The rubber dampers on the cam chain roller shafts

I'm replacing the cam chain and worn sprokets on my KZ 1000. Is it necessary the replace those little rubber dampers? Mine are hardened, but they seem to be a bit pricey for what they are. The still look intact.
What do you folks think?

For them to damp effectively, they need to be relatively soft. If yours have plasticized, then yes, replace them - it will keep the valve train a lot quieter.

Most used ones are so hard, you'd swear they weren't rubber...

REPLACE EVERY repeat EVERY cam chain tensioning bit you can. Replace the rubber fingers (next step after hard is disintegration!!!) and the rubber bumper bit that screws onto the front of the block (it IS cracked and ready to fall apart)... Spend a couple hundred bucks on cam chain stuff and have a trouble free engine. Most all the bits are available.

I agree replace all of the small rubber grommets and look into a liska idler for the top and an aftermarket tensioner this will keep that motor humming

Yes Roy,what others have said...replace them!
I'm in the process of doing some top-end work,and the rubber dampers were replaced only a couple of years back,BUT...for about $10,I ordered new ones from Z1 Enterprizes(peace of mind).

It would be like pulling the head to do valve-work,and not replacing the valve-guide seals.:ohmy:

(for under $15 :huh: )

Not that I would recommend this, but I never replaced any of those rubber dampers or any part of the tensioner in over 160,000 miles. Did replace all 3 sprockets because the rubber centers fell apart and one cam chain. I saw those square rubber dampers and also the rubber dampers up on the center tensioner sprocket mounting were hard as a rock when the engine had 10,000 miles on it, and what came to my head was they will just be hard again in 8 months so why bother replacing.

My 77 didn't even have any in there.