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[Supershooter]

Hope this link opens its from J&P cycles Nov news letter

http://blog.jpcycles.com/2012/11/i-love-harley-davidson-but-you-must-know-this/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content=2012-November-Biker-Buzz-nongc-minus-gmail&utm_term=twin_cam_defect&spMailingID=40540286&spUserID=NDM0NTI2ODg3MwS2&spJobID=167269262&spReportId=MTY3MjY5MjYyS0

Supershooter

[Cvostu]

i had a friend of mine send me that today also...  i think most of us here have gone to gear driven cams by now...

[110tHunDer]

 
Yeah.  Looks like that's talking about the older (2006 and earlier) style.

[prodrag1320]

for 99-06 models,the geardrive is the only bullit proof way to go,the SE hyd plate can also be used but is a "bandaid" in my opinion as it still has tesioners that WILL wear out (if your lower end is out of spec for the geardrive,fix it,then put in a gear drive

[donald p]

09 FLHTCUSE4 cam chain tensioner went out at 60,000.

[Supershooter]

What does it cost to balance a crank if run out is too far out of spec to run gear driven cams, without balancing?
Supershooter

[grc]

What does it cost to balance a crank if run out is too far out of spec to run gear driven cams, without balancing?
Supershooter

Best way to answer that is to contact the guys at Hoban/Darkhorse and ask.  There are many options, from a very basic truing to a full truing/balancing/plugging/welding job.  They also offer other services like Timken conversions, different rods, complete cranks already blueprinted and sitting on the shelf, etc.

http://www.darkhorsecrankworks.com/html/pdf.html

Click on the price list for an idea of what they charge for various items.  Of course this is only a part of the expense, don't forget the big expense of completely disassembling the engine and splitting the cases, shipping the crank to them, having it shipped back, then putting it all back together again.

If someone is considering doing all this just to eliminate chain tensioners, I'd submit that it's much cheaper and smarter to just schedule an inspection of the tensioners every 15k miles or so.  This is especially true if you're just running a basically stock engine on the street.  The old spring loaded tensioners weren't great, and yet a lot of folks rode a lot of miles without ever touching them.  The new hydraulic tensioners and roller chains are a big improvement over the old style, and while they aren't perfect the majority seem to be doing fine.  There is no absolute 100% infallible system for your Harley, including gear drives.  Even if the runout is fine when you install the gear drive kit, there is no guarantee the flywheels won't shift at some later date (it happens quite often actually).  The gear drives will not tolerate excessive runout like a chain system will, and an increase in runout that would just increase wear on the cam plate and oil pump with a chain drive could easily put you and your bike on the side of the road when those gears bind up and start breaking stuff.  So the cost estimate shouldn't just include that S&S kit and cams, it should always include the crank work as well.  And when you do that, it's very hard to justify for a regular bike ridden normally on the street.  Start talking racing and the story changes.

Jerry

[Mr John DEUFF]

I would like to install a gear drive system, but is it possible to keep the SE 255 camshaft (because I like their comportment)? S & S is the only one to do it?

[Doc 1]

I would like to install a gear drive system, but is it possible to keep the SE 255 camshaft (because I like their comportment)? S & S is the only one to do it?

No 255 cams with gear drive....sorry. Personally I would not use gear drives with the new babit bearing camplate......I've seen three out of three camplates worn beyond specs with gear drive with-in 2000 miles. The babit bearing wears oblong very quickly from the thrust of the cams or tension from the runout of the wheels but bottom line all three builds had to have new camplates installed.
Doc

[prodrag1320]

I would like to install a gear drive system, but is it possible to keep the SE 255 camshaft (because I like their comportment)? S & S is the only one to do it?

the S&S .551 is simular to the SE 255`s

[Mr John DEUFF]

OK Thanks!

[Mr John DEUFF]

No 255 cams with gear drive....sorry. Personally I would not use gear drives with the new babit bearing camplate......I've seen three out of three camplates worn beyond specs with gear drive with-in 2000 miles. The babit bearing wears oblong very quickly from the thrust of the cams or tension from the runout of the wheels but bottom line all three builds had to have new camplates installed.
Doc

So what would you suggest ? changing the camplate?

[Doc 1]

So what would you suggest ? changing the camplate?

I wouldn't change what I had to a gear drive system when we have all these problems with flywheel being .005/.006 runout consistently.....gear drive systems do not work well with more than .002 run out
Doc

[Mr John DEUFF]

 :2virology_21: so I will certainly just change the cam bearings and the tappet which are the mainly source of "problems"!

[HD Street Performance]

Doom and gloom for sure
Consider a routine check of the pads. At the same time the lifters. There are aftermarket better quality pads (Cyco) available for the pre-06 and if they were changed periodically that is not high drama or expense. Add adjustable pushrods on check #1. Question is how many miles are these bikes ridden? That is certainly a hinge point in a decision to develop a proactive maintenance program, added to the factory schedule.