Yet another Cam question (Andrews Gear Drive)

[Wikked1]

Hi Guys,
It’s gear drive cam shaft time. I’m riding an ’06 FLHTCUI with 95” kit 9.5:1 CR,Rinehart 2-1 pipe,K&N Filter and PCIII. Stock heads plan on keeping it that way unless a pair of Hi perf happen to fall off the UPS truck in my driveway some day. Yeah that would be how I explained them to the wife anyway. I’m sold on installing the Andrews gear drive set but I’ll be damned if I can make real good sense of the various grinds. I know I want to stay with a .510” lift but there are still a couple of grinds to choose from. There’s the 21,26 & 37 grinds. What do I want? Gobs of torque. I’ll be installing these myself, along with a set of adjustable pushrods, since I don’t really want to have to take the rocker covers and tank off again….(just yet anyway). They recommend the 21 as the go to cam for the 88 ,does the 95 benefit from more cam or is this more dependent upon CR and head work? Any body who’s done the work and wants to provide useful tips ,I’d also appreciate it. I am sort of assuming I can press the old cams out and install the new ones without having to buy the special (fancy) installer remover? I’ve installed many bearings into precision fit bores with nothing more than an arbor press….but tell me if I’m wrong guys.
Thanks

[arthureld]

I think most people are going with the drive system that comes on the 96s now. You might want to check into it.
I am also quite sure that you can fit .510 lift in without taking the heads off.
Also, I think cams give more benifit than headwork. Bigboys does a good job on heads for a reasonable price. 9.5/1 compression should be good.
You will most likely hear from others will much more experience than me.

[xxxflhrci]

I have 26's in my 88" and like 'em. I do not care for the 21's. They run out of steam too soon for my tastes, especially with my 3:37 gearing.

I did my own work. I used the freezer/oven method to remove the old cam bearings and install the new ones in the support plate.

[buckanddot]

Here's a good synopsis from Andrews......Andrews Cams

[blkfalc4]

Put in 54's with the 4 degree gear. Acts like the 37 with a bit more lift, but later on if you do the heads then all you have to do is change the 4' gear back to standard.

[arthureld]

Good to see the smart guys checking in.

[junior]

one thing to remember- check the crank runout before installing a gear drive. s&s makes an undersized pinion gear for those engines with excessive crank runout.

i used tw21's in my ultra. i know they aren't the peppiest cams available, but they still move my fat butt around trucks and hills fast enough, but the plus is that i don't have to stop for gas in 130 miles either like some of the more aggressive setups do.

it's all what you want for what you do. i'm leaving oregon for maine in a few weeks and i'd rather spend my time riding and not at the gas station....

j

first post in months. finally got a computer....

[Wikked1]

Thanks guys I do appreciate the feedback. I'm not sure what the 54's are,I have read about the 4 degree timing deal ,but I'm not sure which cam you're talking about. I am under the impression that anything more than .51 valve lift mandates a change in valve spring and I think there's also a lobe clearance issue with the case that I just don't want to deal with. I know the gear drive affords just a tad more room by changing the rotation direction. Thanks for the help guys. Good advice about the crank runout!!! OK I found the 54 cam specs....and a big call out to one of the site sponsors Big Boyz for having some really nice data on their site. Good cam comparator! As well as a wealth of real world useful data. I know where those hi-perf heads are coming from when it's time!

[blkfalc4]

The 54 is a bolt in. Suggested them do to the work you have in the motor already. You won't be searching for a new 1 later if ya go deeper, ie: headwork etc....

[Wikked1]

I thought I'd follow up on this thread since I put the cams in. I went with the 37G cams,they seemed to offer the best match for my 9.5:1 and I know it was a little deeper into the RPMS but it's right about the passing acceleration I was looking for. Next season the heads will be mildly ported for this setup,anyway I wanted to add some info here. Picked up some decent torque at around 2500 and up. At idle you can hear the mild whine of the gears but it's really inconsequential,the exhaust tone has changed (yes really) to a deeper less crackly note,deceleration backfire completely gone,(I used to get an occasional annoying pop),and this is with the same PC map I was running without the cams. All in all I am very pleased with the change (I know I'll realize more with the head work )....good things come to those who wait? Oh and one more thing,you know that wheezing,sneezing,stumbling most Harleys get? GONE!
After changing the Power Commander map to a better fit,it seems to have been a good choice....which brings me to a question about timing tables with the power commander (I'm pretty sure some guys are running a 4 degree gear,I didn't opt for that gear but I was kind of wonder if the power commander ignition tables offer that kind of latitude? Does anyone know? Yeah a trip for a Dyno tune is probably in order....anyway I'm pretty impressed with this change