Gear drive cams

[molokaimike]

I'll be doing a cam change soon and am curious about the benefits of upgrading to a gear drive system. What are the benefits and is it worth the effort to upgrade. I understand that it is advisable to do a crank run out test to make sure that the clearance of the gears is within specs.

 

[ROAD DOG]

There's nothing to Gaine by adding gear drive, The only thing you get is a noisier motor, You dont need more noise in a Harley motor to be worried about. Any time I do a cam I buy new Harley gears & chain & tensioners. I pull the rocker boxes & use the stock one piece push rods, I dont like adjustable push rods, pulling the rocker covers is a real paint in the ASS. Me and the wife were coming home one afternoon on rt 202 in the passing lane doing 80-85 MPH in the left lane bumper to bumper traffic when the adjustable push rod loosened up, didnt know what happened I thought it dropped a valve, after playing around for a bitt got it readjusted & down the road. So that why I use one Piece pushrods.

 

[Jack Klarich]

There's nothing to Gaine by adding gear drive, The only thing you get is a noisier motor, You dont need more noise in a Harley motor to be worried about. Any time I do a cam I buy new Harley gears & chain & tensioners. I pull the rocker boxes & use the stock one piece push rods, I dont like adjustable push rods, pulling the rocker covers is a real paint in the ASS. Me and the wife were coming home one afternoon on rt 202 in the passing lane doing 80-85 MPH in the left lane bumper to bumper traffic when the adjustable push rod loosened up, didnt know what happened I thought it dropped a valve, after playing around for a bitt got it readjusted & down the road. So that why I use one Piece pushrods.

Good info and a sound decision on using stock push rods, with an adjustable rod coming loose it could be very bad juju

I had a push rod work loose on my 1960 FL, it wasn't pretty

 

[NHBAGGER]

I believe the m8 configuration is different than the twin cam. If you pull the rockers you also loosen the cylinders. Little more work involved.

 

[ROAD DOG]

I believe the m8 configuration is different than the twin cam. If you pull the rockers you also loosen the cylinders. Little more work involved.

Not any of the M8 I have done, Pull the anti freeze lines, then the rocker covers, & the rocker arms, pull out the push rods. For me the pain in the ASS is the lines. The cylinders are held down by the cylinder heads, no need to remove or loosen the head bolts.

 

[Jack Klarich]

I believe the m8 configuration is different than the twin cam. If you pull the rockers you also loosen the cylinders. Little more work involved.

AS long as you do not disturb the head bolts you should be OK # 2 the 4 head bolts

 

[NHBAGGER]

You guys are right, I was thinking of head removal.

 

[Dan SC]

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