New and Improved Cam Chain Tensioners

[CBX-tras]

J.R.: it is not the chain adjuster that should be worried about for wear, it is the cam chain, which stretches. That's why Honda put in an adjuster. So, if the cam chain has slack due to stretch, adjustment is necessary. I assume that's when Rick's question becomes viable. Does the cam have to be removed?

I am not sure about your analogy with FI. there were quite a few people who understood the concept from the beginning. I do not like to be thrown in the same basket as the "flathead-pushroad-V8" guys in their clown cars who do not even now what DOHC stands for. I think on this forum here, everybody accepts the fact that the tensioners in the CBX (or other DOHC Hondas) could be improved upon and is eager to get good replacements. Once all functional mechanical uncertainties have been explained properly. It is not good enough to refer to the experience of a demi-god of racing half around the world and leave it at that. My 2 cents.

Here's how it works: Yes, the Intake cam will need to be removed to fasten the rear attachment. IF adjustment is required for your chain, shimming under the rear of the tensioner will be necessary. This is all outlined in the instructions.
Once in service, the cam chain harmonics are virtually eliminated and the chains don't seem to wear or lose their a initial adjustment after that.

In the likelihood that the chain does need adjustment (checked perhaps during a valve adjustment), the intake cam will need to be removed to shim under the rear attachment.

Does my explanation address your concerns?

[EMS]

Yes, JR, thanks! And hopefully, not only mine! Looks like there went a lot of work into these. The parts are at least good looking. If they work as well as they look, these should be winners.

[wyly]

J.R.: it is not the chain adjuster that should be worried about for wear, it is the cam chain, which stretches. That's why Honda put in an adjuster. So, if the cam chain has slack due to stretch, adjustment is necessary. I assume that's when Rick's question becomes viable. Does the cam have to be removed?

I don't know if this relevant but it may best to go with the Vince and Hyde Racing cam chains as well, I have them in my engine.
Had the adjusters been available at that time I probably would installed those as well.

[CBX-tras]

We're currently looking at providing all 3 chains. The "A" chain and the primary chain would be something new. The "B" chain is the same as the DOHC 4's.

[Captain]

I am not sure about your analogy with FI. there were quite a few people who understood the concept from the beginning. I do not like to be thrown in the same basket as the "flathead-pushroad-V8" guys in their clown cars who do not even now what DOHC stands for. I think on this forum here, everybody accepts the fact that the tensioners in the CBX (or other DOHC Hondas) could be improved upon and is eager to get good replacements. Once all functional mechanical uncertainties have been explained properly. It is not good enough to refer to the experience of a demi-god of racing half around the world and leave it at that. My 2 cents.

I am not “some demi-god on the other side of the world”and where I’m based has no relevance as In this internet age I’m as close as the screen in front of you and anything else is a demeaning and misdirection. I designed and created these components around everything experienced and learned from the DOHC 4’s . Those parts have established themselves worldwide as the only way to correct the OEM shortcomings and these CBX specific parts are the same. Full documentation has been written (FAQ) and Installation & Adjustment Instructions to inform anyone and particularly persons such as yourself.
These are available from members CBX-tras Roland Skate or myself

Brent Hyde
Vince & Hyde Racing

[EMS]

I am sorry, Brent, but if you read the whole thread you will have to accept that I would stand by my post as it was made at the time it was made. Several viable questions had been asked that were not addressed other than with a reference to that great authority down under with a lot of experience. And if you would have made the post you just made back then, it would have been exactly the same. Poppycock. I know that on the "F'-site, there are several individuals who are revered as absolute authorities and experts and no criticism will be allowed otherwise the collective F community pounces upon the heretic. Ever so often it happens here too.
And quite frankly, if the method to take slack out of the chain is that of shimming the guide, I do not consider this a correction of the shortcoming of the original design. Maybe on a race engine, that you open up and readjust after every race it is a viable procedure, on any of my street bikes, it is not.

[CBX-tras]

I'm happy to email the FAQ /installation sheet on these components to anyone that would like to read how we got here and study the installation procedures.

Just drop me an email request.

jrluksik51[at]gmail[dot]com

[CBX-tras]

Also edited/mentioned in the first post of this topic:

As of June 1st, 2021, I have relinquished my distributorship of these components in the America's.

Contact Brent Hyde directly if interested in purchasing.

[PHOBMAN]

It seems to me that this arrangement while being good for a racing engine which is being constantly massaged in preparation for upcoming racing, doesn't seem so suitable for the average daily/Sunday rider cruiser. These guys just need an effective self tending system as used on all modern machinery. My XK8 for example, basically same architecture as the CBX has self tending spring loaded notch secured tensioners that supply some tension and click into place to prevent chain pushback.

[CBX-tras]

Frankly, I believe that the biggest problem was achieving proper tension at initial installation that most owners had difficulty doing.

I ran my 1100F (sold to Jan) with the same basic tensioners for thousands of miles without issue and installed several CBX versions (when I was the distributor) with (again) no known issues to date.

Although not for everyone, who's stepping up to make something better? Go ahead, I'll wait.

[NobleHops]

Yes, setting proper tension on the larger A tensioner was pure guesswork. The second major issue that Brent did NOT address in his instructions was that the distance between the mounting point for the upper B tensioner and the height of the head could be variable from Honda - it wasn't dimensioned with the bow-style tensioner because it didn't need to be. To properly fit that V&H tensioner, the cams and chains had to be installed the then one had to measure and then machine the mounting point to the needed depth. Jim Sawtell was the guy that finally shed light on that for me after a lot of frustrating back-and-forth with Brent. For those reasons, I am in Phobman's camp. They are great parts in the right hands, but I don't recommend them myself.

[bobcat]

It seems to me that Honda had finally solved the A chain tensioner problem on the
CB1100F by eliminating the flexibility in the slipper/slider part of the assembly and
making it wider and shouldered to reduce side to side chain movement. The slider
was also made much thicker and attached to the assembly at the bottom by a sturdy
pivot hinge and chain slack was taken up by the slider leaning forward from the hinge
instead of a flimsy, thin and narrow unshouldered slider that is bowed in the middle to
push on the chain and allowed to flex.
The main accomplishment was eliminating the flexibility and the thicker slider.
Too bad the design wasn't employed until 83, right after the CBX was discontinued
and then used in the 1100F that was produced for only one year.

It is one project I hope to tackle soon after can get rehabbed from the hospital and I
am able to work again : modify and install a CB1100F tensioner in my projct CBX.
I've studied both assemblies and I have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done
once I can finally get my hands back on the parts again. I have the R&D blown up motor
to experiment with as well as a couple of used 1100F tensioners and one NOS 1100F
tensioner still in the unopened bag as it came from Honda.

So much to do when I can get my body to cooperate..... meanwhile for now...