Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,033
Likes: 29
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
I did mine myself. The 26G kit, SE adjustables, and new lifters set me back about 700 bucks. Peace of mind-wise, it was some of the best bike bucks that I have spent.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
This is a mod that I'd like to make in the future.
Is it best made before 10k miles, 20k, or when.
I know the question is subjective.
And if I had a grand burning a hole in my saddle bags I might do it today.
Maybe I should be asking when to start worring about..."cam bearings gives up or a tensioner shoe comes apart."
TIA
Is it best made before 10k miles, 20k, or when.
I know the question is subjective.
And if I had a grand burning a hole in my saddle bags I might do it today.
Maybe I should be asking when to start worring about..."cam bearings gives up or a tensioner shoe comes apart."
TIA
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,926
Likes: 138
From: NE Ohio
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
I had about 6,800 miles on my bike when I did the gear drive cams, a pic of my tensioners is below. My dad had about 11,000 on his when he had a 95" SE 204 cam build done, his tensioners were not worn much more than mine were. The dealer we have our service done at just changed its 1st set of tensioners that went bad, the bike had 76,000 miles on it. I think the whole tensioner thing is hit or miss, inspect them every 20 - 30k miles an all is good. After getting some riding impressions from my dad on his bike I don't think I would have done the gear drive route, I'll get a chance to ride his sometime soon. As to cam sellection, I think you could throw the SE 203, 204 Andrews TW26 & 37 in a box and take your pick. The difference in where the torque starts is such a small difference I think a person would be hard pressed to tell the difference with the seat of your pants, its going to take a Dyno to know the difference. I had a 05 Classic with 95" and 203 cams, the torque on my TW37's doesn't seem to start much higher (By the seat of my pants) with these cams vs the 203's. With the TW37's I have about 70% of my torque around 1,900 rpm, I told the tuner to not tune for max hp and torque because I didn't want to kill the gas mileage. I get 42mpg around town and 45-47 on the highway, the bike made almost 82hp with 96 ft-lb's of torque which all the torque and hp was in by about 3,800 rpm's there has been no head porting done. I have a set of 06 take off heads in the garage that I was going to get ported, decided to see what un-fooled with stock head would do.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,167
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From:
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
The cam tensioner shoes can fail almost anytime, as can those stock cam bearings. My trusted Service Manager claims that one should seriously consider replacement of the tensioners before the clock hits the 40,000 mile mark. I had mine inspected during the 25K service and they looked good. I wanted peace of mind before a 2000 mile trip out West to Southeastern Utah. One of my friends had a tensioner shoe let go on his bike. The good news was that he was in town, but the bad news was the repair bill was $1500. That really got my attention.......with my luck, I'd be somewhere in the middle of the Navajo Reservation and the thing would let go.
As for the cam bearings, HD used to use Torrington bearings.....the good ones. Then for some reason they switched to another bearing back in '93 or '94. These "other" bearings were the cause of many a messed-up engine when they failed.
So the gear driven cam set up cures both potential disasters, plus adds the obvious performance enhancement, especially if your engine is basically stock.
I'm keeping the '04 RG.....too good a runner and I have a fair amount invested......can't find anything I like better. And I tour long distances....2 trips this year and covered 5200 miles.
As ol' Chuck Yeager said: "Never wait for trouble"!
As for the cam bearings, HD used to use Torrington bearings.....the good ones. Then for some reason they switched to another bearing back in '93 or '94. These "other" bearings were the cause of many a messed-up engine when they failed.
So the gear driven cam set up cures both potential disasters, plus adds the obvious performance enhancement, especially if your engine is basically stock.
I'm keeping the '04 RG.....too good a runner and I have a fair amount invested......can't find anything I like better. And I tour long distances....2 trips this year and covered 5200 miles.
As ol' Chuck Yeager said: "Never wait for trouble"!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,395
Likes: 25
From: St George, UT
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
40,000 miles is about right, at least in my case. Mine went at 46,000, although just one wore out. The other was still very good.
Banned
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 845
Likes: 4
From: ID ho
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
We've seen the cam chain tensioner shoes (more the inner than the outer) fail as early as 18000 and look almost new at 80000. There is no rime or reason as to when the'll let go. The worst part of it is you have to tear down the entire cam support plate to change the inner shoe. And if the metal plates that hold the shoe has been wearing on the chain now you need to pull the oil pan, or tank on Softails, and clean all the metal filings out of it. That's why the bill can get so high. At that point you might as well replace the cams with some better ones. For '99 to '06 models gear drive is the best way to go. You loose the friction created by the tensioners, which will free up a couple more HP to go along with the new cams.
In our shop we suggest pulling the cam cover and taking a look at around 25000. Most of the failures seem to be between 28000 and 32000 miles. On a Softail or Dyna we can check them for about half an hour labor, Dressers about 3/4 of an hour. If all is good it's just a cover gasket. If a problem can be headed off youll save pulling the oil pan. I've also seen where the pastic from the shoe has gotten into the oil pump and all but plugged the return side. Recent loss of power ( from sumping) or oil pucking from the head breathers into the air cleaner would be a real good indication of this.
I checked my personal bike at 41000. The inner shoe was worn almost to the plates and a large edge of the shoe broke off as soon as I touched it.
In our shop we suggest pulling the cam cover and taking a look at around 25000. Most of the failures seem to be between 28000 and 32000 miles. On a Softail or Dyna we can check them for about half an hour labor, Dressers about 3/4 of an hour. If all is good it's just a cover gasket. If a problem can be headed off youll save pulling the oil pan. I've also seen where the pastic from the shoe has gotten into the oil pump and all but plugged the return side. Recent loss of power ( from sumping) or oil pucking from the head breathers into the air cleaner would be a real good indication of this.
I checked my personal bike at 41000. The inner shoe was worn almost to the plates and a large edge of the shoe broke off as soon as I touched it.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
msocko3 and Mr Wonderful...
Thanks for the info.
Sounds like I can "budget" for this one.
Thanks for the info.
Sounds like I can "budget" for this one.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,942
Likes: 7
From: guntersville, al
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
mine was pretty lean after install due to also having SE air cleaner, true duals and Rush slipons. Power commander has been shipped. in the mean time i pulled the temp sensor from the front head and zip tied over the FI intake. this creats a rich condition all the time and the bike runs well. will be better after PC though. cost me about $520 to do myself. i already had the adjustable pushrods from before when i replaced the tensioners which was harder than adding the gear drive cams. heat the support plate and freeze the bearings.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 678
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Gear driven cams installed....first impressions.
I've been debating putting the 26g's in my Street Glide. Does this cam change the sound of the bike any at idle? The reason I ask is because in my street roddin' days I'd change cams and my car would usually end up with a much more radical idle.
Doug
Doug