HD primary self adjusting tensioner question
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Tourer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 478
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From: Nor Cal
HD primary self adjusting tensioner question
With all the negative talk about the Sohot primary tensioner I was thinking about putting the HD self adjusting tensioner in my '05 RK. I e-mailed Sohot about thier tensioner and never got a reply, so that tells me something.
So my questions are, the factory manual calls for two different primary chain freeplays depending if cold or hot. Won't the HD tensioner in theory adjust the chain too tight if it happens to adjust the chain when cold, then when it all heats up it will be overtight. Is there some give in the factory self adjusting tensioner? I know there are thousands of them out there, but it just seems to me the chain will be too tight when hot. I'm I way off base on this?
So my questions are, the factory manual calls for two different primary chain freeplays depending if cold or hot. Won't the HD tensioner in theory adjust the chain too tight if it happens to adjust the chain when cold, then when it all heats up it will be overtight. Is there some give in the factory self adjusting tensioner? I know there are thousands of them out there, but it just seems to me the chain will be too tight when hot. I'm I way off base on this?
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: ID Ho
During the time of the last notSoHot thread I had oppportunity to measure 3 different bikes wth the HD tensioner, including my own. Put them on the lift pull the outer cover and measure chain slack. ALL of them were perfect. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the current HD tensioner. The early 06 ones would get tight but the ratchet was redesigned and now work exactly as designed.
Last edited by hog-doc; May 9, 2010 at 03:06 PM.
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Tourer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 478
Likes: 12
From: Nor Cal
I noticed that the tensioner for my year bike is part # 40063-05A, does this have the old style adjuster teeth or the new smaller teeth. In the other thread;
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...mary+tensioner
Does the A at the end denote the updated teeth?
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...mary+tensioner
Does the A at the end denote the updated teeth?
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
I've had nothing but faultless performance out of these HD tensioners in two different bikes. I bought one when they were first introduced, installed it in my '96 RK, and never had a problem with it in several years of use. It has been in my '07 SG (standard equipment) for 3˝ years and every time I change the primary oil (5k miles) I do a cursory check of the chain tensioner with a long screwdriver and a flashlight, and it is always right where I expect it to be. Based on my experience I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it highly.