Why replace CCT's
 

OK i expect to take a verbal beating from "Tweety" cause that seems to be his knee jerk reaction. But after that i hope to gain some useful info. I HAVE searched and read and read some more. Now it seems i read alot about CCT's and thier HIGH failure rate on the SH. So my inquiries are as followed:

1. should i replace perfectly good OEM CCT's, just in case ? and why ?
2. They "sound" simple to replace, but are they ? Again i read the post(s)but those could be very savvy mechanically inclined SH riders.
3. Is there ONE difinate, sound or feel to the SH when one or both fail ?

OK TWEETY LET ME HAVE IT !!!!!!! LOL. BUT I KNOW YOU GOT SOME GOOD INFO, SO LET IT OUT. THINK OF IT AS THERAPY, TO HELP YOUR NEWBIE ANGER ISSUES.......HAHA !! :noevil:

1. I haven't. I've been running my stock ones at the track with no ill effects so far. It's possible that the failure rate could have something to do with riding style, but I don't have a clue.

2. They are relatively simple to replace. With basic shadetree-mechanic skills, it's easy enough.

3. I'd like to hear about this one too as I always keep my ears open for strange sounds.

4. I can't believe a new person would ask such a simplistic question and not get all the answers they need from other sections of the forum via searches. you're obviously just a lazy-azz and wanting everyone else to do everything for you. I bet you'll have one of us come to your place to change the CCTs too, huh!:flamethrower: :spank: :gatlin:

There...does that make you feel better.

:rotf:

OEM CCTs are like lightbulbs; no warning before they blow, and then they leave you in the dark.

Well now that you mentioned it ........ Old Yeller what are you doing this weekend ? My lazy azz could use someone to install a couple CCT's.....haha... i will buy the beer

works for me. That way I can tear up your bike learning how to do it and do it *right* on mine. :evillaugh:

1. Yes. a couple hundred spent can save you a thousand or more in shop costs (when they go, they take valves, head, and pistons with them.. so it becomes a 'rebuild')
2. Not necessarily 'simple'. Easy to install, but I didnt know how much tension to put on them.. so I had them done at my local shop.
3. the sound of the cam chain hitting the housing.. like a LOUD can of spray paint being shook.. in your ear, when you have a hangover. AND the feel goes thru the handlebars..



I talk from experience.

residentg got the gist of it but:

I did, the idea of saving $120 (I think they are a bit more now) to risk a $2000 rebuild didn't make sense to me.

If it is your first time to do it, set aside 4-5 hours to do it in. Once you know the ropes it can be done in an hour or so.. It isn't hard so much as picky in that if you skip a step you could allow the cam chains to "jump" and mess up the timing of the bike. So it is a easy job, but also one that is easy to mess up. I have a PDF I compiled in my sig that can be used as another source for instructions. (read all the different ways to do it and make your own choices)

Yes: CLUNK-BAM your engine is dead. That's it..

Very nice and helpful advice....... will be purchasing soon

1. I replaced mine just for my own well being, after reading the horror stories on here it was always in the back of my head when I rode.

2. They are simple to replace as long as you take your time, reread the instructions a dozen times before you start and make sure you understand the steps. I was scared to do mine but once I got it into them it wasn't to bad.

I have seen them on ebay for ~$65 shipped. Are they fakes or are people just trying to clear out shelves of old parts?

More like an incendiary lightbulb that when it goes, blows up your lamp


Superhawk takes two...

As Stevebis1 said: $65 x2 = $130

Edit: though this is $100 for two: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/APE-C...Q5fAccessories

Good price (no idea who the seller is though)

Old Yeller, you trying to establish yourself, stealing Tweety and my thunder? LOL

Seattle, we all know that those answers are out there, but, you saved some flaming by indicating that you've searched and read, and you formed your questionS in a well thought out manner. Not just a "hey what are CCTs?" question.

We're not always evil, just to those who deserve it.

I think this forum is the only reason APE still makes a CCT for the VTR. People replace them out of caution. There are several stories of them going bad with no warning at all. If a person did the searching though there are probably just as many stories of people who run stock CCT's for a billion miles with no problems at all. The vast majority of bikes have the manual set up "just because".

Make your own for under $10

https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...ad.php?t=22711

Why would I flame you for this?!?!

It's a valid question, check... It seems you have done some research yourself... Check... And like I have said before, you have follow up questions... Check... ;)

The problem with CCT's are two...

One, they WILL fail... It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when... So you can either replace with OEM ones at decent intervalls... (Make an educated guess, yours is probably as good as mine since there is no easily identified pattern...) or replace them with manual CCT's once...

Two, when they fail they fail in a way that makes the engine fail when you go OFF throttle... And quite naturally when you hear your bike making a sound lika nails in a tincan you let off the throttle... And if you are unlucky that's all the warning you got before the expensive rebuild...

And the usual escape is "I'm not that good with wrenching myself, so I'll do the OEM ones" Or "I'll let the shop do it"... Well the shop can do the APE's... You just supply them and they will gladly take your money to put them in... Or you do the OEM one's and get to practice doing it again sometime in the future... And yes there are people that have managed to bodge the CCT install... But they are statisticly fewer than the one's that have had their engine rebuilt for not swapping the CCT's...

The hardest part of a cct install is convincing yourself you have them adjusted properly.

Thats kinda what i gathered from some that had done the install, too loose ? too tight ?. Well i am going to give it a go .......... Thanks ALL

Tweety you may get a "rep" for being kind , if your not careful ;)

I'm not to worried... Sooner or later I'll read another "One Post Wonder" before my morning coffee...;) That should settle it no?!

I believe in telling people what I think... It might not be popular and it might not be PC... But that's the way I'm wired... Doesn't mean I'm right... So I expect people to give me a kick in the behind when I'm wrong... So far it has worked out...;)

There is a sure fire way to avoid this ( and most other) installation problems all at once. Take off the valve covers so you can measure the tension after installation. This also allows you to keep the chain in place while removing the stock tensioner so there in no way it can skip a tooth. It also allows you to learn a good deal about the bike in the process.

read the KB

Total PITA but way less than swapping out a head or even pulling the front cover. Read the KB and all the install posts and the PDF. Then go ahead and do it with the idea that you may not get to ride today. spin the motor manually several times to check for interference. There is a good range of tension so don't sweat that too much.

Total PITA but way less than swapping out a head or even pulling the front cover. Read the KB and all the install posts and the PDF. Then go ahead and do it with the idea that you may not get to ride today. spin the motor manually several times to check for interference. There is a good range of tension so don't sweat that too much. Listen close and tighten or loosen.

I think you all are looking at this wrong. I still have the stock ones. I would think of bent valves as just another chance to modify the motor and improve it.
Agree with Tweety comments. But would also caution I am quite sure I have read as many bent valves after trying to poorly install the APE ccts as I have ever read of true failures. So if you are doing it, just follow the instructions!

+1 to Cliby and others. Take your time, read the instructions thoroughly, and you'll do fine.

As for not replacing them, Honda says they are a maintenance item, but they have no specific life span. Suit yourself, but there are many many members who have switched to manual CCTs, be it APE's or Trucker's, and I doubt any of them regret spending the $90-130.

Just for everyone to think about how important it is to change your cct my bike has 45k on the clock and not a noise. Im thinkn you may be smart to change before its too late but why fix something that has never had a problem.??

That's mess up.. :) But I like the way you think:evillaugh:

The fail mileage is all over the boards, I also saw 45k miles and couldn't take the paranoia anymore so those stock cct's went away. The thing about it is that if you got a really good warning you could push it until there was a sound. However usually you hear a bad sound shut the bike off and it goes "crunch" in the process of you trying to keep it from going crunch. I honestly don't know why you wouldn't change them as it is cheap insurance on a part that is supposed to be replaced anyways. I guess some people fear the job of the fix more then the disaster of the fail. $900+ potential in savings was enough to convince me.

Since Tweety didn't go for your bait, I'll be your huckleberry.

If you've read the innumerable "CCT" threads and posts, you already know as much as anybody.

It's very simple. If you're willing to risk damage costing 50% to 100% the value of your bike, forget about the CCts.

If you'd rather invest a little over $100 and an hour of your time, then you can REALLY forget about CCTs.

Want somebody to pat you on the head and tell you what to do? Sorry. It's your decision.

:laughing2::laughing2::laughing2::laughing2::laugh ing2::laughing2: