Generation III Internal Engine 1997-2006 LS1 | LS6
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chain dampener not centered

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Old Sep 10, 2019 | 05:41 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by G Atsma
Shave the side that's rubbing until it barely touches the chain. Sounds like the bracket didn't mount correctly.
If your gonna use it I'd say this would be the simplest fix......good luck with your decision!!!!!
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Old Sep 11, 2019 | 11:14 AM
  #22  
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I would NOT shave the nylon/plastic piece.

A tight chain wont whip/move very far from side to side, the damper has to be tight tolerance to the chain to do it's job, if you shave it down you remove all of that and make it pointless to have it.

The function of it is in it's width. If you shave it and make it narrower you might as well just take it off since you'll cut off the part of it that makes it do it's job.
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Old Sep 11, 2019 | 05:47 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by 00pooterSS
I would NOT shave the nylon/plastic piece.

A tight chain wont whip/move very far from side to side, the damper has to be tight tolerance to the chain to do it's job, if you shave it down you remove all of that and make it pointless to have it.

The function of it is in it's width. If you shave it and make it narrower you might as well just take it off since you'll cut off the part of it that makes it do it's job.
Agree 100%
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Old Sep 11, 2019 | 08:24 PM
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And for the post about them being machined off center on purpose... all tensioners apply pressure on the slack side. In this picture the tension/touching is on the tension side. The crank will pull the chain down tight, real tight, against that damper if it stays like that and wear right through it. It would be good for it to be centered and it would acceptable if it put light pressure on the slack side, which is the left side. But this style seen here is really meant to sit lightly between both sides.


Any damper or tensioner that is on the slack side has a spring or hydraulic cylinder to apply pressure but not apply solid locked tension. If you've ever done a timing belt then you know the deal here. Or a chain on an overhead cam engine.

If you want a better idea of what I meant about it being sprung and on the slack side look at a picture of a gen 5 (LT engine) tensioner.
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Old Sep 11, 2019 | 09:35 PM
  #25  
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Why not just buy and install the RDE LS1/LS6 Damper and be done with it (Brian Tooley has it)?
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Old Sep 11, 2019 | 10:05 PM
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Originally Posted by rising_4rm_ashes
Why not just buy and install the RDE LS1/LS6 Damper and be done with it (Brian Tooley has it)?
that only works if the block has the threaded bolt holes already......
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Old Sep 11, 2019 | 10:09 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by 00pooterSS
Any damper or tensioner that is on the slack side has a spring or hydraulic cylinder to apply pressure but not apply solid locked tension. If you've ever done a timing belt then you know the deal here. Or a chain on an overhead cam engine.

If you want a better idea of what I meant about it being sprung and on the slack side look at a picture of a gen 5 (LT engine) tensioner.
Yes the tensioner with spring design is far superior (when it doesn't break). I'm wondering why a gen 5 tensioner wouldn't just bolt on to my adapter bracket.
EDIT: OK after looking at it, no way would it just bolt on.

Last edited by patSS/00; Sep 11, 2019 at 11:58 PM.
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Old Sep 12, 2019 | 10:52 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by patSS/00
Yes the tensioner with spring design is far superior (when it doesn't break). I'm wondering why a gen 5 tensioner wouldn't just bolt on to my adapter bracket.
EDIT: OK after looking at it, no way would it just bolt on.

Yeah it's a different design unfortunately.

Did you call trick flow to see if they are aware of this and have an easy fix? Like maybe another bracket or offset damper block?
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Old Sep 12, 2019 | 01:04 PM
  #29  
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I'm curious as to what they say too.
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Old Sep 23, 2019 | 06:46 PM
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Any updates on this?
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Old Sep 23, 2019 | 06:55 PM
  #31  
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I emailed Tickflow about 3 weeks ago, no reply. No one else that has one of these adapters has posted pictures, so don't know if mine is just bad quality control. I'm just going ahead without it, don't really want to mess with modding the part.
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Old Sep 23, 2019 | 08:52 PM
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I always find that I have a near 100% chance of getting ignored when I email businesses, so I only call now.
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 05:04 AM
  #33  
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Don't get your hopes getting a response when Emailing. Vendors don't want to get there response documented.
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 10:55 AM
  #34  
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I figure it goes like this..

They prioritize their attention to orders, then calls, then emails. Emails use up a lot of time and don't bring in a lot of money. Phone calls are quick and usually end with a order. Just call.
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 01:05 PM
  #35  
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Some businesses only deal with email. Phone calls take a long time because people like to ramble, they need to tell you the entire history of their build that has nothing to do with the problem at hand. However most of the time actually talking to someone can figure out a problem faster than emails.
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 02:25 PM
  #36  
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I just looked at the pic closer and noticed that damper is wider on one side that the other. It's on backwards.

OP flip the damper block over.
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 03:27 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by 00pooterSS
I just looked at the pic closer and noticed that damper is wider on one side that the other. It's on backwards.

OP flip the damper block over.
^^^ this! I'll update later when/if I can get it flipped around and re-installed. The holes in the damper aren't the same on both sides, so it may not be possible to just flip it, may require some alteration.
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 03:57 PM
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Trick flow really should have marked it so you know which way it goes on
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 04:49 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by 00pooterSS
Trick flow really should have marked it so you know which way it goes on
No, I installed it exactly as they specified. It doesn't go on right the other way. I found a youtube video "LS Tech: Trickflow Timing Chain Damper Install" where the guy installs it just like I did, and you can see it extends over too far to the right (he doesn't notice, maybe he did later). If you flip it over, the posts stick up too high over the dampener surface (which is inset on that side) so it can't be tightened down right. Bad design. I'm thinking maybe the posts can be ground down about 1/8" and it would work.

EDIT: Or maybe they did it that way on purpose, so the chain is always supposed to be running against the dampener, no-one would notice 1-2 degrees timing advance.
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Old Sep 24, 2019 | 05:00 PM
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Sorry bro that's not correct. I saw that video, looks like he put it on backwards too.

If you notice how he started off with the damper the sleeves are installed in it with the flats of them facing forward and he has the side of it that you have facing right, facing right... well those sleeves are supposed to contact the block so he is holding the damper backwards.

Show us "what they specified" because I looked up the install documents on their website and only saw and install doc on the mounting bracket, nothing on the block that goes on the bracket.

And I bet it goes on just fine the other way too. I can't see how it wouldn't. It's two holes drilled to the same size it should flop over no problem.

No it shouldn't be that way. I've been working with timing belts and chains for over 20 years, no manufacturer has ever put anything in the way of the chain on the tension side of the chain. Wouldn't make sense to do so anyway as it would just eat the **** out of the block pulling the chain hard down across the face of the block like that. The chain stays tight on the right side already due to the crank pulling down on the pulley counter clock wise, it flops on the left side.. that's where you want the tension and where every manufacturer ever puts the tensioner
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