Valve Shims - OEM vs HotCams

Mistic107

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Hi all, I am doing a valve adjustment on my bike and have been waiting on OEM shims for a week now and they are still on back order. I was able to get a set of HotCam shims but I am a little worried about the hardness compared to OEM.

Does anyone have any experience with OEM vs the HotCams shims?
 

~TABASCO~

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Go for it. They work fine.

The factory ones are microscopically larger OD and "snap" in... The Hot-Cams are slightly smaller OD and "fall in"...... VERY important so you dont expect them to snap in and then someone drops one in the motor. DO NOT DO THIS.
 
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SkunkWorks

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I helped my friend adjust the valves on his Vstrom using a HotCams kit a couple years ago.
He has has no issues with the valves.

I have a borrowed HotCams kit for my Tenere, and am about to do the valve clearance check/adjustment in the next week or two.
I'm not concerned with the quality of the shims.
 

holligl

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Any (correct size) aftermarket shim should be good. The bucket would be the wear item that the cam runs on. Shims don't wear enough to even remove the thickness markings.

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WJBertrand

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The only advantage to the OEM shims is that I think they’re available in finer incremental thicknesses. If you’re super anal about centering the clearance right on the specification this will be easier to do with the OEMs, assuming all the sizes are available.

I’ve used the Hot Cams shims on my previous ST1100 and ST1300 and now on the super Ténéré with no issues and I’ve never had trouble getting the clearances in spec. Since clearances tend to close with wear, I’ll error slightly to the high side of dead center.


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holligl

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The only advantage to the OEM shims is that I think they’re available in finer incremental thicknesses. If you’re super anal about centering the clearance right on the specification this will be easier to do with the OEMs, assuming all the sizes are available.
Some kits come in 2 alternate increments, so if you get two kits you could be more precise. It is a more expensive route, but might be good for someone wanting to keep it looser in the range. Kits are good if you want to get it done without waiting for parts and don't have a dealer nearby with a shim assortment. Don't forget, you can often reuse original shims in other positions. Never throw 'em out, back in the kit they go.

My biggest beef with the kits is that you get so many shims that are outside the spec range and can never be used. Why not give us more shims in more increments that fit what we really need??

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WJBertrand

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Well I think the kits are mostly aimed at service folks that work on more than one model of bike. Even at $90 or so for a kit, you’re way ahead of paying a dealer to do the job. It’s a massive advantage to have all the shims right at hand when you’re in the middle of the job. You can get caught with your bike in bits, waiting for the right shims on order from the dealer.


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Mistic107

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I got the shims in today and got them installed. The thickness on the HotCams was within the hundredth but the diameter was off about 3 hundredths so the fit looser in the spring keepers than OEM. The OEM ones kinda snapped in place. I don’t see any issues width it (haha get it).

The stupid ass auto CCT though… that’s another story. Kept binding up on me and not wanting to release once installed. So I threw the damned thing to China and going to order a Graves manual.
 

holligl

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The stupid ass auto CCT though… that’s another story. Kept binding up on me and not wanting to release once installed. So I threw the damned thing to China and going to order a Graves manual.
I learned from experience, you have to go light on the pressure when compressing the CCT. Back off when it binds and go light again. It is a learned process. Never had any release issue with mine. I do plan on replacing it next check at ~80kmi, maybe with Graves, just because they are cheaper.


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