metal vs rubber faced cam chain tensioner

10 ,000 miles and the cam chain most likely needs attention by now .Is there any advantage in replacing my plain metal cam chain slipper with a rubber faced one while i am in there , in regards to quietness or anything else /

Doesn't the manual say to check the timing chain every 5000 miles?
I have tried a spring loaded tensioner, disaster, pulled the intermediate spindle locating hole oblong, keeps the chain too tight.
Stay with stock one, you don't want bits of rubber flying around in there.

yes it probably is 5000 miles but i am lazy ! it seems the metal faced ones like i have in my machine at present are now un-obtainable .So the rubber faced ones are now stock . these were originally fitted to the mk2 850 74 on

I don't have experience with a metal to metal interface at the slipper. Seems to me if Norton went to rubber faced there was a reason for it. The Comstock hydraulic tensioner has a synthetic face on it, seems like a good idea to me.

I've had a rubber one in my 850 for 25-30 years. Less wear and noise.

It 10,000 in my manual and replace it with the rubber one Norton has even reconmend this up grade, runs smoother and less noise and I don't think its rubber that is used on the upgrade and is very long lasting, you get more wear and tear on metal to metal running of the timing chain.

Ashley

As stated above Less wear and noise.
The Rubber one will gives a little cushion with the cam lobes going over the top which helps, even when slightly over tensioned for cam timing. A good minimum upgrade is to replace the steel for the rubber. I have yet to see one that has failed. I have seen troughs cut in steel one by the chain plates. Andover even make a rubber tensioner for the Atlas/P11 engines now. So what does that tell you. There are other tensioners that are hydraulic that work really well as stated above made by comnoz. I use one. I have it in for 27000 K miles so far so good. I have heard of the spring operated ones will fail.
Cheers,
Thomas

Hi All,

As Rvich says, Comnoz's hydraulic tensioner has a synthetic pad in contact with the chain. Furthermore, that pad has two grooves so that the pression is on the rollers of the chain, not on the side plates, which keeps the abrasion of the pad to almost nothing. I've been using one for more than 20 000 miles and it's a great / no maintenance upgrade.

Laurent

Yes Laurent, and as you said that pad is better when used , cause it runs against the rollers and not the side plates ........belle journée à toi !