Tensioners: Springs vs Hyrdaulic vs Gear Drive

[prodrag1320]

ide go with the geardrive,or just leave the stock stuff in there and check the tensioners from time to time (once every 7 or 8K),as far as being bullitproof,the new SE set up aint any better than what your running now kirby

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[rthomp159]

Gears are awesome, but I'd be hesitant to use them on a stock crank. I'm sure one of the builders will say it's fine, and I defer to their experience, but I'd be iffy about it. Regardless, you should check your runout and deal with that before you do anything. As I said in another thread, my runout was .005, and I had scoring on my oil pump at less than 20,000 miles.

[neonhomer]

All this discussion, and it doesn't help me much... I am still as confused as I was when I started this thread.

I would like to go with gears to eliminate the need for tensioners, but I think it might cost more to do gears than just replacing the stock tensioners & new cams.

[ryanl]

andrews unit runs around $400

[dgvnk]

You might give John Wadsworth a call at Flying W Performance.He sells a kit to convert to the hydraulic tensioners.He also sells Andrews Cams,SE Adj.Pushrods and Harley B Lifters.I put one of his kits in my 2006 Night Train,during instillation I had a couple of questions,called John he took the time to answer my ?'s and help me out.He is a good guy and sells a good product.

[poppadeuce]

Originally Posted by JR-Boston

If I go with just the HD chain tensioner upgrade kit, and put the old cams back in, do I need to replace the pushrods?

I'm thinking the reason we cut the old pushrods out and put in new EZ Adjust pushrods is to accommodate a new cam set's greater lift.

Am I on the right track here?

JR

Cutting your old rods and putting in adjustables eleminates removing your top end.

[neonhomer]

I actually WANT to pull my top end apart because I believe there is something not right up there.

[caper]

If you want to take the top off and the cam you're putting in has the same base circle diameter as the stock cams, then the sock rods can be reused.

[Faast Ed]

Originally Posted by neonhomer

All this discussion, and it doesn't help me much... I am still as confused as I was when I started this thread.

I would like to go with gears to eliminate the need for tensioners, but I think it might cost more to do gears than just replacing the stock tensioners & new cams.

If you run gears, you are no safer than if you stay with tesioners (unless you weld your crank).
Why? If your crank slips a few thou, you will be redoing your bottom end. I have witnessed this first hand (not hearsay).

If you want to take the top off and the cam you're putting in has the same base circle diameter as the stock cams, then the sock rods can be reused.

My Andrews cam has a .020 smaller base circle, which was great for me to reuse my stock pushrods with a thinner head gasket. Win/win.
Keep in mind, your lifters allow for a little variance there.

[neonhomer]

Originally Posted by dgvnk

You might give John Wadsworth a call at Flying W Performance.He sells a kit to convert to the hydraulic tensioners.He also sells Andrews Cams,SE Adj.Pushrods and Harley B Lifters.I put one of his kits in my 2006 Night Train,during instillation I had a couple of questions,called John he took the time to answer my ?'s and help me out.He is a good guy and sells a good product.

I just got an email back from him. $500 for the conversion kit, and $259 for the cams. Add $95 for new B lifters and $145 for adjustable pushrods.

This doesn't include all the stuff I would need to pull the rocker boxes...