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How-to: Install Race Cam Chain Tensioner

232K views 385 replies 136 participants last post by  David CU 
#1 · (Edited)
Here is my how-to guide for replacing the OEM cam chain tensioner with the official Triumph Race Cam Chain Tensioner kit. I apologize for not taking photos.

Purpose: To race modify your bike for racing and track day use, or as in my case, to eliminate once and for all the annoying buzzing/rattling from the cam chain. If you suffer this noise, which is fairly obvious and sounds like a rattle or buzz that occurs between 6000~8000 RPM and comes from the right upper side of the engine, near the handlebar area, you can eliminate it with the race CCT. The OEM CCT will only apply so much tension, and if your cam chain loosens over time, sufficient tensioning may no longer be applied by the OEM CCT, and at these RPMs the cam chain can actually start to rattle against the insides of the crank case, creating a very annoying sound. It could cause possible damage if left unchecked, leading to the cam chain snapping (as it did in my case). Although this issue has never been formally addressed by Triumph, they have in fact replaced their OEM CCT in the new for '09 Daytona with a new type. I recommend this mod to anybody experiencing the cam chain rattle/noise because it is an inexpensive and fairly simple fix to a potentially devastating and annoying issue with our bikes.

What You Need:

Race Cam Chain Tensioner ($105) from www.pure-triumph.com or ($52) from http://www.aperaceparts.com
Basic tools (metric sockets, wrenches, nothing you won't already have from tooling on the 675).

Opening the crank case:

1. Leave motorcycle on side stand, in Neutral and allow to cool completely. Remove only the right side fairing.

2. Remove the crankcase cover bolts, and make note of the one with the copper sealing washer (it is obvious where it goes when you put it back together).



3. Remove the crankcase cover and the crankcase sealing gasket. Clean the gasket of any oil and put aside for later. (If gasket is in poor shape you should replace it with a new one. It does not require silicone gasket maker sealer.)

4. Using a socket wrench (24mm socket), turn the crank clockwise until you reach Top Dead Center (TDC) which is when the little dot on the gear (1) lines up with the marker line (2) in the engine case.



5. Find a suitable wedge (piece of wood, rubber tubing, rag) to wedge between the cam chain tensioner guide and the crankcase wall to keep tension on the cam chain so it will not move when removing the old cam chain tensioner.



Removing the old tensioner:

1. Remove the center nut on the CCT and remove the spring inside it.

2. Remove the two bolts securing the CCT and remove the entire CCT unit.



Installing the Race CCT:

1. Assemble the Race CCT if necessary by putting the small o-ring on the long plunger bolt and apply some oil to it and thread it through the race CCT body. Thread it all the way through so that it is in it's fully backed-out position (as pictured below). Loosely thread the lock-nut to the threaded part of the plunger bolt. Apply the large o-ring to the Race CCT body and apply some oil to that o-ring as well.



2. Install the Race CCT and secure it with the two bolts provided. Torque to 9 N-m.

3. Hand tighten the plunger until you feel it meet some resistance when it contacts the cam chain tensioner guide (you won't see it so you have to go by feel). When you are sure you have hand-tightened the plunger up against the guide, you can safely remove the wedge you were using.

4. Now (using a 24mm socket) begin turning the crank again in a clockwise direction while applying light hand-tightening pressure on the plunger. Whenever there is slack you will feel the plunger tighten, that is, it will screw in bit by bit as it takes up the slack while rotating the crank. Continue until the plunger no longer tightens/turns while rotating the crank and all the slack has been taken up.

5. Now back the plunger off 1/4 turn.

6. Now tighten down the lock nut to a torque of 9 N-m, and make sure the plunger does not turn while tightening the lock nut.

Reassembly:

1. Put the crankcase gasket in place. (Clean it off of any old oil that may be on it.)

2. Put the crank case cover in place, and secure with original bolts to a torque of 9 N-m. Make sure to replace the copper washer to it's appropriate location.

3. Replace the right side fairing.

4. Ride or race!

Conclusion:

I have done this mod and my cam chain noises, buzzes, rattles, vibrations - whatever we call them - the annoying stuff that our bike does between 6000~8000 RPM have been eliminated! This has to be one of my favorite mods as a result because the bike is simply perfect again. It's also nice to know that if the buzz comes back for any reason, it's easy enough to re-adjust the Race CCT to take up any new slack that may occur in the chain, keeping the chain buzz free and safe from damaging itself.

I hope this how-to is of use to anybody wishing to do this mod. I am not a mechanically inclined or engine person at all and I was able to do this mod with no trouble... so enjoy!
 
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#6 ·
nice dude how many miles did you have on yours before it snapped? and did they give you new timing set????
 
#14 ·
The first time I got the noise I had about 10,000 miles on it, and I had it addressed during my 12,000 mile service, where it went away. But then at 13,500 miles the cam chain broke and I had a totally catastrophic engine failure as a result. That was a $9,000 repair - but covered under warranty (phew!) But within 600 miles of my newly replaced engine the sound came back. The dealer wanted to diagnose it and fix it themselves... I had already been without a bike for over 3 months, so I told them forget it, I'm going to try this - and it worked!!!

Hey Devilfish, on that website you bought the tensioner from, is there a specific "race" tensioner? I only saw one regular one on there for 110 bucks. Not sure if I missing the specific one you bought. Just curious, thanks again!
Oh wow, they already increased their price... The list price is $105, but I guess they added $4.99 to that. The part number is A9618060.
This is the link:
http://www.pure-triumph.com/products/1049
 
#8 ·
I have an '06 w/ 9000 miles and don't believe I have the "Dreaded CCT Problem". But knowing this fix is available is very good. Thanks.

Is this the sorta thing that if you have it, you'll know it...sorta like gonorrhea? :grin:

I know there have been gobs of threads on this, but was the problem every isolated to a particular S/N sequence? Like the first run units, or just 06's? Or has it been a problem w/ all the '06-'08's?
 
#15 ·
Thanks for that, Devilfish. On the website they are very intent about this part being used for race only. Seems kind of funny to me. Any specific reason for this? I hope the cops don't rip off my fairings and case covers and see what I got in there! :grin: I doubt it, but did you notice any difference in performance?
 
#16 ·
That's just legal mumbo-jumbo jargon that is applied to the entire product line of triumph racing kit parts... some bits are truly for race use only (like the valves & intake trumpets)... but the cam chain tensioner is fine for normal use. And there is, of course, no performance increase to be gained from the manual tensioner... It's just a manually adjustable tensioner as opposed to the OEM spring loaded hydraulic tensioner.
 
#17 ·
Nice write-up DF.
I installed one at 2500 miles and never looked back. I thought I had the 7K rattle. Now 7000 miles later, smooth as silk. And I've never adjusted it from the time I put it on.It just keeps getting better. The 09 models will have the race cct as a stock item.
 
#19 ·
I can't wait to get one. I just contacted my local triumph dealer and they said based on the computer system they are currently unavailable from Triumph N.A. in Georgia. The parts guy told me he would dig deeper to see if he could locate one. Hopefully he calls soon. The 6K vibration is seriously starting to get to me :eek:ffended:
 
#21 ·
Sweer, thanks Scott. I just emailed him. I will let you guys know what he says. In the meantime...Whats the difference between the stock CCT and the race kit CCT??? I noticed it manual adjusting, so does this mean that I will have to go in and make adjustment to the cam chain tension every once in awhile?
 
#22 · (Edited)
The stock cam chain tensioner is spring loaded. It works in that when it is properly installed, the spring pushes the tensioner against the cam chain guide, and takes up any slack in the chain. The stock CCT is ratcheted so it won't back out. In theory if there is ever any slack in the chain, the tensioner will take it up. But the point of failure of the stock CCT is that the spring is not very strong, and gets weaker the further it pushes out the tensioner. So if your cam chain loosens for any reason, such as over time from wear & tear or engine break-in, it is possible that the stock CCT will cease to take up that slack, and you get the cam chain rattle noise...

The Race CCT, because it must be manually adjusted, can be set to take up all slack in the cam chain, even if the chain is, in theory, too loose for the stock CCT to do its job anymore. While the stock CCT is, in theory supposed to take up any new slack that forms automatically, the race CCT will not, so you have to re-adjust it. You will only know to re-adjust it if your cam chain starts making noises again.

But if you are like me, and you installed it because you were already experiencing a loose chain that your stock CCT could no longer sufficiently put tension on, setting up the race CCT to take up all slack should be a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing, unless by some weird twist of fate your cam chain gets even looser in the future. That should be unlikely however, although a simple removal of the crank-case cover and re-adjustment of the tensioner while turning the crank to take up the new slack is all that would be needed to fix that.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Devilfish, in your writeup, when you were turning the adjustment plunger, you were only using your fingers right? No tools on that nut until you ready for the lock nut, correct? Also, the only thing I'm not clear with and wedging something in the crankcase. The long piece on the left labeled No. 8, thats the Cam Chain Tensioner Guide I assume, and you just stuff something in there so it doesn't move? I just want to be fully prepared when I rip this thing open. Thanks again, can't wait to get this done.
 
#26 ·
Also, the only thing I'm not clear with and wedging something in the crankcase. The long piece on the left labeled No. 8, thats the Cam Chain Tensioner Guide I assumer, and you just stuff something in there so it doesn't move? I just want to be fully prepared when I rip this thing open. Thanks again, can't wait to get this done.
That's correct, just stuff a piece of wood or something between the guide and the crankcase to prevent the chain from moving. Basically you are putting in a temporary tensioner to keep the chain tight while you remove the old tensioner. You don't want that guide (and chain) to flop back towards the crankcase.

.
 
#32 ·
Yeah, I just got confirmation from Mike at pure-triumph that Triumph North America are currently out of stock on the Race CCTs and awaiting new ones from England...

Also, he confirmed that the Race CCT is in fact now the new stock CCT on the 2009 models... So anybody fearing the legalese that this kit is for race use only, have no fear, it's now a stock item... Guess Triumph gave up on their original hydraulic design for now...

Methinks Triumph should make this a recall item for 06-08 models sometime next year...
 
#34 ·
If you do trackdays, I advise everyone to do this.

I have 1200 track miles (1300 all together) on mine and the stock CCT broke. I was fortunate that it gave up exiting the pits and it didn't jump timing.:bowdown:

My motor is modified so that may have played a part, but this is cheap insurance.
 
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