Checked My Cam Tensioners......
Harley cruiser thanks man for the detailed info and advice!
Yeah bike is all buttoned up guys so no shoe changes from me on it. Bottom line is this just needed to make sure they were not all chewed up. I really was not going to put a few thousand into a bike I only like and not love and when I want a 2009 and newer but can't afford it. So I could of been stuck in a hard spot if they were toast. I can't dump money into a toy like $2k for a can update and the newer ones are too much at this time for wife and I. Looks like I will run the bike at least this year. Thanks all ride safe!!
Yeah bike is all buttoned up guys so no shoe changes from me on it. Bottom line is this just needed to make sure they were not all chewed up. I really was not going to put a few thousand into a bike I only like and not love and when I want a 2009 and newer but can't afford it. So I could of been stuck in a hard spot if they were toast. I can't dump money into a toy like $2k for a can update and the newer ones are too much at this time for wife and I. Looks like I will run the bike at least this year. Thanks all ride safe!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 30
From: North Florida
Knowing that you have done this repair add tons to your opinion and advice, and that I respect.
I really believe the chunking comes from heat, all of them that I have removed and seen have had chunking, but I live in Florida, and it does get a little hot here.
Before I went to the hybrid kit I kept a pretty close eye on mine, I was getting sixty thousand from mine, and when I replaced them they still had a third wear to go.
Mine would start chunking at about fifteen thousand miles, and by sixty thousand, you could park a car in some of the pits, but like I said they still went sixty k.
One piece of advice for anyone, if you are running the original silent chains replace them every one hundred thousand miles as the chains get clogged with shoe material and they get stiff, causing the shoes to wear out from the jerking chain in ten fifteen k.
Mine did this and had replaced the shoes several times before i figured it out.
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,422
Likes: 14
From: Fla
A little something for thought...
Those old tensioners failed because of the manufacturing process. During the molding of the plastic shoe, they developed bubbles inside. (That is the 'chunking' that Harleycruiser is speaking of.)
There was a thin solid outer surface layer which had no bubbles. Once this outer layer wore off, the bubbles became exposed. This led to less wear surface available for the chain(s) to ride on. When that solid outer layer has worn off, the tensioners tend to wear faster. Some faster than others, I guess depending on how much bubbling took place.
Anyway, you have yours back together now, so it won't matter much to you. I just thought I might mention this for anyone else who is hesitant to change them out when they have the opportunity...
Those old tensioners failed because of the manufacturing process. During the molding of the plastic shoe, they developed bubbles inside. (That is the 'chunking' that Harleycruiser is speaking of.)
There was a thin solid outer surface layer which had no bubbles. Once this outer layer wore off, the bubbles became exposed. This led to less wear surface available for the chain(s) to ride on. When that solid outer layer has worn off, the tensioners tend to wear faster. Some faster than others, I guess depending on how much bubbling took place.
Anyway, you have yours back together now, so it won't matter much to you. I just thought I might mention this for anyone else who is hesitant to change them out when they have the opportunity...
Last edited by Def Mute; May 22, 2013 at 08:29 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 30
From: North Florida
Harley cruiser thanks man for the detailed info and advice!
Yeah bike is all buttoned up guys so no shoe changes from me on it. Bottom line is this just needed to make sure they were not all chewed up. I really was not going to put a few thousand into a bike I only like and not love and when I want a 2009 and newer but can't afford it. So I could of been stuck in a hard spot if they were toast. I can't dump money into a toy like $2k for a can update and the newer ones are too much at this time for wife and I. Looks like I will run the bike at least this year. Thanks all ride safe!!
Yeah bike is all buttoned up guys so no shoe changes from me on it. Bottom line is this just needed to make sure they were not all chewed up. I really was not going to put a few thousand into a bike I only like and not love and when I want a 2009 and newer but can't afford it. So I could of been stuck in a hard spot if they were toast. I can't dump money into a toy like $2k for a can update and the newer ones are too much at this time for wife and I. Looks like I will run the bike at least this year. Thanks all ride safe!!
You have heard all the opinions, bottom like is there is always a certain risk whenever you do or don't do a repair.
You weight the cost/time/risk and make a decision based on that.
See you on the road.
wow Christophgage! Thanks for the pics looks like you caught it right in time. Did you notice more chain noise and or lower oil pressure?
Is there any warning sign I should keep an eye and or ear out for?
Is there any warning sign I should keep an eye and or ear out for?
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,272
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From: .
Well I didn't hear a differance until I replaced the cams, pushrods and tensioners. Then it was quieter! I think over time it got slowly got louder, but didn't notice as much because it was gradual? Then one day I really did listen and thought I heard a little bit of extra noise in there and opened it up. I seem to have a knack for checking things "just in time". I recently replaced my stator and found the compensator but was finger loose!
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Joined: Jul 2010
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I got nervous at 38K and did the hydraulic tensioner upgrade along with the Woods cams. Of course that led to the 97" BB kit and SE heads. After the upgrades I had enough power to slip the clutch @ higher gears/RPMs. That led to the Bandit clutch. My original inner tensioner was developing cracks. Anyway, many $ later it is all good.
