Early R1200GS with old style cam-chain tensioner

Beautiful job, Bry. Thanks for the excellent pictorial!

mmmm... I think i'll do this to my 05 this winter as its noisy when i first start it up.

I've completed the project on my '06 GS with 70+k on the clock. I've documented it on my blog:
http://hog-blog.net/wordpress/?p=1738

Mine rattled a bit at start up and was ticking after hot. The start up rattle is gone as is most of the ticking when hot. I'll be replacing the right-hand tensioner tomorrow. I'll post afterward.

With the original documentation from Pooside, Vanisland Rider, and mine, there should be plenty of photos and examples for up to '06.

Hey h-man, would you please document any differences between the new parts and old (spring and piston length, tensioner bore, etc). I am very interested in the outcome as I was thinking of doing the same.

Bry

I did the right side tensioner yesterday. The parts that came out were the same as those that went in. No changes there. You can see comparisons of left and right on my blog, the two latest posts.

The bike is significantly quieter at all speeds and especially at start up. No more clatter until the tensior fills with oil.

Left side is a little difficult, the muffler clamps being the first and hardest part to remove.

The right side is easy.

I tried to replace the left side cam chain tensioner today on my '05 R1200GS, build date of January 2004. Following PoolSide's pictorial I was able to get to the old tensioner, and eventually get it loose with some WD-40, time and swear words.
However, I couldn't figure out how to violate the laws of physics to get the old tensioner out.



Here's the new part next to the old to show there is too much cylinder in the bore to allow me to pivot out the old piece. The old piece either hit the Telelever pivot or the frame joint.

Any suggestions? And the botanica place near me closed down a while ago, so Santeria is out as an option.

Thanks.

If you look back at the pics towards the top of the page you will see that I was using a magnetic pickup tool which let me giggle the tensioner body rearward and out. It didn't give me any real grief and our bikes should be identical.

Good luck,
Bry

I had the same problem so I removed the large bolt holding the telelever to the engine just above the tensioner, it was very simple and freed up tons of room.

VanIsland RIder,
The magnetic part-picker-upper-thingy did the trick!

The old bits came out easy-peasy. The biggest pain was removing and installing the hose clamps with needle-nose pliers.

Great visual, it helped me identify a loose and leaking tensioner on a 2010. Took all of 10 minutes to R&I the the tensioner, from removing the TB to reinstalling.