I have read a lot about the belt vibration. Since I am new to Spyders altogether, can someone tell me more about it and how to recognize it. Also the best way to fix it!
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I have read a lot about the belt vibration. Since I am new to Spyders altogether, can someone tell me more about it and how to recognize it. Also the best way to fix it!
It is vibration cause by the rear wheel drive belt. You will usually feel the belt vibrating in the 55-75 MPH range depending on your bike, how tight the belt is and various factors. For most people it happens within about a 5 or 10 MPH range somewhere between 55-75. People say they feel it when the bike is under a load as in going up hills and others say they feel it going down hills while others say all the time,SO, it can basically happen any time I suppose.
I have bought several vibration dampeners and none of them worked until I bought the vibration dampener from Roadster Renovations and it has work GREAT. It is a simple design that is easy to install and is cheaper than the others but the best part of it all is that it WORKS. They are a sponsor here on the home page. Give Doc and Kathy Humphreys a call and you will love the service you get.:clap:
SOlsenPHS, where do you live in Misipi ?
Another :2thumbs: for Doc's device. Even if you are new to Spyders you will recognize the issue if you have it. Sometimes a bit of adjustment in belt tension will cure it. I had my belt everywhere from way to tight to ready to fall off and couldn't get the vibration to a reasonable level. All it did was move it around to different speeds. Doc's vibration damper did the trick for me.
One test you might try is to downshift one gear while still maintaining that speed. If it still vibrates, it's the belt. If it doesn't it might be a tire balance issue. Lamonster sells some balancers for the front wheel that might help.
Here is a link to our page:
https://www.roadsterrenovations.info/products
I don't know which trike you have but I'm guessing they are all different as far as where on the speed scale they vibrate (the worst). My vibration is the least and almost non existent when the belt tension is at or near the lowest recommend setting. That setting for me is 200/220 lbs. on the cricket belt adjustment gage, with the tire on the ground. Good luck. Go with Doc and install his dampener and it'll help a bunch. One would think that BRP would not turn their bikes loose on the public until the vibration issue had been resolved. What a bunch of turkeys.
We pulled this one off in Maggie Valley last year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXb7-bWdSe8
Bottom line; If you run their idler make sure they install it so that if it fails and takes out the belt it will be covered under warranty.
SOlsen,
If your going to get a vibration dampener------- get the one from Doc. I put one on last season and the vibes are GONE.
Lew L
Another vote for Doc's damper! :thumbup:
The bearing setup in his, is VASTLY superior to the P.O.S. being sold by BRP. nojoke
The plastic arm holds up, bit the roller does not have the bearings and breaks. Buy the Doc Humphries one.
I bought a new 2017 RT-S April 20. Noticed the vibration. The more I rode the more I realized that this was not something one could get used to. I adjusted the alignment of the belt so I was centered on the rear sprocket. Went for a ride and it was better, not perfect but better. I always back into my garage and when I looked at the belt after getting in the garage it was tight to the inside of the rear sprocket again. Adjusted it again and test rode. This time I drove into the garage and the belt was right on the outside edge and still had a vibration. So I adjusted it again and checked Both sprockets and adjusted until it was not touching on any edge of either sprocket, and now it is almost perfect.
As others have mentioned, the time to check belt tracking is after forward motion. for some reason backing up the belt go haywire. so spin it forward motion or drive it forward, then look at it
we noticed this on our new 2016 F3 Limited. right when we are passing through 55 mph and then again at 65 mph.
As severe as this vibration is, I am wondering why BRP does just not fix this as a warranty issue? I saw someone mention that BRP sells a damper for $39.95 (I get that people feel it's junk), but my point is, why would BRP charge anything at all to get rid of what is obviously not an as designed behavior? (at least I hope it was not designed in as a "feature" !)
I am having my dealer install Baja Ron's ASB next week and I am going to ask about this.
I understand that the dampener sold by RR works great, but my concern is putting anything, regardless of how simple a device it might be, anywhere in the drive system on a brand new Spyder and what warranty problems could result down the road if something happens and BRP blames it on an aftermarket item, even though it would likely have nothing to do with it. We all know how vehicle manufacturers operate. Trust me, I am not saying it's not a great device, as it obviously is from what everyone is saying. But I am not a wrench, and it just seems to me that BRP should be responsible for fixing this issue. Perhaps I am being naive, and I accept that.
I've just never bought a brand new vehicle where a serious performance problem (and I consider the vibration we are feeling through the rear end, frame and footboards a serious performance problem) was not rectified by the manufacturer.
Sorry Boxylady,
Good luck with your vibration unless you want to do something aftermarket, or sell it. BRP doesn't really give two s$!'s as they consider it "normal" now for years, and has done very little to address the many vibration complaints. I imagine you will just be spinning your wheels to not get anywhere as a warranty issue or a recall issue, others have tried, but who knows? :dontknow:
Ah, ok, Steve Humphrey's sent me a link to a video that Lamonster put together regarding installing this on an F3. I get the premise now. I had it in my head just from descriptions that this had to be installed somewhere up near the crank, and it was very involved requiring a lot of mechanical know-how (which I am somewhat deficient in) This is an extremely easy to install fix, and it sounds like from what folks are saying that if I purchase the BRP version (still not happy about having to buy something to fix what is clearly a defect!), I'll just be replacing it numerous times compared to just buying it once from Steve.
thanks.
Jeff