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[Phantom309]

Because I'm anal and for chits and giggles you guys just made me measure what I drained out of mine sitting level on my jack when I drained it. According to my nice measuring cup I drained 44 ounces out of my primary which is about equal to the dry fill. This why I like to do my own oil changes, I don't trust anyone but myself. What Jerry said is what I've been doing over the years and always worked for me. I did ok when I filled mine to the spring, but like I said it was way over the spring before I drained it ... about 7 ounces too much. Those guys at the factory and in the shops at dealers are always in a big hurry and don't care. 

[phato1]

Why not get the old manually adjustable units. Check it every
15,000 miles and adjust as needed or gets noisy.

Because some clown took the inspection cover off my primary 

Meaning the whole outer primary cover will have to come off the inspect and adjust the tensioner...

[Texas 103]

I can't speak for the late model version, but the old BT01 version worked fine for me.  But there is one big difference I noted when comparing the instructions for the two different versions.  The old manual tensioner bikes had a slack specification of 5/8" cold, 3/8" hot.  In other words, the chain becomes tighter as all the components heat up.  I'm quite sure the laws of physics weren't changed when Harley went to the new primary design in '07, so odds are pretty good that the chains still become tighter as the components heat up.  This is one very good reason why the stock ratcheting tensioner wasn't a very bright idea, and it may also have something to do with some of the complaints with the newer BT07 from Hayden.  That new version calls for setting the cold spring clearance at 3/8", not the 5/8" called for on the older model.  If the chain on the late models also becomes approximately 1/4" tighter when hot like the old ones, the tensioner may be operating with basically either very little or no ability to compress any further when hot.

Just a theory, and something I haven't tested since I don't have a late model with the POS primary design Harley pawned off on unsuspecting souls. You know, the brilliant idea that has allowed them to make a big pile of money selling new compensators since 2007 and still counting.

Jerry

Think you are spot on about the clearances and  shoe compressing  when hot, just slipped mine back in has about it has .300 clearance , not enough. Fired it up, very quiet with a minor howl.   Going to put some miles on it,let the chain bed into the shoe again  and see where I am. If I still can't get to at least 1/2" minimum clearance  then....

I'm going to slip a washer(s) under the the spring in the shoe, compress it  to see where coil bind is on the spring , measure the washers to see where coil bind is then trim the bottom of the shoe to keep it from bottoming out when hot . Just want to make sure I don;t  trim the shoe until I know where I'm at so I won't have coil bind .  That will break the spring.   

[longlast]

Phantom, you stated they're a moderate fairly easy rider. In that regard the stock tensioner will do it's job just fine and control the chain tension.
In saying that, it does have its down fall,... for instance, if you drop down to 5th snap the clutch and punch the throttle, or hard up shifts, it affects the tensioner buy the top slackness of the chain being transferred to the bottom of the chain, inturn the auto tensioner will move up to replace the slackness and can result in a overly tightened chain. The other tensioners mentioned over come this weakness of the auto tensioner.
But if you're a easy rider and not a screaming dancer the stock tensioner will do it's job.
If you have done some heavy acceleration and deceleration riding and your in doubt as you know it's a 5min job to pop the doby cover to check the tension.

I check mine each 500 miles. I learnt the hard way and it cost me a new clutch hub and inner primary case bearing for a overly tightened chain. I haven't done any hard shifting since and the chain is still the same amount of top slack when I checked it last.

[Eng13]

I had the stock automatic adjuster they work as they should what i found with mine it would ratchet up too tight with the chain deflection
so i went with the  Baker Drivetrain Armored Attitude Chain Adjuster done deal no more guessing
there are other options out there some with springs the issue with springs is they  get weak when they are heated up
I also checked on the hydraulic one but I didn't like the fact the area where the chain was going to sit was not consistent
After doing a lot of research and going to Baker's office and speaking to Steve I was sold simple is better ...IMO
Ride safe..

[Texas 103]

I've been installing Hayden M-6's since 1988 with no problems--very good product. However, the new BT-07 doesn't seem to have the same performance. They seem to wear much too fast and be noisier; I just replaced two blocks with 11K on them that the blocks are worn almost all the way through. I'll be sending them to Kathy so maybe they can work on the design for more longevity and quieter operation. On the late ones I've installed, I get the 3/8" + with no spacers but with the new springs, the chain seems very tight. I still think the Hayden unit is much better than stock, I had to have the transmission bearing and the compensator replaced under warranty before I installed the Hayden in mine.

Hayden had a new "black " shoe that they are using on the M8 Tensioner. It's $22, it  works on the "older" tensioners. Supposedly they changed the make up of the shoe. Just slipped mine back in with new shoe, seemed pretty quiet on the lift, time will tell.

[fastfreddy]

Tex, from my own history with the hayden... toss it. the OE will work the best. just sayn

[Texas 103]

Tex, from my own history with the hayden... toss it. the OE will work the best. just sayn

I'm there on tossing the Hayden Freddy ,but the stock one is noisy as hell. Had the primary cover off this weekend to slip the stock one back in , set it four different ways, fired it up rattled like crazy. stuck  a screwdriver between the bottom of the shoe and the bracket, pried up a little nice and quiet .  This was the noise I had been chasing, I slipped the Hayden in 2 weeks ago just to test  and it was dead quiet.  Beats me. Slipped the Hayden back in there again  , nice and quiet.  Thinking I might have a bad stock tensioner that's just noisy.. but hell you never hear of them. Harry ( Unbalanced) had the same issue and did the same thing with a screwdriver and it got quiet.

John Sachs was telling me that when a motor is built it obviously changes the idle pulses makes it hit harder  and yank the chain harder. I'd much rather run the Stock one, thinking I'll try a new one or low mileage used. Hell mine only has 12K on it.

Really like the Twin Power unit , trying to find someone running one to see how noisy it is. before I buy one. Next round I'm going to try a different stock tensioner to test. I thought It might be the A&S  making the noise  but it all went away changing tensioners...             

[Twolanerider]

I'm there on tossing the Hayden Freddy ,but the stock one is noisy as hell. Had the primary cover off this weekend to slip the stock one back in , set it four different ways, fired it up rattled like crazy. stuck  a screwdriver between the bottom of the shoe and the bracket, pried up a little nice and quiet .  This was the noise I had been chasing, I slipped the Hayden in 2 weeks ago just to test  and it was dead quiet.  Beats me. Slipped the Hayden back in there again  , nice and quiet.  Thinking I might have a bad stock tensioner that's just noisy.. but hell you never hear of them. Harry ( Unbalanced) had the same issue and did the same thing with a screwdriver and it got quiet.

John Sachs was telling me that when a motor is built it obviously changes the idle pulses makes it hit harder  and yank the chain harder. I'd much rather run the Stock one, thinking I'll try a new one or low mileage used. Hell mine only has 12K on it.

Really like the Twin Power unit , trying to find someone running one to see how noisy it is. before I buy one. Next round I'm going to try a different stock tensioner to test. I thought It might be the A&S  making the noise  but it all went away changing tensioners...           

Greg, have you considered a louder exhaust  ?

[Texas 103]

Greg, have you considered a louder exhaust  ?

Don, I also thought about better ear plugs... It's as noisy as I like now, Like to get it a little quieter, that ain't happening.  Tough to do with compression & cubic inches...like it too much  when I twist the wick..lol

[Rooster]

I'm very happy with the Hayden unit. Much better than the tight azz stock one for me. Then again I have a Hayden in my 96 Wide Glide and it shifts like butter.

[VANAMAL]

I had mine apart recently and the shoe was shot on my hb tensioner. Bike was banging into gear. I couldnt find the stock one so i put in the hayden. Simple unit and it goes into gear easy now. Ive had them in the past and i think they had a bad batch of springs and some were breaking. Believe thats been resolved. Had a bad inner primary bearing too.