Boss Hoss belt tension gauge

[Lamonster]

This is what we use to check the tension on our Boss Hoss belts. The Boss is set at about 400 to 450 lbs. Looks like the Spyder is about 275 going by this gauge. Last I looked you could get these gauges for about 45 bucks.

http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/5619/1CIMG4251.JPG

[Lamonster]

Just found one a little cheaper.
http://autoparts.pricegrabber.com/engine-parts/m/52648223/

[Way2Fast]

BRP wants their dealers to do the belt adjustment with their $600 gauge.....They are trying to make a simple belt tension adjustment into rocket science....bunch of BS !! I would trust myself to get a more precise adjustment with these simple gauges than letting the dealer monkey around with my Spyder with his "special" pricy gauge....especially MY dealer who never checked the oil level, didn't remove the anti corrosion coating from the rotors and never bothered to check if the "set" button worked...all of which should have been done during PDI !! I wonder if they even did the brake recall properly ?....well if they didn't my next of kin will know who to sue !!!


Richard

[Dwight]

Interesting thread. My Ultra Classic, CSC Trike's belt tension is set with the same unit BRP is using. I've had the opportunity to use one of these trick little gadgets and I wasn't too impressed with repeatability. I've asked the tech guys at CSC about an alternative way to check the belt tension and they said there wasn't any. It seems to me that one of these would work fine if I had a value. How wide is the belt on the Boss Hoss? I'm a little suprised at the tension specked. I would think this would be pretty hard on the drive pulleys bearings. Incidentally the only maker of the Sonic Tension Meter that I can find is Gates Rubber. Their price is in the $800 range, maybe they would give us a quantity discount!
Dwight

[barb36jack31]

I have an S40 650 cc Suzuki thumper with belt drive. It came with a rather neat belt tension measuring device. Did not work with a hoot. The method of choice was if you could twist the belt 45 degrees at a point midway between the front and rear pulleys, it was OK. This proved to be all right over many thousand of miles involving several hundred riders. I wonder if this technique would work with the Spyder?

As more and more Spyders get on the road, we will dramatically expand our info as we continue to pass our experiences along to other Spyder owners. Let's keep the info flowing!

Jack H.

[Magic Man]

Harley makes a cheap (less than 30 bucks) gauge you use to test the belt on their bikes. I have one and it is as simple as you put it half way between the front and back sprockets and push up on the belt. The gauge moves on it's sleave to a number depending on how hard you push, The belt also moves up that amount. Push till as 20 on the gauge and the belt moves up 1/2 inch or what ever. I am going to check my new (less than 7 miles) Spyder and see what the factory numbers are for movememt and gauge numbers. After that all I or anyone will have to do is adjust till those numbers and the belt will be as mine was new form the factory. That is if BRP did mine right out of the box? I have used this item on HD bikes of mine for years with never a hitch or belt problem since 2000. I will let you all know the part# of the tool and the measurment I get on my brand new Spyder as oon as I dig it out of my Electra Glide and do it.

[Way2Fast]

Harley makes a cheap (less than 30 bucks) gauge you use to test the belt on their bikes. I have one and it is as simple as you put it half way between the front and back sprockets and push up on the belt. The gauge moves on it's sleave to a number depending on how hard you push, The belt also moves up that amount. Push till as 20 on the gauge and the belt moves up 1/2 inch or what ever. I am going to check my new (less than 7 miles) Spyder and see what the factory numbers are for movememt and gauge numbers. After that all I or anyone will have to do is adjust till those numbers and the belt will be as mine was new form the factory. That is if BRP did mine right out of the box? I have used this item on HD bikes of mine for years with never a hitch or belt problem since 2000. I will let you all know the part# of the tool and the measurment I get on my brand new Spyder as oon as I dig it out of my Electra Glide and do it.


From what I have read, the Spyder belt is set tight from the factory on purpose. As the Spyder puts on miles the belt will loosen considerably and be closer to the spec needed on a used machine. So you would not want to reset the belt to the reading taken when it was new.


Richard

[barb36jack31]

I thought that one of the neat things about belt drive was that there was very little stretch. Is that straight scoop that the belt is set tight from the factory and it later stretches into the correct spec? Sounds like a sloppy to set a new machine up.

[kma10-4]

http://www.mainsupplies.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=62&products_id=323
29.95 this is the same as lamonster shows.showed to me by boss hoss mechanic

when checked on my spyder and another spyder both our reading was at 300.i have 230mi on mine other spyder has over 650 mi

[Lamonster]

http://www.mainsupplies.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=62&products_id=323
29.95 this is the same as lamonster shows.showed to me by boss hoss mechanic

when checked on my spyder and another spyder both our reading was at 300.i have 230mi on mine other spyder has over 650 mi


That sounds about right. I think I could bring mine up another 25lbs and it would be fine. :bigthumbsup: