When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Replaced mine on my 04 RK, tc88, 50k miles. Was in there replacing the original tensioners.
Small amount of spalling or perhaps galling on one camshaft journal that matched up perfectly to the spacing of the cam bearings. No matching damage visually detectable on any of the bearing rollers.
Don't know how long it had been there, don't know how long it would have gone before failure. It was on the path to failure though.
Yes I have. Let me rephrase my statement. TC 96" and higher engines. Is that better??
Not really. When considering the difference in the bearing design, I'm not sure the engine it's in, make much difference. It's about distributing the load over a larger contact area. When you are in there for a cam job it seems foolish to ignore it, especially considering the minimal cost.
Some of these posts remind me of a guy that just came back from his doctor then proclaim,
People... my doctor doesn't know of anybody that actually got hurt running with scissors. And, I've been running with scissors for miles so, It's OKAY!
Not really. When considering the difference in the bearing design, I'm not sure the engine it's in, make much difference. It's about distributing the load over a larger contact area. When you are in there for a cam job it seems foolish to ignore it, especially considering the minimal cost.
Some of these posts remind me of a guy that just came back from his doctor then proclaim,
People... my doctor doesn't know of anybody that actually got hurt running with scissors. And, I've been running with scissors for miles so, It's OKAY!
Foolish? Maybe not as foolish as comparing cam bearing failure (which no one can seem to find but can easily justify changing out) on the TC 96/103/110 to running with scissors. There is a huge difference between the two situations...there is plenty of evidence of someone running with scissors and falling and hurting themselves....but no evidence of bearing failure in these motors mentioned above. If it makes sense to you to change out the bearings "because you're already in there", then it makes perfectly good sense to replace your oil pump or cam chain tensioners too. I mean after all, there is plenty of evidence of those components failing and causing significant damage. Did you change those when you did your cam swap? If not, why? Maybe because its foolish to change out components that are known to fail instead of those that arent. I think im following your logic....
has anyone here had a stock inner cam bearing fail (twin cam)..with all the talk about replacing the stock bearings with torrington bearings at cam change time I am wondering if there is any rear justification for it...
this is what a rear cam bearing failure did to my oil pump. Totally stock motor, had ~50K miles.
Just took my bike in yesterday for a noise and both Harley techs that test rode it think it's the cam bearings. 2014 streetbob with 10000 miles on it. I should know for sure in a week or so as they are very busy.
2003 Screamin Eagle 103 - Bearing failure at 58,000 miles
Yes. I am a sad recipient of a virtually complete engine failure due to cam needle bearing failure after meticulous care of my 2003 Screamin Eagle Road King.
I will always wonder if this was an original design failure or "...just a fluke failure" as I was told by the Harley Dealership???? Anyone want to 'weigh in-I'd love to hear what you think.
See pics attached.
For what its worth...I installed my Woods 777's today and when I was installing the new cams I almost thought of leaving the existing bearings in. I looked at the old cams surface and seen where there was some wear on 1 of the cams, and that was enough for me to go rent the tool and replace them with the torrington bearings that were in the kit I bought from Fuel Moto.
My sentiments exactly.To me HD designs their bikes for low mileage riders. I went to stage 2 on my '06 Nightrain and found (not a planned discovery) that the hard surface on the inner cam journal was wearing off at <33k. I had planned on torrington bearings just to be safe and as it turns out in my opinion they were absolutely necessary. My original motivation was to get rid of the STUPID spring loaded cam chain followers. Once you did that there was no reason to not change the cams. Also bought a ECM piggyback. Not a cheap investment but I was more than happy with the results and traded the bike in at 92k. Now I wish I hadn't... Or I should have kept it and my RK. Harley doesn't make a do all motorcycle....
Don't forget, the 88" engines took the B-148 inner cam bearings and the 96"+ engines went to the B-168....
It's possible the 96"+ engines didn't have the failures of the 88" engines because it's a bigger bearing.... who knows..
While I won't take a Twin Cam engine apart just to replace the OEM INA brand cage bearings, with the Koyo-Torrington captive needle bearings, the Koyo-Torrington is a superior bearing...
If I should go into the cam chest for any reason, I do switch to the Koyo-Torrington bearings... and on an 88" engine, I will be in the cam chest to upgrade the spring cam tensioners at some point...
my '05 FLTRi spun the front cam bearing around the 140k mark
I found a fingernail sized piece of aluminum while changing the oil.
I had to have the bearing area machines,,, SO.... "While I was in there"
Then end result was what they used to call a "Balanced and blue-printed" engine of (no one's business, but mine) displacement, and in effect from the front wheel bearings, to the rear wheel bearing, a totally rebuilt, brand new 2005 Road Glide (with 15 year old tins)
Did I spend WAY too much??? yeah, probably....but if I traded my bike in, I would have paid far more, even for a low miles used bike.... and then start over with seats, bars, windshield etc
I intend to ride THIS bike, until I can no longer ride, and it was well worth it for ME
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
