88 cam Problems
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT. Dushore, Pa.
My friend (82 years young) wants me to look at an 06 SG w 36K miles on it. Did they improve the cam guides any between orig. and the 06. Any ideas on the average for this year?
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,763
Likes: 2,597
From: san antonio
Yes, there have been failures but you must remember that there are only about a gazillion of them running around with no problems. If buying a used bike, I would go ahead and replace the tensioners wtih the stock pieces. Once the chain has been run a while and had been "polished" the wear on replacement tensioners should be normal. When changing them out, do not let the tensioner "slam" back against the chain when released; let the tensioner close agains the chain gently. The hard contact can chip or crack the surface of a new tensioner; the material is brittle.
The parts for the new hydraulic tensioner/roller chain setup run about $370 from Zanotti's. When you do change tensioners, change the inner cam bearing to Torrington B148s.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT. Dushore, Pa.
The '06 SG has the same problem, spring loaded cam chain tensioners. Easy to check and easy to replace. I converted my '05 Deuce to gear drives when I increased displacement to 95" (new chain drive was not available or I would have gone that route) and they were wearing fine but the outer tensioner has a large crack in corner and the whole corner was about to come out. I bought an '02 FLHT with 25K miles on it and checked them the first thing. The outer was wearing normally but the inner was worn down to the metal carrier. This one was upgraded to the hydraulic tensioner/roller chain setup when I increased displacement to 107".
Yes, there have been failures but you must remember that there are only about a gazillion of them running around with no problems. If buying a used bike, I would go ahead and replace the tensioners wtih the stock pieces. Once the chain has been run a while and had been "polished" the wear on replacement tensioners should be normal. When changing them out, do not let the tensioner "slam" back against the chain when released; let the tensioner close agains the chain gently. The hard contact can chip or crack the surface of a new tensioner; the material is brittle.
The parts for the new hydraulic tensioner/roller chain setup run about $370 from Zanotti's. When you do change tensioners, change the inner cam bearing to Torrington B148s.
Yes, there have been failures but you must remember that there are only about a gazillion of them running around with no problems. If buying a used bike, I would go ahead and replace the tensioners wtih the stock pieces. Once the chain has been run a while and had been "polished" the wear on replacement tensioners should be normal. When changing them out, do not let the tensioner "slam" back against the chain when released; let the tensioner close agains the chain gently. The hard contact can chip or crack the surface of a new tensioner; the material is brittle.
The parts for the new hydraulic tensioner/roller chain setup run about $370 from Zanotti's. When you do change tensioners, change the inner cam bearing to Torrington B148s.
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