vibrating belt when pulling trailer trailer, normal?

[hotair]

I pulled my trailer this weekend, the drive belt vibrated at times. Is this normal? It seems too much vibration to me. Without trailer I never had this happen. Does it need adjustment or a idler pulley for the belt? Thanks for any info.:shocked:

[Illinois Boy]

I pulled my trailer this weekend, the drive belt vibrated at times. Is this normal? It seems too much vibration to me. Without trailer I never had this happen. Does it need adjustment or a idler pulley for the belt? Thanks for any info.:shocked:

Are you putting the Spyder into "Trailer Mode"?

Are you shifting too soon?

Are you overweighting the Spyder (the trailer, its contents, your weight, your passenger's weight, your luggage on the Spyder)?

Are the wheels bearings moving freely on the trailer?

Tire pressure good all around on the trailer and Spyder (typically you want pressure higher for loads)?

As you can see, there are a lot of potential issues. Given that you do not have that problem without a trailer, it makes me suspect one of these or some other similar issue is at the heart of the problem.

Keep us informed as to what you discover...

[NancysToy]

Kick the rpm up a bit and it may go away. Pulling a trailer is a lot like going up a hill. The engine will work harder, so you will feel more vibration. It may not be the belt. An overloaded trailer can amplify the vibration, too. Some early RTs had a clearance problem with the engine mounts that can cause a vibration. No one has reported it yet, and there may not be a cure if it is this issue, but a lot of other twins exhibit a strong vibration under load if the throttle body synchronization is off a tiny bit, or if the valve adjustment is off cylinder-to-cylinder. If it is the belt, the SmoothSpyder belt tensioner may help. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it, but if it bothers you by all means pursue a solution.

[hotair]

New trailer, tires balanced, not overloaded, no passenger, occurs aprox 60 to 70 mph under load, will go away after no load speed. I am in trailer mode, running in 4th gear aprox 6000 rpm, 5th too much lugging of engine. 2011 RTS

[Jeriatric]

New trailer, tires balanced, not overloaded, no passenger, occurs aprox 60 to 70 mph under load, will go away after no load speed. I am in trailer mode, running in 4th gear aprox 6000 rpm, 5th too much lugging of engine. 2011 RTS

Based on that information. If it were me. I would not think twice about going with CaptJims belt tensioner. I run one and it works very well.

None of my business but if you're not in a pull(climbing a reasonably steep grade) you shouldn't have to be running 6K at 65. When pulling my trailer as long as I'm at say 5200+ without the V Twin rumbling when throttling up lightly to 5500 or above then I know it's running comfortably.

jmy2c.....it's your to spend or toss in a wishing well.:thumbup:

[hotair]

New trailer, tires balanced, not overloaded, no passenger, occurs aprox 60 to 70 mph under load, will go away after no load speed. I am in trailer mode, running in 4th gear aprox 6000 rpm, 5th too much lugging of engine. 2011RTS

[Jeriatric]

New trailer, tires balanced, not overloaded, no passenger, occurs aprox 60 to 70 mph under load, will go away after no load speed. I am in trailer mode, running in 4th gear aprox 6000 rpm, 5th too much lugging of engine. 2011RTS


:hun:

That's just a repost of your previous post. Am I missing something?

[Illinois Boy]

I pulled my trailer this weekend, the drive belt vibrated at times. Is this normal? It seems too much vibration to me. Without trailer I never had this happen. Does it need adjustment or a idler pulley for the belt? Thanks for any info.:shocked:

Given what you said in latter posts, you are experiencing a typical situation of belt vibration.

The bottom line is the length of the belt design on Spyders, which lends itself to being prone to vibrate. It is therefore sensitive to several causes to make it vibrate. Belt tension is one of them and should be checked, along with belt-tracking/alignment. A few have found their engine was ever so slightly mounted out of alignment, and apparently resolved some of the problem once checked. However that would be lower on my list of causes - with belt tension being the first to check.

Other than tolerating it, which most of us do, you could look into the belt-tensioners some sponsors on here provide. Many have had good luck with them, but not sure the problem will ever entirely go away. Sorry...

[jerpinoy]

DID you get all that?:dontknow::dontknow::dontknow::yikes::yikes: How much the trailer weighs? Murphys laws?

If all goes wrong and not satisfied to any post see you dealer.