Spyder drive belt vibration issue

[Bruiser37]

Relax all you SL folks who may want to know more about Spyder drive belt vibration issues. Here is a simple explanation offered by BRP customer service a week ago. Give BRP customer service a call and state your vibration issue. They have all the right sales gibberish to throughly confuse the problem and blow it off. Bet you didn't know Spyder drive is a "tensioned string system"... it's not a simple belt drive.

BRP customer service quote re: drive belt vibration solution doesn't even mention available Can AM OEM drive pulley kit 219800412.


"Thank you for taking the time to contact BRP.

In response to your request regarding the vibration on your F3 Spyder, please note that the Spyder drive belt is a tensioned string system that transmits the drive pinion torque to the rear sprocket via the tension of the upper part of the belt.

The natural response of a string system is to vibrate when stretched and released at different speeds and strengths. The accumulated energy of these movements in the belt will be dissipated throughout the entire vehicle through the drive pinion and the rear sprocket.

We suggest you contact your local BRP dealership, they might be able to adjust your belt to displace the vibration, but it will not eliminate it as it is normal for a belt-driven vehicle to vibrate.

Should you have any other questions or comments, do not hesitate to reach us by replying to this email or call us at 1-888-272-9222.

Once again, thank you for contacting BRP.


Sandra B.
Customer Service Representative"

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

​I run mine LOOSE ...well under BRP specs ... I can't feel any Vibes ......Mike

[Roadster Renovations]

Wow, the right hand not knowing what the left is doing.
I agree with the vibration being on top, but our kits and BRP kits remove almost all of it.
And, we are the only ones that sell; 1. either an adapter to use the BRP unit on a RT. 2. A complete kit for the RT!
http://dochumphreys.wixsite.com/road...amper-products

[Lew L]

Docs belt tensioner kit works perfect. didn't have bad vibes but they were there---- now they are not.

[4 MARIE]

wow, I know cow boop when I read it. A belt harmonic is MANDATORY? pullease .

[2dogs]

BRP customer service is by far I believe one of the industries worst when it comes to customer/ownership relations. When I first contacted BRP regarding the belt vibration issue I was told, that's the way it is and to just live with it. I have, and had it adjusted several times. Finally I've located the tension sweet spot for my style of riding so I've somewhat solved my own issue with no help from BRP. I've had a defective air ride system since the spyder was new and BRP has acknowledged it but refuses to help resolve it. Their response was to take it to the dealer for the soap and water test, but at my expense, because BEST (AKA worst) won't cover it. I've called them and written them a letter regarding the problem but they remain tight lipped and will not communicate. BRP's customer service surly does suck. Kind of wish Honda or Yamaha would come out with a reverse trike, but if they did, our beloved spyders would lose value so fast you couldn't give them away. Sorry for the rant, but I see to it that I never ever allow my customers to be unsatisfied.

[irvin48]

Wow, the right hand not knowing what the left is doing.
I agree with the vibration being on top, but our kits and BRP kits remove almost all of it.
And, we are the only ones that sell; 1. either an adapter to use the BRP unit on a RT. 2. A complete kit for the RT!
http://dochumphreys.wixsite.com/road...amper-products

if you are still experiencing vibration, can you drill another hole an increase tension a little more
on your damper kit?

[oldguyinTX]

BRP customer service is by far I believe one of the industries worst when it comes to customer/ownership relations. When I first contacted BRP regarding the belt vibration issue I was told, that's the way it is and to just live with it. I have, and had it adjusted several times. Finally I've located the tension sweet spot for my style of riding so I've somewhat solved my own issue with no help from BRP. I've had a defective air ride system since the spyder was new and BRP has acknowledged it but refuses to help resolve it. Their response was to take it to the dealer for the soap and water test, but at my expense, because BEST (AKA worst) won't cover it. I've called them and written them a letter regarding the problem but they remain tight lipped and will not communicate. BRP's customer service surly does suck. Kind of wish Honda or Yamaha would come out with a reverse trike, but if they did, our beloved spyders would lose value so fast you couldn't give them away. Sorry for the rant, but I see to it that I never ever allow my customers to be unsatisfied.

My B.E.S.T. warranty covered the replacement of the air bag & two compressors (first one was defective right out of the box).

[Bob Denman]

Are we getting to the point where demanding that the next update version of these bikes; MUST be shaft-driven?

[Roadster Renovations]

if you are still experiencing vibration, can you drill another hole an increase tension a little more
on your damper kit?

If you have the belt aligned and tensioned properly and would like to slightly increase the spring tension (updated spring only), you can bend the long portion of the spring arm downward a half inch or so. That may or may not help. Reducing tension on the belt has usually worked the best.

[Roadster Renovations]

Are we getting to the point where demanding that the next update version of these bikes; MUST be shaft-driven?

That would solve a lot of problems, Bob, but don't think the shaft drive system is not without it's problems also. Because of a final drive issue I had to pull one and repair it from a wing about 6 months ago. Crazy way they put that together. In order to remove the shaft, the swing arm must be shifted back 3", which requires the battery to be disconnected, etc., etc. And the caliper and rear wheel is a real PITA getting in and out.
We have a good system. It just has it's quirks like all the rest. There will always be problems transferring power from the engine to the rear wheel. Just a fact of life....

[Bob Denman]

Just throwing it out there...
The belt setup is the most efficient way to transfer the power: a shaft would require two ninety-degree bends in the power delivery!

[Wildrice]

wow, I know cow boop when I read it. A belt harmonic is MANDATORY? pullease .

Especially when we can feel the same vibration at the same rpm when parked in neutral & the belt isn't moving--actually we could take the belt off of the F3 series --rev the engine to 3200-3800 rpm & still feel the vibration. & they blame the belt. Liquid filled engine mounts in lieu of Rubber engine mounts & this thread would be non existent--but production cost would go up $50..

[Roadster Renovations]

Especially when we can feel the same vibration at the same rpm when parked in neutral & the belt isn't moving--actually we could take the belt off of the F3 series --rev the engine to 3200-3800 rpm & still feel the vibration. & they blame the belt. Liquid filled engine mounts in lieu of Rubber engine mounts & this thread would be non existent--but production cost would go up $50..

Wildrice, I agree that some of the vibration is from the engine, but the majority is in the belt. Putting either BRP's or ours on my Daytona removed 90% of the vibration. Still some from the engine, but not much.

[2dogs]

My B.E.S.T. warranty covered the replacement of the air bag & two compressors (first one was defective right out of the box).

That's possibly what happened to me. When the dealer installed replacement parts, air bag, valves, sensor, air hose and connectors to solve the original problem, there could have been defective parts straight out of the box installed on my spyder. Not so much the dealer's fault as it is the crappy parts BRP puts into their products. BRP is now telling the dealer that BEST will not cover another search for the continuing problem that has never been solved.

[Bruiser37]

​I run mine LOOSE ...well under BRP specs ... I can't feel any Vibes ......Mike

Interesting How often do you replace drive belts? A loose belt will wear faster than a properly tensioned belt... sprockets possibly wear faster too. I guess the only way to determine answers to these questions is to do it and see what happens. Real world experience is sometimes the best teacher.

My dealer service that I do not trust claims drive belt should be replaced at 70 to 90K along with rear sprocket and possibly engine sprocket. IMHO a properly engineered belt drive system with quality components is almost maintenance free & long lived. Basic problem with Spyder belt drive system IMHO is the long span between drive & driven sprockets. I believe a wider belt would eliminate belt vibration issues, extend belt & sprocket life over 100K. We will never know. BRP customer service sucks and so does a lot of their engineering.

[Bruiser37]

wow, I know cow boop when I read it. A belt harmonic is MANDATORY? pullease .

Don't know where you received your mechanical engineering degree... better go back and bone up on harmonic relationships in mechanical systems 101.

[timeless]

Mike, Do you ever experience the feeling of belt wrap under heavy acceleration?????

I sometimes feel this and wonder if my belt is to loose or just in the wrong gear.

​I run mine LOOSE ...well under BRP specs ... I can't feel any Vibes ......Mike

[Fatcycledaddy]

My B.E.S.T. warranty covered the replacement of the air bag & two compressors (first one was defective right out of the box).

Just covered the troubleshooting and replacement of an airline with a pinhole in it at no cost to me.
I have NO complaints about their customer service at this point. 25,000 fun loving ridden miles!!

[RudyB]

Interesting How often do you replace drive belts? A loose belt will wear faster than a properly tensioned belt... sprockets possibly wear faster too. I guess the only way to determine answers to these questions is to do it and see what happens. Real world experience is sometimes the best teacher.

My dealer service that I do not trust claims drive belt should be replaced at 70 to 90K along with rear sprocket and possibly engine sprocket. IMHO a properly engineered belt drive system with quality components is almost maintenance free & long lived. Basic problem with Spyder belt drive system IMHO is the long span between drive & driven sprockets. I believe a wider belt would eliminate belt vibration issues, extend belt & sprocket life over 100K. We will never know. BRP customer service sucks and so does a lot of their engineering.

Does anyone make a wider drive belt

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Mike, Do you ever experience the feeling of belt wrap under heavy acceleration?????

I sometimes feel this and wonder if my belt is to loose or just in the wrong gear.

When I am doing this I'm not paying attention to what the belt is doing ..... sorry ...... Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Interesting How often do you replace drive belts? A loose belt will wear faster than a properly tensioned belt... sprockets possibly wear faster too. I guess the only way to determine answers to these questions is to do it and see what happens. Real world experience is sometimes the best teacher.

My dealer service that I do not trust claims drive belt should be replaced at 70 to 90K along with rear sprocket and possibly engine sprocket. IMHO a properly engineered belt drive system with quality components is almost maintenance free & long lived. Basic problem with Spyder belt drive system IMHO is the long span between drive & driven sprockets. I believe a wider belt would eliminate belt vibration issues, extend belt & sprocket life over 100K. We will never know. BRP customer service sucks and so does a lot of their engineering.

I'm more concerned with shaft pulley bearings because BRP "has maybe AGAIN " guessed wrong on the tension thing............jmho .... Mike