How difficult is it to check the cam chain tensioners?
Remove the right side exhaust, take off the chrome cover.
Then what?

 

Then release tension and pull the tensioner away from chain and inspect. To do the rear, you can use a dental mirror and flashlight and pry the tensioner away and inspect. Here's what it looks like under the cover.

 

Inspecting the front tensioner is very easy since it is right in plain sight. To inspect the rear, you have to view it with a dental mirror while prying it back away from the chain. It's do-able but a PITA. You will have to replace the gasket. I have yet to be able to do my inspection without destroying the gasket.

You should also roll you scoot up onto a couple of pieces of 2 x 6's then lean it over onto the jiffy stand. This will allow you to take off the cover without draining your oil.

 

Great advice guys, thanks.
I'm a little unclear as to where to push the screwdriver and mirror in?

 

....... this is why i LOVE this forum ....... photos of vital parts of our HD's ! While I'd heard of the cam chain tensioners & some issues associated w/them, I'd never seen one or understood where the dmd things were. Now that I've seen one, I can understand why the little plastic things wear out.
... So, what the difference between the orange one pictured and the replacement/upgrade that MoCo now sells ?

 

At the very top of this pic, you see what looks like a sharks fin behind the cam plate. This is the rear tensioner. On the front of the plate you see a nub with a small hole in it. You have to pry back the tensioner thru the gap with a screw driver. When you have it pried back far enough insert a nail into the hole of the front nub. This will hold the tensioner away from the rear chain and allow you to insert a dental mirror inte the gap to view the tensioner. As I said earlier, this can be a PITA.

 

The new ones are hydraulic and don't have the spring tension system. They are also made of a different material

 

The ones pictured are the old style which are spring loaded. The upgraded tensioners are hydraulicaly loaded and I believe they are made of a different material.

Gotta be a freakin echo in here.....

 

Here's a pic of the new ones

 

You're a hell of a good man. Both of you.

At least now I what I'm going to try to do!

Thanks again lads.