I have a 2007 Road King Classic. How do you tell if the tensioners need replacement ? Currently 19,000t miles on my bike...& its running good. However, a mech. (friend of a friend) told me to have them replaced.

 

In 2007 HD upgraded/changed the cam tensioner design from spring loaded to hydraulic. The 07+ tensioners are far less trouble than the pre 07 spring loaded ones were.

The only way to check them is to remove the outer cam cover and inspect them.

My 07 SG has 31+ K miles & no issues. There are other here with far more miles & no issues.

 

I found my cam tensioners were wore past the wear limit at 30 k mi or so. It wasn't making any strange noises but when I installed the new cams I found I needed to replace the tensioners. There are limit marks in the plastic and mine were wore past the marks and almost to the metal pivot pin.

My cousin just had his go bad, said it had a metal on metal sound that was not always there. Said it sounded like a chain making a dinging sound from time to time.

 

Hi from the UK and welcome to HDF. Your friend's friend is well meaning but not exactly right! The cam tensioner problem was with TC88s and your bike is an early TC96, which has an upgraded system. So from what I can make out you don't need to change them. Others will be along soon and add to that!

 

99-06 Touring bikes have the wear problem, not 07 and later.

 

All of them wear, hydraulic or not. You have to look at them to see what amount of wear is present...that's the only way to be sure if you have any suspicions.

 

Put in gear drives and never worry about them again.

 

Put in gear drive, how much run out does he have on the crank? this could cause a problem if run out is to much. and if he goes into the cams then make sure to change out the cam bearings from the stock INA to Temkin.

 

'07 same as mine--don't even give it a thought. Very little wear on hydraulic tensioners. this problem was '99-'06.

 

If you have .003 of runout or less then gear drives but from the amount of runout that the new cranks have I'd definitely check before doing that.