installing the S&S gear drive cams

[trickydoc]

rode the bike to the local shop yesterday, burrrr cold. tomorrow we start the instalation of the gear drive cams. worked at the shop for the owner while he took time off (just a counter guy, write workorders and take money). well my payment is here and now we are going to install it. Rick said I was to do all the work and he would supervise. let you know how this goes. been reading the service manual on the disassembly and the S&S manual on the install. Rick said I should be ridding by afternoon, we'll see. update this thread Tuesday.

 

[Jack Klarich]

rode the bike to the local shop yesterday, burrrr cold. tomorrow we start the instalation of the gear drive cams. worked at the shop for the owner while he took time off (just a counter guy, write workorders and take money). well my payment is here and now we are going to install it. Rick said I was to do all the work and he would supervise. let you know how this goes. been reading the service manual on the disassembly and the S&S manual on the install. Rick said I should be ridding by afternoon, we'll see. update this thread Tuesday.

Good luck taking pictures of before , during build?

 

[hogrotten]

I'd be interested to see the conditon of the cam chain tensioner shoes in relation to the mileage. I'm going to be opening mine up to have a look but I'll wait till after the extended warranty is up in Feb. I haven't had any problems but would like to know their condition. Good luck and most of all have fun! :s

 

[ProF]

I'd be interested to see the conditon of the cam chain tensioner shoes in relation to the mileage. I'm going to be opening mine up to have a look but I'll wait till after the extended warranty is up in Feb.

You might want to check it before the warranty is up. My dealer told me that my extended warranty (third party, not HD) will cover replacement if worn. I have to pay $90 to have them open it up and look, and if they are bad, they will do the replacement of whatever needs replacing, plus credit me the ninety bucks. Also, I can have the upgraded hydrolic tensioner kit if I pay the difference for the parts.

Your warranty may be different, but it's worth checking.

 

[trickydoc]

Good luck taking pictures of before , during build?

hadn't thought of pix, thanks. will post some. eating breakfast, drinking coffee, then off to the shop. thanks again for the pix reference. i'll take a bunch.

 

[Nightowl]

Good luck. Two indy shops and my local HD Dealer all suggested gear drives for a "once and your done fix". Unless of course you want bigger cams later. I am thinking about the same project S & S gear drives. What cam are you going with?

 

[Jonas]

Good luck. Two indy shops and my local HD Dealer all suggested gear drives for a "once and your done fix". Unless of course you want bigger cams later. I am thinking about the same project S & S gear drives. What cam are you going with?

I am for Gear Drives, installed on my bike last year 15K no problems. However they do not seem to be the most popular solution here on HDTimeline. But you will not need to wonder how worn the wear item inside your engine are worn. Tongue twister.

The Andrews 26G cams are great. Just enough to make the bike run like it should. Gear Drives need crank run out to be less then .003"

 

[Jonas]

I'd be interested to see the conditon of the cam chain tensioner shoes in relation to the mileage. I'm going to be opening mine up to have a look but I'll wait till after the extended warranty is up in Feb. I haven't had any problems but would like to know their condition. Good luck and most of all have fun! :s

You do have the new style, but it would be interesting to know how they are wearing.

 

[BUBBIE]

You do have the new style, but it would be interesting to know how they are wearing.

Jonas,
On my 09 FLHR, when I went into the cams for replacement with SE255's, The wear on the Newer style of HD pressured material at 14,000 miles was so negate-able that I didn't change them even while it was apart........ I doubt they will need replacement Even when I do a rebuild of the motor at a future time, I'll check them again when I go Out to 103" at a later date when I wear out the 96" pistons...(I will post wear again then)

The new system is a good system BUT I'd prefer to use the time tested Gear Drives.. If my NEW bike didn't have the upgrades already, I would of gone with the gear drives..

I never checked MY run-out on the 96" Crank Like I Suggest all others to do while apart.... MY Bad!

But thinking to Keep the Stock New System, I didn't bother as My engine Runs Smooooooth as silk...

The best system on the older (pre 96") motors IMO is going Gear Drives.

IF that is IF $$$$ are not the most important things...

To do a conversion My way on the 88" bikes goes further than Just the gear drives... I would replace the "cam support plate" and "High flow" oil pump and good lifters... (Delkron plate and Feuling oil pump and their lifters, SE slender tapper P. Rods Adjuables using Larger Manley valves and springs,,,, Proper spaced for the cam used,,, then High compression Wiseco pistons 10 or 10.5/1 ratio big bore to 95" and finally a TFI to allow the adjustment of fuel flow on the FI models.... SS gear drive cams preferred.

I like the Gear Drives but the newer bikes come with The Advanced oil pump and different Bushing cam plate n better chains,,, so to save time and $$$ iI went with the Less $$ route, using the SE255's and I am Happy and it is running GREAT..

signed....BUBBIE

 

[trickydoc]

Well fired the "rainmaker" up about 5pm yesterday. got started about 9am and worked steady all day except for lunch and one visit by a buddy. Rick looked over my shoulder and provided needed advice. had to remove more of the exhaust than needed but it was kinda rusty and would not come apart! Used the 510g set because no head work is needed to install these. all the others require head or valve spring work, didn't want to get into that now. some of the removal and install was difficult, (ie, getting to things) having the right tools helps a lot also, thanks Rick. got some pix and will post a little later. the cam shoes didn't look as bad as I thought they would look. looks like they have about 20 to 30 percent left, not bad for 53000 mi. now if it would just stop raining I could bring her home.