Can the pre ’07 Softail and pre ’06 Dyna’s right side case cam bearing holes that currently use the .875” inner cam bearings use the larger 1” cam bearings? Or another way stated, can these older bikes be fitted with the Timken B-168 inner cam bearings? I ask, because if these bikes can use the larger 1” bearings and if you convert the cam plate to the newer roller chain style, then you could use the “H” series Andrews cam instead of the “N” conversion cams or any other manufacture of later cams. Just curious. Not suggesting the “H” is better or worse than the “N” series. Although I’ve always wondered why HD increased the inner cam bearing to accept a 1” inner cam shaft?

 

Short answer is no. You can convert the earlier Morse "silent" chain drive to the later hydraulic tensioner/roller chain drive and use the early style cams by converting with the H-D conversion kit designed for that purpose. No need to reinvent the wheel.

I don't know for sure but suspect that the larger innner cam bearings used in the later models are there to provide additional support on that side of the cam chest since the outer bearings were removed.

 

Can the 99-05 cases be bored to except a b168 bearing? I haven't read about anyone doing it. Looks like it would be easily done if the cases were already split for bottom end work.

 

If you have enough money, anything is possible but I don't know why anyone would want to go to that trouble and expense. The B148s are enough bearing for the early cams; it's not as though the H-D vtwin is a high revving motor. Hell, how many stock bikes are running around the original INA bearings without any issues?

 

Good point. I think we are just curious to solutions other than what’s already out there. Although I’ve been on this board and other boards since 2006 and have read many many threads regarding cam plate conversion and potential issues with the spring loaded tensioners, it seems as though most have just accepted HD’s solution to just go to the new hydraulic cam plate solution or the SE hybrid or another manufactures similar solution or gear cams and not necessarily questioning HD’s design decisions/choices on the hydraulic cam plate. As I am now finally getting around to plan a motor build for my bike with 37K on it, I’m starting to question things like:

1. Are outer cam bearings better or worse than bushings, what will fail first?
2. Why did HD increase the size of the inner cam bearing bore size? Is this a band aid for some other weak point in the new design.
3. Why did HD go to the single row roller chain when all info I can find about chains says multi-link Hyvo chains are more robust, can handle more rpms, are as much as 4x more expensive (did I just answer my own question?) then roller chains and as the name implies, more quiet.

But as you say, HD’s are not a high revving machine, so guess all my questions are a mood point and I’m not quarter mile drag racing my bike. Even though I’m 4 years late to the table here, I can’t help but ponder the design/cost trade-off of HD’s new cam plate solution to improve the infamous spring loaded tensioner pre-mature wear out.

And for me, the last time I checked my spring loaded tensioners at 30K, the dang things still looked new, front and back. WTF?

 

Can be done, but I wouldn't bother.
Scott