this is sounding pretty complicated!!
As much as I love to wrench on my bike,
my wrenching skills are not much more than
doing the oil changes , spark plugs, etc.
Sigh.
I'd love to attempt the cam tensioners, but
it appears over my head.
I wish I had a skilled buddy to help guild me.
hmmm....
Unsure of my next move.
But again, thank you for your replies.
regards.
SG.
I just did my cams and it is easier than it sounds. I would just inspect them, unless the inspection shows excessive wear.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,399
Likes: 1,040
From: Seabrook, NH
My tensioners still looked good at 60K. I convinced myself that the inspection was needed and going in gave me the excuse to replace the cams to better fit my riding style. Now I'm trying to convince myself that I need to inspect my heads and cylinders at 123K.
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 773
Likes: 124
From: Between purgatory and retirement
You do not NEED to cut the pushrods. If you wish to reuse the originals then you need to take off the tank and take off the rocker box covers. IF you dont want to do that then you will need to cut the old ones and replace with adjustables.
Before you say you cant do it yourself, check out the videos on Fuel Motos site, specifically
Fuel Moto Twin Cam Big Bore Install video's https://university.fuelmotousa.com/s...install-video/
Go through them and you should have a good idea of whether you have the skills to do it yourself.
They will also give you an idea of what parts you will need (you will need the service manual in any case) but the videos dont tell you everything you might need like the gasket on the exhaust pipe crossover (GASKET, CLAMP 66813-09
).How much do you enjoy working on your bike?
.
Last edited by IKnowNot; Jan 29, 2021 at 06:57 AM.
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 76
Likes: 36
From: Southern Ontario
Thank you for the link to the fuel moto videos.
I will watch them.
I do enjoy working on my bike.
My biggest accomplishment was replacing the
vehical speed sensor under the starter motor, when my speedo quit working.
I was pretty proud of myself to be able to do that.
(pulling out the starter motor to get to the senor)
( with grateful help I got here at HD Forums !! )
I will try that dental mirror trick to see how the inner cam tensioner looks!!
Thank you for that hint !!
Best regards.
S G.
I will watch them.
I do enjoy working on my bike.
My biggest accomplishment was replacing the
vehical speed sensor under the starter motor, when my speedo quit working.
I was pretty proud of myself to be able to do that.
(pulling out the starter motor to get to the senor)
( with grateful help I got here at HD Forums !! )
I will try that dental mirror trick to see how the inner cam tensioner looks!!
Thank you for that hint !!
Best regards.
S G.
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