Spin The Cam Bottle

[cheech]

Friend inherited his deceased dads 06 Ultra. He rode it last year and I recommended to him to check tensioners this winter when I had time.
Fan of gear to make it maintenance free.
Stock 88", stock headpipe, Vance and Hines mufflers, will get open filter on the intake, removing heads aren't on the table. Whole goal is to just basically just get rid of tensioners and obviously a little boost.

Searched a gazillion threads. Read a ton. Came across this from Steve in this thread: https://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index.php/topic,102024.50.html
"I did a bunch of cam testing years ago now on the 88 incher bike was a 05 so beehive springs  here are the results. EX was a  KW 2-1-2 with V&H classic round mufflers . As you can see it was a test but in the end not much changed if the right cam was used .. Customer was a bit of a odd one and wanted all of the cams installed and tested .. He settled on the 509 .  Hard to say that one was far better than the next the 37/510 cam where the lowest of the bunch tested in that engine."

Andrews 48   82/90

Andrews 26   80/87

Andrews 26   82/88  + 4

Andrews 37   85/84

S&S  509      77/91

S&S  510      78/82

So by the numbers, 48 looks great, but no gear drive 48.
Andrews 21, 26? 
S&S 509, 551?
Any of them as long as it's your favorite color?
The extra lift on the 551 worth it on the untouched heads? Timing events near the same as the 509.
Andrews 48 similar to the 551 except the Intake timing events.

[PoorUB]

Where in the RPM range does he ride? Is he a lugger, or does he like to wind it up?

[Ohio HD]

First thing is crank runout check before proceeding.

[PoorUB]

 

What he said. Chances are there is too much run out for gears. Then go with the later model chains and conversion cams.

[1workinman]

What he said. Chances are there is too much run out for gears. Then go with the later model chains and conversion cams.

Sounds like sound advice for a 06 model

[838]

What he said. Chances are there is too much run out for gears. Then go with the later model chains and conversion cams.

I love my 05 ultra bored to 95" with the 48N conversion cams. I had the heads milled to 78cc while it was apart with a .030 head gasket.

My other choice on this bike was a 551. I didn't want gears on the 05 crank and I like the full conversion cam plate mod, more than the SE cam plate mod. 551 has a much earlier intake close which might help on the low compression of the 88" too.

[cheech]

First thing is crank runout check before proceeding.

Been done.  Wouldn't waste any time if it wasn't within.

Where in the RPM range does he ride? Is he a lugger, or does he like to wind it up?

I'd classify him as a short shifter.

[Ohio HD]

If he's a short shifter, then Andrews 21 and be done.

[wolf_59]

I've been running the 551 cams in my 95" 06 Ultra for years 
The 509 works excellent in the stock 88 motor probably the best seat of pants cam

[Hillside Motorcycle]

Andrews 21 is what we reach for in a plug/play 88".
Want more later?......bore to 98" and set the squeeze to 9.5-9.6.