Cam selections between 255,54,and 555

[msocko3]

anyone try the 54 cams? I just put a set in my father-inlaws 2011 Tri-Glide. Goes like a scolded cat in 1,2,3,4th gears but 5-6 or roll on from 50-70 it not there. Bike is 2011 has K&N filter, Fullsac head pipe and mufflers, with TTS.

What RPM are you rolling on at and running 5th - 6th gear.

 

[jetwrencher]

5th gear 60 mph is around 3100 or 3200, 6th 65 mph around 2700-2900. Has good power in lower gears but not much for passing power. No pinging just seems under powered. 6th gear WOT i think it will do 90 mph but will take a mile to get there. I'm not impressed with the 54 in a stock trike. Wizard what cam would you suggest? I'm new to trikes. But am not happy with the 54 and pulling the heads to up compression isn't an option in this case Grandpa doesn't want to go that deep.

 

[msocko3]

5th gear 60 mph is around 3100 or 3200, 6th 65 mph around 2700-2900. Has good power in lower gears but not much for passing power. No pinging just seems under powered. 6th gear WOT i think it will do 90 mph but will take a mile to get there. I'm not impressed with the 54 in a stock trike. Wizard what cam would you suggest? I'm new to trikes. But am not happy with the 54 and pulling the heads to up compression isn't an option in this case Grandpa doesn't want to go that deep.

I'm surprised, the 54 is very close to the Wood TW555 which I have in mine and my dads Triglides. They both just rip, I pull a trailer with mine and have passed folks on the freeway 2 up and loaded like they were standing still. Makes me wonder if something is missing in the tune, or something else is going on.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

5th gear 60 mph is around 3100 or 3200, 6th 65 mph around 2700-2900. Has good power in lower gears but not much for passing power. No pinging just seems under powered. 6th gear WOT i think it will do 90 mph but will take a mile to get there. I'm not impressed with the 54 in a stock trike. Wizard what cam would you suggest? I'm new to trikes. But am not happy with the 54 and pulling the heads to up compression isn't an option in this case Grandpa doesn't want to go that deep.

Just how stock are you? Do you have a tuning device?

The devil is always in the details.

M3, he's not the only person I've heard complain about the 54's in a smaller motor.

 

[jetwrencher]

TTS, K&N filter, Fullsac head pipe & recore mufflers, with 54 cams.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

TTS, K&N filter, Fullsac head pipe & recore mufflers, with 54 cams.

OK, so you don't have a stock bike, good.

Who's tune? Yours or other? Regardless of who's I would like to see it. Can you send me a copy?

Email is in my profile

 

[msocko3]

Just how stock are you? Do you have a tuning device?

The devil is always in the details.

M3, he's not the only person I've heard complain about the 54's in a smaller motor.

I guess I should pay closer attention to some dyno sheets, the cam specs between the 2 look pretty close, obviously that must not be close enough. Putting a 4 deg advance sprocket on and a retune may bring them in early enough to salvage the cams. I can't remember the guys name over at HDF who has a set of 54's in a TG making right around 99 ft/lb torque, it would be interesting to see his chart.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

I guess I should pay closer attention to some dyno sheets, the cam specs between the 2 look pretty close, obviously that must not be close enough. Putting a 4 deg advance sprocket on and a retune may bring them in early enough to salvage the cams. I can't remember the guys name over at HDF who has a set of 54's in a TG making right around 99 ft/lb torque, it would be interesting to see his chart.

At this time I would be more interested in seeing the TTS calibration for this gentlemen.

M3, I have seen sheets and heard testimony with the 4 deg advance that does nothing at all on the 54's or the 26H. Steve G (Fullsac) will say the same as we had this conversation about a year ago.

You and I would agree that we don't ride a piece of paper though as we have laughed about that before but to get the 54's to really breath on a 96 or 103 you need to up your squish and open your heads but it can be done with a variation in the calibration via open loop high kPa. The TG runs a little higher kPa than lets say a RK or SG due to its weight, wind resistance and the greater possibility of more luggage, 2 up even pulling a trailer.

Do me a favor... take your TG out on a datamaster run with wifey and trailer for about an hour of normal cruising... watch the data hit 60-70 kPa cruising and 70-85 kPa when pulling a load, higher when passing and maintaining the load in 5th or 6th. It would be cool to see what your 555 are doing. I think your tuner realized that from the beginning and is why your trike is so good now.

 

[jetwrencher]

Wizard I'm out of town till late Friday will send map when I get home

Thanks guys!!

 

[msocko3]

Do me a favor... take your TG out on a datamaster run with wifey and trailer for about an hour of normal cruising... watch the data hit 60-70 kPa cruising and 70-85 kPa when pulling a load, higher when passing and maintaining the load in 5th or 6th. It would be cool to see what your 555 are doing. I think your tuner realized that from the beginning and is why your trike is so good now.

I'll have to get that in the spring, Trike is tucked away on its long winter nap. The way the weather is here right now I'll bet we see snow in the next couple weeks. I'm sure your 100% correct about the tune, it just plain gets the job done on the road. In August I had the trailer loaded plus the wife on while pulling some nice hills in KY at 75 mph in 6th and it never skipped a beat.

 

[Jersey James]

I installed a S&S 585 cam in my 1993 HD trike. It has the S&S big bore kit, and a Triple X pumped up S&S shorty G. The trike does a great job at interstate speeds, with an avg. of 31~33 mpg (Baker 6 speed OD trans).

 

[cewhit1]

I'm thinking of putting the 30T on my 09 Tri. I've noticed the bike gets better fuel mileage, if I run it around 3000 rpm range. As it is I don't use 6th gear until around 65 mph. The 30T, would make the 6th gear a little more useable, and should held the 1st gear take off to.

 

[Oldmsocko]

I'm thinking of putting the 30T on my 09 Tri. I've noticed the bike gets better fuel mileage, if I run it around 3000 rpm range. As it is I don't use 6th gear until around 65 mph. The 30T, would make the 6th gear a little more useable, and should held the 1st gear take off to.

I have the 30T in my 09 TG and I love it. It makes 6th gear usable.

 

[bobs67ss]

So who really has the best all around cam for a triglide, with air,pipe and muffler upgrades?:Shrug:

 

[msocko3]

So who really has the best all around cam for a triglide, with air,pipe and muffler upgrades?:Shrug:

Both my dad and I have been very happy with the Wood TW555. I see T-Man Performance came out with one they call the TR-555 torqster which looks like it would be a pretty good cam, you can check it out here T-Man Performance - Cams

 

[Mr.Wizard]

I think most riders break cams down into "will it" mental categories.

Will it give me a lump at idle?
Will it give me good low end behavior?
Will it give me romp on performance?
Will it give me good gas mileage?
Will it match my other components?
Will it hurt my motor longevity?
Will it kill my bank account?

If you can honesty answer all the above questions about your cam selection and find a middle ground in the "uncertain" answers to narrow your choices then it just becomes a factor of when they go in and who will do it.

By the way... the answer to the will it give me a good lump is normally NO with about all the new cam installations if you lean to the good low end behavior and good mileage. The old Harley potato, potato, potato... lump-didty-lump idle is a thing of the past with the EFI systems. Your motor will sound a little different, better breathing is why it will sound better but don't expect it to sound all lumpy and cool.

The bank account answer will depend on how you install the cams. Will you break down your top end or will you use adjustable pushrods? There is about a 200 buck difference if you use adjustable pushrods.

The other dollar factors are which cam you purchase and if you install them yourself or pay a tech to install them. Either way you will need to tune your bike so don't forget that expense.

DIY will run about 500 bucks w/o adjustable pushrods
Tech install will run near 1000 bucks (that includes the part costs)
DIY Tune will run 500 bucks
Dyno shop plus tuner will be 1000 bucks.

(all estimated a little to the high side to use round figures)

 

[msocko3]

By the way... the answer to the will it give me a good lump is normally NO with about all the new cam installations if you lean to the good low end behavior and good mileage. The old Harley potato, potato, potato... lump-didty-lump idle is a thing of the past with the EFI systems. Your motor will sound a little different, better breathing is why it will sound better but don't expect it to sound all lumpy and cool.

With quite a few of the modern cam profiles your dead on, some of the older stuff still bumps pretty good with EFI. My 06 Ultra with the 95" HQ touring build had a pretty good lope with the 0039 cams, I don't know how the rest of HQ's cams react. I'll find out how the 0033 sounds at idle when I finally get the 120 built and tuned. My 95" was tuned good, no super fat idle and got 43 mpg on average.

 

[jcolson]

I realize everyone wants alot of getup & go power in 6th gear. The sad fact is,you won't get it without major motor work. I have way too much in mine. The only way to get more power in 6th is to get some decent heads. I have the SE ported & polished heads. Not the 110 heads, but better.They really do make the difference. Plus the 259E cam, & I have a nice lope to it. It does sound powerful. Just ask Dennis from T-Glide Stuff. I have 10:5/1 high compression pistons,SE super tuner,adjustable pushrods,high flow air cleaner,V&H power dual headers & V&H pro mufflers.It will move out. No problem bringing the front-end up. Why is everybody so afraid to downshift? You are not going to hurt that motor. If you don't downshift you will do more damage to the motor by lugging it. Thats not good. My roll on power in 6th is pretty good,but not breath taking. When I took it to California this year,coming out of Albuquerque,New Mexico,there is a long incline grade. It seems like 10 miles. I had to downshift,even with 100hp. It sounds like you are going to blow the engine up, but you won't. I don't shift into 6th until 70-75. It's a shame we have to spend so much on something & still have to put thousands into it to make it run right. Well, I'm sure you are tired of reading this, so I'll say good by. Thanks for listening.