[motorheads5]

I am sure a lot of you already know how to do this. I for one have never seen the inside of a Harley Motor and since I am going to put cam's in my bike before long. So I started researching the process and came across this awesome video From J&P Cycle and S&S. I hope you find it as informative as I did. :beer:

 

[kingk9]

Nice post man. Cutting with bolt cutters, I would have never thought of that. Thanks for the vid.

 

[DueceDog]

Good video!

I happened to see that video yesterday. It's made me a little more confident in doing the job myself. Heck, I've rebuilt more than few Chevy motors, this can't be any tougher.

I'll have to schedule a couple of hours to go thru the video a couple more times to see what I need to get/learn/do.

 

[waynehead99]

Yes thank you. I want to change this stuff out on mine too (hopefully before the stock stuff blows up). Curious about the gear driven versus the chain. I want to go gear, but didn't know that there was a lot more involved than just swapping it out.

 

[CowboyTutt]

Seen that before and its a good video. Personally, on new Harleys, I think the benefits of gear driven cams are highly over-rated and not worth the cost-to-benefit ratio. -Tutt

 

[waynehead99]

Seen that before and its a good video. Personally, on new Harleys, I think the benefits of gear driven cams are highly over-rated and not worth the cost-to-benefit ratio. -Tutt

Yea i kinda agree, but just adding that extra layer of protection. The whole cam blow up issue the twins have scares me.

 

[CowboyTutt]

Wayne, just be sure you have a trued crank assembly. Gear driven cam sets can actually be rather fragile and are more sensitive I THINK it was laterally than chain driven sets. They are very strong in one direction but weak in the other. Hopefully someone who understands the subject much better than me will come by and provide you with a better explanation. I will contact someone on Tuesday to get a better answer for you as well.
Regards,
-Tutt

 

[Rollmeaway]

Yea i kinda agree, but just adding that extra layer of protection. The whole cam blow up issue the twins have scares me.

Eh! Wayne,

I can sympathize with what you & Tutt are saying about the cost of gear drives. The gears alone are as much as the HD hydraulic upgraded tensioners, plate & high volume pump.

The real plus with gear driven cams is you can put the tensioner issues & doubts of when is it going to give me troubles again to bed. There is also a 3hp gain but the best part is your valve train timing will be running exactly where it should be all day long.

The gears have tolerances. The max run-out is 0.003 for them which is well under HD'S tolerances of crank run-out of 0.010. The first requirement would be to check the crank run-out.

If I didnt fall into such a good deal on a new set of S&S gears for 125.00 & the Andrews 37G's for 100.00 I doubt I would be going to them even though my run-out is 0.0015 pump side. I would be going to the new SE plate & pump.

 

[motorheads5]

Yes thank you. I want to change this stuff out on mine too (hopefully before the stock stuff blows up). Curious about the gear driven versus the chain. I want to go gear, but didn't know that there was a lot more involved than just swapping it out.

There is a really good video on the forum here and it show's the Pro's and Con's of gear drive Cam's. Honestley the gear drive cam is for the serious engine builder and for what I have and most of us with stock motor's its a joke. The problem with gear's, you need exact tolerances to maintain gear pattern contact and if you dont the gear's dont like it. 75% of the harley crank's are not very true and the runout is where you get the problem!!! Buy a trued and welded crank and go for it otherwise invest the money in a wheel.. LMAO
Seriousley though a Chain drive setup with the hydraulic tensioner's are very forgiving.

 

[rossl]

I wish this was available 9 years ago when I did my first cam swap.

 

[wurk_truk]

Yea i kinda agree, but just adding that extra layer of protection. The whole cam blow up issue the twins have scares me.

Huh? What year bike do you have? Hmmm... I would be WAY more worried running gears on a non welded crank than EVER worry about late (07up) chains or a conversion kit. Gears are kind of passe unless SUPER serious... I mean over 150hp serious like Paul M. I'm trying to figure out this cam blow up thing???

 

[DaveCarlson]

Great video. I found it a while back before I did my spring to hydraulic conversion last Nov.
If it wasn't for the advantages of the stronger billet cam plate and much better oil pump, I probably would have just thrown in a set of new spring tensioners and called it good.

 

[CowboyTutt]

Gears are kind of passe...

:redrolf: :clap:

Now that was funny!

-Tutt

 

[waynehead99]

Huh? What year bike do you have? Hmmm... I would be WAY more worried running gears on a non welded crank than EVER worry about late (07up) chains or a conversion kit. Gears are kind of passe unless SUPER serious... I mean over 150hp serious like Paul M. I'm trying to figure out this cam blow up thing???

I got an 06 Ultra last summer. My question was answered about gears and them not being needed. I will stick with chain when i decide to change the cam out. I didn't use the technical term... or maybe i did about the cam blow up

06 was the last year of the old style and the 88 really as they went with the newer cam setup in 07 and the 96. I want to make the change prior to failure, but the bike only has 10,000 on it right now and suspect i can wait until next winter since this winter is almost over and the bike will be paid off by then and I can play a little more with it .

 

[twinontwin]

great video. if switching from the spring loaded cam plate to the new style hydraulic plate on my 03, is it as easy as just swapping plates? I was getting ready to have this done but could save a lot by doing it myself.

 

[motorheads5]

Ok for starter's I'm learning myself but from what I am reading there is a procedure for centering the oil pump and plate location that is a easy process but it's critical.

 

[DaveCarlson]

great video. if switching from the spring loaded cam plate to the new style hydraulic plate on my 03, is it as easy as just swapping plates? I was getting ready to have this done but could save a lot by doing it myself.

Depends. If you already have adjustable push rods, then the only new part you need is the new cam plate. You will need to take the push rods, lifters, and cams out to do the job. While you have it open it would make sense to up grade the inner bearings to Torrington B148's and new bearings in the cam plate too.The video does a great job of showing you how to do it. I did it all by not having to buy any special tools. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Lord knows I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer

Dave

 

[DaveCarlson]

Ok for starter's I'm learning myself but from what I am reading there is a procedure for centering the oil pump and plate location that is a easy process but it's critical.

Some folks swear by getting the EVO lifter block centering pins and using them to aid in positioning the pump. I read about having the pump barely snugged up (so it's position could be moved with mild effort). Then have someone hit the start button (in neutral, plugs out and grounded) and torque up 2 oil pump bolts diagonal from each other as the engine turns over. Stop cranking the engine and torque down the other 2. This procedure worked for me and made a bunch of sense too. You want the pump to be centered with respect to the crank shaft, not the cam plate.

 

[motorheads5]

Some folks swear by getting the EVO lifter block centering pins and using them to aid in positioning the pump. I read about having the pump barely snugged up (so it's position could be moved with mild effort). Then have someone hit the start button (in neutral, plugs out and grounded) and torque up 2 oil pump bolts diagonal from each other as the engine turns over. Stop cranking the engine and torque down the other 2. This procedure worked for me and made a bunch of sense too. You want the pump to be centered with respect to the crank shaft, not the cam plate.

Yeah that does make sense.. Thank's

 

[JustDave71]

sweet vid thanks for postin.