Installing the smoothspyder Belt Tensioner

[DR Buck]

How much trouble is it to install the belt tensioner on an RT? The instructions say you need to drill 2 holes. Where are these holes drilled? Is it through the frame? I'm a little reluctant to drill through the frame if this is where you need to mount it. Does it affect the structural integrety of the bike? What about warranty issues?

[Jeriatric]

Just mounted mine. You do need to drill 2 holes, however they are not drilled in the main frame. If you look up under the left side of your Spyder where the drivers peg is you'll see the tab. ADVICE......BEFORE YOU EVEN START....go to a hardware store and purchase a Very long 3/8 drill bit. It should be long enough that you'll have to jack the Spyder up enough for drill and bit clearance. IF....you try to use a short bit you'll end up making contact with the side of the belt and not be able to drill the holes straight. DEFIANTLY PLACE THE BLOCK OF WOOD BETWEEN THE TAB AND THE BELT. It's not a hard job......if done right. Oh yea.....mark your holes well and center punch before drilling. Good luck.

[Rando]

Just mounted mine.Are you happy with it?

[Jeriatric]

Are you happy with it?

For the little distance I've ridden it since the install - Yes! I'll be better situated to confirm that after my trip to Holister (Corbin) this week, about a thousand mile round. This is going to sound a little odd, perhaps, but I run two of these on the slack side of my trikes (bicycles). If this one works as well as they do......I'll be very happy.

[Phil]

Jerbear- thanks for the advice. I'm planning on mounting mine tomorrow.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Rando]

For the little distance I've ridden it since the install - Yes! I'll be better situated to confirm that after my trip to Holister (Corbin) this week, about a thousand mile round.Keep us posted!

[spyder3]

The tensioner is def. a big help with belt vibration. I have about 3k with mine and only one vibration spot...approx 5200 rpm at 70mph. Before that it was at many different intervals.

[larrymz3]

I love mine on my GS. Not a MAJOR "oh wow this feels totally different" kind of thing...but it definitely does feel a bit smoother.


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[bobnaquin]

I love mine on my GS. Not a MAJOR "oh wow this feels totally different" kind of thing...but it definitely does feel a bit smoother.


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I have about 3000 miles on mine and love. And it was a Major' oh wow' thing on my bike. I think the loser you run your belt the more the tensioner will help. Mine got to vibrating at 4500 to 5500 rpm and now it does not. I can 'feel' it trying to, but it doesn't.

Brp should add this as standard ewuipment but I wouldn't expect that to happen soon. Can't help you with the hole drilling as I have a Rs/Gs and it does not need that to mount.

[Jeriatric]

Keep us posted!

Worked as advertised and am glad I did it.

Here's what I noticed.

It does not stop it from happening, it disallows it to continue. What I mean by that is I could sense the belt was beginning to go into it's harmonic imbalance but, so did the idler pulley, and it was gone just as fast as it appeared.

Others may notice something different because the amount of tension applied is variable, and a different amount of tension will probably produce a different result.

[packbuckbrew]

Some people do not agree, but I think it is one heck of a lot easier to do this job with all of the left side panels off, I just could see so much better (and frankly it is really easy to take all the panels off). You also really should jack up the spyder. If you do these two things along with the suggestion to use a long bit, you will have no problem. As far as the results. I would add the mod again, for me it was not earth shattering, but it definitely got rid of most of the belt vibration. One other suggestion, it would not be a bad idea to brush or spray a little primer after you cut the holes to prevent rust.

[Tonga]

I installed 2 belt tensioners, mine and a friends. First thing I did was to use a vise grip to hold the bracket to the right spot before drilling and once in place and strongly clamped, I drilled both holes. Yes, I also put a piece of 1x2 between the belt and top part of frame because the drill will hit the belt if not.

[DR Buck]

Ordered my smoothspyder tensioner today. My 400 mile road trip this past weekend convinced me to do it. Right about 70mph in 5th gear on th interstate the vibration was very annoying. Made doing the speed limit uncomfortable. Hopefully I won't have that issue after I install it.

[Recluze]

Ordered my smoothspyder tensioner today. My 400 mile road trip this past weekend convinced me to do it. Right about 70mph in 5th gear on th interstate the vibration was very annoying. Made doing the speed limit uncomfortable. Hopefully I won't have that issue after I install it.
I think you are going to find the the Smoothspyder does the job. I am not big on singing idle praises about products that don't work. The Smoothspyder tensioner has worked very well for me and hopefully it will work well for you also.

[Extracool]

One installed, how do you set the tension?

[Jeriatric]

One installed, how do you set the tension?

It comes with a scale.

[cdavid]

For the little distance I've ridden it since the install - Yes! I'll be better situated to confirm that after my trip to Holister (Corbin) this week, about a thousand mile round. This is going to sound a little odd, perhaps, but I run two of these on the slack side of my trikes (bicycles). If this one works as well as they do......I'll be very happy.

Well, nice to read someone else has recumbent trikes (bicycles) here. We have a tandem trike, 2 single trikes and my favorite, a Strada Velomobile. The tadpole configuration of my trikes goes well with my RT-S SE5.

David

[Jeriatric]

Well, nice to read someone else has recumbent trikes (bicycles) here. We have a tandem trike, 2 single trikes and my favorite, a Strada Velomobile. The tadpole configuration of my trikes goes well with my RT-S SE5.

David


David,

How cool is that. A tandem huh. Have wanted to go that route for several years, just never found a back seater - If ya know what I mean.:roflblack:. No doubt you like the Strada too. How could you not? They are super cool! Mine were both made by Catrike - a 700 racer with lots of speed mods, and their Expedition which also pulls a BOB trailer. Me thinks trikes are a lot like Spyders, they just have a lower center of gravity and A LOT LESS HORSEPOWER.

Ride safe! :thumbup:
Jer

[DR Buck]

Ordered my smoothspyder tensioner today. My 400 mile road trip this past weekend convinced me to do it. Right about 70mph in 5th gear on th interstate the vibration was very annoying. Made doing the speed limit uncomfortable. Hopefully I won't have that issue after I install it.


OH WOW! :yes:
My Smoothspyder tensioner arrived today. I spent about 2 hours installing and adjusting it. The long drill bit recommendation is a must, and not a 7" bit. Try and get 10" - 12" one. Sure makes it easy. Following installation I had to take it for a test ride. Just after I hit the road out front of the farm I started to accelerate towards 70 mph (Posted speed is 45) and I spotted flashing blue lights in front of me. Cop was busy writing a ticket to a young guy in a pickup truck. He was probably speeding.:rolleyes: Glad he came down the road before me. :bowdown:

Anyway, after slowly passing the cop I accelerated shifting through the gears up to about 75 mph and 5500 RPM. NO VIBRATIONS ! :yes: So, yes the installation did provide an "OH WOW" feeling.

[Phil]

FINALLY installed mine today. I took about 4 hours. Not that it takes that long, but.... Well read more here....
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?24907-Phil-s-Mods&p=466749&viewfull=1#post466749




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[GeoffCee]

[QUOTE=packbuckbrew;462476]...with the suggestion to use a long bit, you will have no problem. QUOTE]

How long is a long drill bit? I managed to find a 3/8" drill with an overall length of 10" It should arrive in the post tomorrow. Will that be long enough to drill the 2 holes for the tensioner bracket? :dontknow::hun:

[Jeriatric]

[QUOTE=packbuckbrew;462476]...with the suggestion to use a long bit, you will have no problem. QUOTE]

How long is a long drill bit? I managed to find a 3/8" drill with an overall length of 10" It should arrive in the post tomorrow. Will that be long enough to drill the 2 holes for the tensioner bracket? :dontknow::hun:

Should be long enough. :thumbup:

[Bob Denman]

as with life; more length is a good thing... :thumbup: :shocked:

[leenanj]

A quick question for those of you who installed Smoothspyder on your RT.

Did you trim the lower plastic belt guard off any?

I did not on mine, it seems to have enough clearance where it will not hit it.

[Jeriatric]

A quick question for those of you who installed Smoothspyder on your RT.

Did you trim the lower plastic belt guard off any?

I did not on mine, it seems to have enough clearance where it will not hit it.

Did trim mine. If working properly - it will hit. If you listen closely when reversing the Spyder you'll hear it hit too.

[Firefly]

I had the tensioner installed on my 2008 GS and felt it made a BIG difference. Good product, a little bit of a 'whine' sound but you get used to it.

Now that I have an RT and have been riding it, it feels so smooth I'm not feeling I'll need to install one on it.

[phj]

I am having mine installed tomorrow, I sure hope it helps. I have a 2012 RT and had it back to have the belt adjusted three time in two thousand miles. :banghead:

[GeoffCee]

Should be long enough. :thumbup:

At 10" it was perfect for the job, thanks. :2thumbs:

[cjackg]

A quick question for those of you who installed Smoothspyder on your RT.

Did you trim the lower plastic belt guard off any?

I did not on mine, it seems to have enough clearance where it will not hit it.

I completed the install on my 2012 RT today, and yes I trimmed the plastic guard after looking at it closely I could see where it could hit on extreme movements.

My install went very smooth but slow as I check everything several times since I am retired and have time to do it right!

50978