Installing SE compensator kit w/pics
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 900
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Se replacement
Hi navyman,
I keep an eye on possible upgrades for my 'stock' EG when safety is involved...
What made you change your compensator? Was it already severely worn and/or noisy? Is there more angular play or "freedom to rotate" in the newer assembly?
A poster reported a compensator wear of 0.020" after a few thousand miles; I believe it was the previous model. I'm asking you this question to understand how the ramps wear, and if they do, do the ramps flatten out or do they keep their angle and dig into the material (shift of angular position)? If the ramps tend to become 'flat' as they wear, the force applied onto the mounting bolt becomes much greater and could explain the reported failure of the older compensator design.
I keep an eye on possible upgrades for my 'stock' EG when safety is involved...
What made you change your compensator? Was it already severely worn and/or noisy? Is there more angular play or "freedom to rotate" in the newer assembly?
A poster reported a compensator wear of 0.020" after a few thousand miles; I believe it was the previous model. I'm asking you this question to understand how the ramps wear, and if they do, do the ramps flatten out or do they keep their angle and dig into the material (shift of angular position)? If the ramps tend to become 'flat' as they wear, the force applied onto the mounting bolt becomes much greater and could explain the reported failure of the older compensator design.
My primary kept getting more and more noisy so I thought perhaps the primary was the source. I installed the SE unit, but the noise only decreased a bit, but I do have less vibration than before. No on the "freedom to rotate" question and there was no visual wear on the original unit. Hope this helps.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
From: Canton, OH
Happy New Year everyone.
I just installed a 103 kit and Andrews 54H cams on my '07 Fat Boy. Immediately thereafter, I started noticing some clunking, sometimes at startup and often during downshifts and hard acceleration. I attribute this to the stock compensator. Thus, I'm going to install the SE.
Looking at the posts here, there is some discussion about the need to mill grooves in the SE sprocket to ensure sufficient lubrication.
So, a couple questions:
1. The current HD part no. is 40274-08A. The "A" suggests to me that the original 40274-08 was upgraded/modified in some way. Did the "A" version eliminate the lubrication issue?
On this point, there was some discussion on this post earlier in 2011 that HD was going to come up with a new version, maybe to address this issue. Not sure if that's accurate, but I haven't seen anything to indicate that happened, other than the part no. now having the "A."
2. For those who have installed the part without adding the "oil grooves," can you let the rest of us know what your experience has been and the number of miles you have put on it?
I posted these questions in the tech forum, and one response I got was that the "A" version included a grooved washer which may be designed to eliminate the lubrication issue.
As always, I appreciate the input!
I just installed a 103 kit and Andrews 54H cams on my '07 Fat Boy. Immediately thereafter, I started noticing some clunking, sometimes at startup and often during downshifts and hard acceleration. I attribute this to the stock compensator. Thus, I'm going to install the SE.
Looking at the posts here, there is some discussion about the need to mill grooves in the SE sprocket to ensure sufficient lubrication.
So, a couple questions:
1. The current HD part no. is 40274-08A. The "A" suggests to me that the original 40274-08 was upgraded/modified in some way. Did the "A" version eliminate the lubrication issue?
On this point, there was some discussion on this post earlier in 2011 that HD was going to come up with a new version, maybe to address this issue. Not sure if that's accurate, but I haven't seen anything to indicate that happened, other than the part no. now having the "A."
2. For those who have installed the part without adding the "oil grooves," can you let the rest of us know what your experience has been and the number of miles you have put on it?
I posted these questions in the tech forum, and one response I got was that the "A" version included a grooved washer which may be designed to eliminate the lubrication issue.
As always, I appreciate the input!
Last edited by skjskmata; Jan 1, 2012 at 08:23 PM.
Advanced
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 59
Likes: 6
From:
- skjskmata - Happy New Year - I will take a shot at answering your questions -
<some clunking, sometimes at startup and often during downshifts and hard acceleration>
– I still have this clunking with the se compensator. I believe its just the forks in the gear catching up with the cam surface on the compensator.
<Looking at the posts here, there is some discussion about the need to mill grooves in the SE sprocket to ensure sufficient lubrication.> AND <Did the "A" version eliminate the lubrication issue?>
- I believe I have the earlier version but there was no oil shortage on the sprocket or the cam surfaces that were worn. Of course I would not argue with any idea to increase the oil dispersion. I would emphasis the need for gear oil as lubricant since these are metal parts that should be separated by hypoid oil (IMHO). It would seem the spokes and cams are under a lot of stress considering there are only three points or relatively small proportion that serves as the drive between the engine and transmission. (I posted pictures of the wear earlier)
< For those who have installed the part without adding the "oil grooves," can you let the rest of us know what your experience has been and the number of miles you have put on it?>
- The picture posted of the wear was about 15000 miles of wear. The se comp without groves was installed at 45000 miles and I opened the primary to replace the chain and tensioner at 60,000 miles when I took those pictures.
Today I am at 61500 and happy with the set up, the new chain made the unit “silent” curing my chain “buzz” that was present at 2800 rpm, my cruising speed !
regards...
<some clunking, sometimes at startup and often during downshifts and hard acceleration>
– I still have this clunking with the se compensator. I believe its just the forks in the gear catching up with the cam surface on the compensator.
<Looking at the posts here, there is some discussion about the need to mill grooves in the SE sprocket to ensure sufficient lubrication.> AND <Did the "A" version eliminate the lubrication issue?>
- I believe I have the earlier version but there was no oil shortage on the sprocket or the cam surfaces that were worn. Of course I would not argue with any idea to increase the oil dispersion. I would emphasis the need for gear oil as lubricant since these are metal parts that should be separated by hypoid oil (IMHO). It would seem the spokes and cams are under a lot of stress considering there are only three points or relatively small proportion that serves as the drive between the engine and transmission. (I posted pictures of the wear earlier)
< For those who have installed the part without adding the "oil grooves," can you let the rest of us know what your experience has been and the number of miles you have put on it?>
- The picture posted of the wear was about 15000 miles of wear. The se comp without groves was installed at 45000 miles and I opened the primary to replace the chain and tensioner at 60,000 miles when I took those pictures.
Today I am at 61500 and happy with the set up, the new chain made the unit “silent” curing my chain “buzz” that was present at 2800 rpm, my cruising speed !
regards...
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
From: Canton, OH
- skjskmata - Happy New Year - I will take a shot at answering your questions -
<some clunking, sometimes at startup and often during downshifts and hard acceleration>
I still have this clunking with the se compensator. I believe its just the forks in the gear catching up with the cam surface on the compensator.
<Looking at the posts here, there is some discussion about the need to mill grooves in the SE sprocket to ensure sufficient lubrication.> AND <Did the "A" version eliminate the lubrication issue?>
- I believe I have the earlier version but there was no oil shortage on the sprocket or the cam surfaces that were worn. Of course I would not argue with any idea to increase the oil dispersion. I would emphasis the need for gear oil as lubricant since these are metal parts that should be separated by hypoid oil (IMHO). It would seem the spokes and cams are under a lot of stress considering there are only three points or relatively small proportion that serves as the drive between the engine and transmission. (I posted pictures of the wear earlier)
< For those who have installed the part without adding the "oil grooves," can you let the rest of us know what your experience has been and the number of miles you have put on it?>
- The picture posted of the wear was about 15000 miles of wear. The se comp without groves was installed at 45000 miles and I opened the primary to replace the chain and tensioner at 60,000 miles when I took those pictures.
Today I am at 61500 and happy with the set up, the new chain made the unit silent curing my chain buzz that was present at 2800 rpm, my cruising speed !
regards...
<some clunking, sometimes at startup and often during downshifts and hard acceleration>
I still have this clunking with the se compensator. I believe its just the forks in the gear catching up with the cam surface on the compensator.
<Looking at the posts here, there is some discussion about the need to mill grooves in the SE sprocket to ensure sufficient lubrication.> AND <Did the "A" version eliminate the lubrication issue?>
- I believe I have the earlier version but there was no oil shortage on the sprocket or the cam surfaces that were worn. Of course I would not argue with any idea to increase the oil dispersion. I would emphasis the need for gear oil as lubricant since these are metal parts that should be separated by hypoid oil (IMHO). It would seem the spokes and cams are under a lot of stress considering there are only three points or relatively small proportion that serves as the drive between the engine and transmission. (I posted pictures of the wear earlier)
< For those who have installed the part without adding the "oil grooves," can you let the rest of us know what your experience has been and the number of miles you have put on it?>
- The picture posted of the wear was about 15000 miles of wear. The se comp without groves was installed at 45000 miles and I opened the primary to replace the chain and tensioner at 60,000 miles when I took those pictures.
Today I am at 61500 and happy with the set up, the new chain made the unit silent curing my chain buzz that was present at 2800 rpm, my cruising speed !
regards...
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 16,125
Likes: 24
From: Linden New Jersey
Couple of radom thoughts............................
props to bowa for taking the time to snap pics and do a write up
Thank You
from my shovelhead days I use locktite on every bolt I remove
No noise from my primary, except for an occasional slapping sound while engaging the clutch
moving the bike in the garage (96" stock with listed mods)
dropping the bike off for the 103 kit tuesday, extended warranty last until May 2012, hope I can get the SE comp upgrade ;-)
props to bowa for taking the time to snap pics and do a write up
Thank You
from my shovelhead days I use locktite on every bolt I remove
No noise from my primary, except for an occasional slapping sound while engaging the clutch
moving the bike in the garage (96" stock with listed mods)
dropping the bike off for the 103 kit tuesday, extended warranty last until May 2012, hope I can get the SE comp upgrade ;-)
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 4
From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
Expat,
My primary kept getting more and more noisy so I thought perhaps the primary was the source. I installed the SE unit, but the noise only decreased a bit, but I do have less vibration than before. No on the "freedom to rotate" question and there was no visual wear on the original unit. Hope this helps.
My primary kept getting more and more noisy so I thought perhaps the primary was the source. I installed the SE unit, but the noise only decreased a bit, but I do have less vibration than before. No on the "freedom to rotate" question and there was no visual wear on the original unit. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your reply.
According to your answer I have the impression the Belleville washers of your previous compensator were out of spec. In principle these spring washers are designed to collapse under low torque so their cams transfer the heavy thrust when they are no longer rubbing against their counterparts. Immobility of the ramps under load avoids abrasion, oscillation and vibration.
The rear wheel sprocket has a built-in rubber isolator (40278-09); this isolator can also interfere if it accidentally becomes tuned with the one up front.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
I most cases the old gasket can be re-used.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 413
Likes: 16
From: Killeen, Tx
Just completed this project yesterday. No issues, everything went as planned. Pics were a great help.
Finding a 1 3/4" wrench was a challenge, ended up using a pipe wrench.
Friends laughed at my high tech Harley sprocket locking tool, a piece of 6 1/4" wood
First start up I immediately noticed the difference, no harsh "bang". Also noticed better clutch engagement.
Worth the effort IMO.
Finding a 1 3/4" wrench was a challenge, ended up using a pipe wrench.
Friends laughed at my high tech Harley sprocket locking tool, a piece of 6 1/4" wood
First start up I immediately noticed the difference, no harsh "bang". Also noticed better clutch engagement.
Worth the effort IMO.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 359
Likes: 1
From: Rockwall, TX
Just completed this project yesterday. No issues, everything went as planned. Pics were a great help.
Finding a 1 3/4" wrench was a challenge, ended up using a pipe wrench.
Friends laughed at my high tech Harley sprocket locking tool, a piece of 6 1/4" wood
First start up I immediately noticed the difference, no harsh "bang". Also noticed better clutch engagement.
Worth the effort IMO.
Finding a 1 3/4" wrench was a challenge, ended up using a pipe wrench.
Friends laughed at my high tech Harley sprocket locking tool, a piece of 6 1/4" wood
First start up I immediately noticed the difference, no harsh "bang". Also noticed better clutch engagement.
Worth the effort IMO.
Just did mine yesterday. Just fired it up and rode it around the neighborhood after completion, but it didn't have the harsh banging and clattering around like before. Noticed that it was quieter during acceleration and shifting was smoother and almost no noise like before. So far, very happy, but I will have to ride with it for a while to get a better "feel" for it. I will say though, if things stay like it was on my test ride, I'll be very happy. Worth the money to upgrade.