What the consensus on the best Primary chain tensioner lately?

 

My vote is the original one you set cold 5/8 - 7/8" or hot 3/8 - 5/8". This is the play you want to see from the at rest hanging upper chain pushing up.

You need to check it a 3 to 4 places since chains wear uneven. That's what you need tolerance for.

I have made one change in mine at 50,000 miles. Same with the clutch. Unless you beat the crap out of it, the maintenance call-out is just for dealer fluf.


The latest version of Harley's B version of the auto tensioner works great. It appears tight if you ever check it because of those two heavy springs in its base to apply a little tension on the chain. Hurts nothing and makes the system quite. Push firmly with your thumbs and you will see 1/2" warm.

If you don't have a adjuster window, you do not want any aftermarket system.

 

I just bought a Baker Driveline Armored Attitude Adjuster that I am planning to install with a new Baker Compensator very soon.

Armored Attitude Adjuster - BAKER Drivetrain

After the SE compensator and adjuster failed, I am hoping that with these parts I won't have to be in there again any time soon!

 

This is interesting, can anyone with a manual adjust tensioner, with years on it chime in?

 

My early Twin Cam ('00 Road Glide,) went 170,000 miles with a Hayden M-6 tensioner. Not one issue over the 14 years I owned it.

 

How often did it require adjustments?

 

Never, At 100,000 miles I rechecked the play to see if another shim might be needed. It was "close but not quite" and I let it run, figuring the chain was done stretching anyway.
What surprised me was the durability of the puck. Once the chain grooved it enough to touch the rollers, wear and tear just stopped.

I have an new to me '02 Dyna Low Rider that I just picked up (I'm a fan of the early TC's,) and I'll have an M-6 on that bike at the next service too.

 

Hayden..........40k care free miles so far.

 

Any guides/tensioners on a roller chain only wear till the links wear in and the rollers roll. Why Harley went to the roller chain on the cams in 2006/7.

My 04 however had yet to even reach the rollers at 30K when I had to replace the alternator rotor that the 10 B spline had stripped off

Add a signature line on your bike for the year, model and all the letters.

 

I have had the Baker since 2013 and it's been in 2 different bikes. Same tensioner different bikes. So far it has been flawless.