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[InfidelHog]

I have 38K miles on my '04 SEEG.   I am about to have my mechanic get rid of my cam chain tensioner.  Question... should I change cams?  If I change cams, should I stay with a HD cam (vs. an aftermarket cam), and which one?  My cruise speed is 65mph, but I love to pass cars 55-100mph as fast and as hard as possible.  When I have asked about gear drives, I am told they are too noisey.  How noisey?  What's noisey?  I like mechanical noise.  I drive a fully deleted diesel truck cause I like the sound.  I don't want to do too much to the motor right now as I may do a top to bottom performance build in a year or two.  May I have your input?  THANK YOU! 

[Twolanerider]

Gear drive noise not bad.  Not at all.  If all within spec. 

You won't be offended.  Not even close.  Go for it.

Liking short sentences.  Today. 

[jpb]

I agree with Twolane.

I could never hear any gear noise whatsoever.  I was running S&S gear drive with Tman 625 cams for 55,000 miles and never a problem.  Crank was only 1.025 out which is probably why.

[grc]

Gear drives aren't especially noisy IF your flywheel assembly (crankshaft) has very little radial runout of the pinion shaft.  Before considering gear drives, you need to have the runout measured.  For best results you would want .002" runout or less.  Special cams are required with gear drives, so you might want to investigate what S&S has that will work well with your setup and riding style.

Jerry

[Twolanerider]

Without the shortened sentence limitation I felt compelled by earlier if the crank is good the guys are right.  Gear drive are an improvement.  Gear drive setup in now almost 18 year old ( ) Road Glide makes almost no extra noise at all.  What there is is a "good" noise.  The crank on that bike had .001" runout on the right side and about .0015" on the left though.  Good crankshafts did not use to be an anomaly and they make a (rotating) world of difference.

[prodrag1320]

I agree with Twolane.

I could never hear any gear noise whatsoever.  I was running S&S gear drive with Tman 625 cams for 55,000 miles and never a problem.  Crank was only 1.025 out which is probably why.

1.025" run out??? got to be a typo!! but seriously,the gear drive set up is one of the best things to ever come out for TC motors,check your run out,(make sure its .0035" or less),installed correctly,which is very easy,they are not any noisier than stock

[FLSTFI Dave]

My 03 Fatboy has a gear drive cam in it since 2005.  It is quieter than the 09 SERG, the 12 SERG and the 15 SERGU that I have owned, and is quieter than the 13 SERK I still have.

The gear drive is much quieter than the lifter noise of a 110 engine.

[jpb]

1.025" run out??? got to be a typo!! but seriously,the gear drive set up is one of the best things to ever come out for TC motors,check your run out,(make sure its .0035" or less),installed correctly,which is very easy,they are not any noisier than stock

Sorry about that.  .00125 run out.  My mind was saying 1 and a quarter thou and my typing was somewhere else.

[grandpadoc]

I've had the S&S with 510's set up for over five years now and its been fine. You can't use your old cams or in my case (00) newer model oil pump.

[efrbc1]

I have gear drive in my '05 SEEG.  Don't notice any noise and I enjoy the fact that I don't have to worry about tensioners.  Went with the Zippers 575 cams when I did the gear drive.  Bike runs strong.  Also have an '03 RK.  Gear drive in that one too.

Chris

[HD Street Performance]

Nothing wrong with gear drives but as said already the crank needs to be true and not mentioned the gears need to be checked for lash per the instructions. Often times an oversize gear is needed even on the rear.

[Unbalanced]

Without the shortened sentence limitation I felt compelled by earlier if the crank is good the guys are right.  Gear drive are an improvement.  Gear drive setup in now almost 18 year old ( ) Road Glide makes almost no extra noise at all.  What there is is a "good" noise.  The crank on that bike had .001" runout on the right side and about .0015" on the left though.  Good crankshafts did not use to be an anomaly and they make a (rotating) world of difference.

With the 04, if the crank is good you might consider gear drive and the RS 575 cams, i'd concur with under .002 back in the day .003 meant time to replace the crank.  replace the cam bearings, check the camplate and oil pump for wear while your there.

[VANAMAL]

I just replaced the gears on the gear drive after 70k miles. Also put in zipper 575g cams. While there i put in the ss pump and plate i found somewhere reasonable. 2005 seeg.