What should the tension adjustment be on the primary chain?

inside the primary cover, in the middle bottom part of the chain is a shoe assembly, loosen adjusting bolt to raise shoe which increases tension on chain, now if the chain will not adjust then possibly the chain & tensioner are worn & need replacement.

Your Big Twin primary chain should have 3/4" to 7/8" up and down travel when the engine is cold. As the engine heats up, the aluminum expands and the chain should have 5/8" to 3/4" when hot. Take the inspection cover off to check the tension. If you have an adjustable primary chain tensioner, loosen the nut and lift the adjuster to tighten the chain.

Steve

When is the last time you checked the tension on your primary drive chain? Remove the round plug at the top of the primary cover. You can reach the primary chain through this hole. Use your finger to gauge the up and down movement of the chain. If you need to adjust the chain, on the bottom of the primary is an adjusting bolt with a lock nut. Loosen the lock nut and turn the adjuster upwards to tighten the chain, lower it to loosen the chain. The chain should have 3/8" to 1/2" of movement with the engine cold. Usually the final drive belt won't make a rattling noise since it's a rubber-like compound. It should have a tension of about 1/2" up and down movement with a force of ten pounds applied to it from the underside of the lower run.

Good Luck
Steve

The primary chain adjustment has nothing to do with the clutch. Take the small upper inspection cover off the primary cover and use your finger to check the primary chain tension. It should have 3/8 to 1/2 inch up and down movement in the top run of the chain when the engine is cold. To adjust, loosen the lock nut on the primary chain adjuster on the bottom of the primary case. Turn the screw upward to tighten the chain, downward to loosen. Once set, tighten the locknut.

To adjust the clutch, loosen the clutch cable adjuster as much as you can. Remove the derby cover from the primary cover. Remove the spring and the locknut. Turn the adjuster screw counterclockwise as far as it will go. Turn it back in 1/4 turn and replace the lock nut and the spring. Replace derby cover. Adjust the clutch cable so that you have about a 1/8 inch play at the hand lever.

Good Luck
Steve

To remove your primary cover, first, disconnect the battery and drain the oil from the primary. Then, remove any footpegs or shifter mechanisms that might be in the way.

Look on the bottom of the primary cover and you'll see a bolt and locknut. This is the primary chain tensioning device. Loosen the locknut and turn the screws out (downward) to loosen the chain.

Then take the derby cover off. Remove the spring and the locknut from the clutch adjusting mechanism. Remove the bolts that hold the outer primary on. Turn the clutch adjuster screw clockwise as you remove the cover.

When you replace the cover, turn the clutch adjuster screw counterclockwise until it stops. Put all the bolts back in the cover and tighten them. Turn the screw counterclockwise again until it stops and then back off 1/4 turn. Install the locknut, the spring, and the derby cover.

Remove the upper inspection cover and reach in with your finger and check the primary chain tension. Using the bolt on the bottom of the primary, turn it upward (inward) and tension the primary chain to between 1/2" and 5/8" up and down play. Reinstall anything else that was taken off and pour in one quart of primary lube. Reconnect battery.

Good Luck
Steve

after safely supporting rear wheel off ground, remove small inspection cover from primary cover. rotate rear wheel until primary chain is at tightest point. cold engine- chain free play should be 5/8" - 7/8", hot engine should be 3/8" - 5/8". to adjust, loosen primary chain adjuster shoe nut (bolt head is similar to a carriage bolt-square head), sometimes you will need to tap bolt end to free up adjuster, as it sits in grooces to hold at desired level. adjust to desired tension and tighten bolt to 22-29 ft/lbs. then recheck chain freeplay after rotating rear wheel at least one full revolution. If OK, reinstall cover.

How is the setup? You have a bar that is attached to the primary and the tensioner rides up and down in some notches? If so, that is the old setup in the big twins as well, the tensioner went up against the chain at the bottom run of chain and pushed up. Hope this helps.

Once they're installed, they usually self adjust from what I've been told. It works hydraulically. As the spring pushes up on the bottom side of the primary, the sucks oil in to keep the tension on the chain.

I've heard from some that they have noticed a bit more noise from the primary due to the added tension on the primary chain. Personally, I guess I'm just "old school". It ain't too much trouble to check the chain tension every two or three thousand miles. But, then again, I work on the things for a hobby.

Have you checked the tension on your primary chain lately. The chain should be adjusted to have 3/4 to 7/8 inch up and down movement when the engine is cold.

Remove the top primary plug and you can reach in with your finger and lift the primary chain up and down. The adjuster is on the bottom of the primary cover. Loosen the nut and using an allen wrench adjust the tension on the chain. Screwing the screw inward tightens the chain, outward loosens it. Do not tighten the chain too tight. As the engine warms up and expands, the chain will become tighter. If you get it too tight, it could cause damage to other components.

If you don't think this is the problem, repost and we'll try something else. If you feel comfortable pulling the primary cover off, you might want to check for a loose engine sprocket nut. I've seen them come loose on many occasions. If you pull the primary, disconnect the battery. You' may need all your fingers in the future. Good Luck

This will be quite an involved process, just to let you know. If you have a motorcycle lift or can borrow one it makes things so much easier.
The first thing to do is drain all the oil out of your primary. Next remove the bolts from the primary, noting which ones went where as there are short and long bolts. Next under neath the primary is the adjustment for the chain tensioner. Loosen the jam nut, then unscrew the adjuster. Remove the primary cover gently, you may have to tap on it with a rubber hammer to get it loose. While removing be careful not to pull the 2 pins out of the inner primary, the are for alignment. Now you need to remove all the gasket material from the primary and the inner primary. Remove the retaining clip off you clutch hub. This is the one right where your clutch adjustment is. Once removed just pull your adjuster nut and adjuster threaded shaft out. Okay here is the fun part, in order to remove the chain you must remove both the front sproket and the rear clutch basket, etc. But before you can do this you must lock the chain from moving, Harley makes a tool for this or if you are very careful and I do mean very careful, you can take a large screwdriver and wrap it in an old T-shirt, place the wrapped screwdriver between the chain and top of the clutch sprocket. You must always lock the top of the chain NEVER the bottom. Okay the nut on your clutch assembly is reverse threaded, so while the chain is locked you turn the nut clockwise to loosen. Once lossened go to the front sprocket and repeat process, this nut is standard thread, and on tightly. Loosen this nut, then go to your chain tensioner and loosen the nut holding it on, and lower it as far as possible. remove both the nuts from the front sprocket and clutch. On the front sproket there are some items you just pull off the shaft and leave the sprocket. Note the order of removing. Okay now pull both the front sprocket and the clutch off at the same time avoiding the chain tensioner.
Now this is just advice not a must do. Inspect your sprockets for wear, if they need replacing by all means replace them...yes they are expensive...so are tow trucks! Also on some 1999-2000 models the OEM chain tension could and would fail, this doesn't make for a bad day, but a REALLY bad week! My point for about a $100 you can replace the OEM tension with the Harley auto adjusting one.
Now you are ready to replace the chain and put the sprockets back on. You should use the red loctite(sp?) on both nuts, your front nut should be tighten to 150-165 ft./lbs and the rear 50-65 ft./lbs check that number for the rear before you put it back together I may be incorrect. Once you have those tightened up put your chain tension back in the proper position. Now would be a good time to make the adjustment. Place you clutch retaining plate and adjuster, then put the retain clip back in, adjust clutch. Replace gasket for primary, install primary, remove inspection plate, put oil in, bolt plate back on.
Start it up, check for leaks, all cool, get some time in the wind.
Hope this helps,

JP