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  1. #1
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    Default Missing Belt Tensioner

    Hey all,

    I bought the Lamonster roller upgrade for the 2015 F3S that I just purchased. Pulled the panel off to access the tensioner arm, and... NO TENSIONER ARM ASSEMBLY!!! WTF???
    I can clearly see the two bolts where the assembly is supposed to mount, but I have no idea if the previous owner removed it for some strange reason, or if this model year/model did not have a belt tensioner assembly. Bike was purchased through RumbleOn. Only a hair over 2300 miles on it. Just got it last night, and did a first ride today. Runs great. Just wondering if I need to get the full upgraded assembly from Lamonster, or if I even need one at all? Just want to know what you guys think? Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Very Active Member al0vely's Avatar
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    Why did you purchase the upgrade if you didn’t have one installed? I read another post yesterday where someone mentioned getting the Lamonster upgrade and they didn't have the tensioner installed.

    The tensioner is an owner added option - if you want one then you will need purchase from one of the vendors that sell them. I know of at least 4 vendors that sell them - not sure which is the best but I have the one from BRP.
    Love my Spyders
    2016 F3L Steel Black purchased 7/16/2016 Sold 3/11/2023 (22,500 mi)

    2014 RTS Circuit Yellow purchased 3/2/2018

    2020 RTL Petrol Blue purchased 1/27/2023

    Girls on Spyders #3195

    No more 2 wheels
    2020 RTL , Lamonster floor board riser Petrol Blue

  3. #3
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    Did not know it was optional. I saw Lamonster's video on youtube, and figured that was the one thing I should upgrade. This is my first Spyder, so I had no idea that this was not a standard part of the bike.

  4. #4
    Very Active Member RICZ's Avatar
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    Oh man, I nearly fell into that trap too, but decided to pull the front pulley cover and peek in just to make sure. It twern't there! Huh? Begged the question on another thread and sho' 'nuff, my bike doesn't come with a tensioner. Not nice BRP. Guess I'll be adding one down the line.
    So why do our Spyders come with such a flimsy anti sway bar? Not that Baja Ron minds that one bit.
    Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
    2017 F3 Limited , Red, Black & Chrome

  5. #5
    Very Active Member al0vely's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by citadelfox View Post
    Did not know it was optional. I saw Lamonster's video on youtube, and figured that was the one thing I should upgrade. This is my first Spyder, so I had no idea that this was not a standard part of the bike.
    Lamonster and others sell a lot of great after market parts. As new owners IMO you should ride a few miles so you will know the optional items you need for your comfort. Some people make a $2k list based on what others feel they should get whether they need them or not. When my tensioner goes bad I am not sure I will replace it - you can ride out of the vibration easily be speeding up or slowing down.
    Love my Spyders
    2016 F3L Steel Black purchased 7/16/2016 Sold 3/11/2023 (22,500 mi)

    2014 RTS Circuit Yellow purchased 3/2/2018

    2020 RTL Petrol Blue purchased 1/27/2023

    Girls on Spyders #3195

    No more 2 wheels
    2020 RTL , Lamonster floor board riser Petrol Blue

  6. #6
    Very Active Member al0vely's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RICZ View Post
    Oh man, I nearly fell into that trap too, but decided to pull the front pulley cover and peek in just to make sure. It twern't there! Huh? Begged the question on another thread and sho' 'nuff, my bike doesn't come with a tensioner. Not nice BRP. Guess I'll be adding one down the line.
    So why do our Spyders come with such a flimsy anti sway bar? Not that Baja Ron minds that one bit.
    I have 10k miles on my F3 with OEM sway bar - I can't tell the OEM one is flimsy I'm enjoying the ride thus far.
    Love my Spyders
    2016 F3L Steel Black purchased 7/16/2016 Sold 3/11/2023 (22,500 mi)

    2014 RTS Circuit Yellow purchased 3/2/2018

    2020 RTL Petrol Blue purchased 1/27/2023

    Girls on Spyders #3195

    No more 2 wheels
    2020 RTL , Lamonster floor board riser Petrol Blue

  7. #7
    Active Member nhoj's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RICZ View Post
    ... my bike doesn't come with a tensioner. Not nice BRP. Guess I'll be adding one down the line.
    There are alot of (us) Spyder riders that don't have a tensioner nor do we feel we need one. Why do you feel you need one or why should BRP provide one as stock?
    Marilyn 2015 RTS SE6 Red
    John 2015 F3S SE6 Silver

    previous:
    2011 RT SM5 Silver
    2013 STS SM5 Silver

    "common sense will prevail....but we see no sign of that"

  8. #8
    Very Active Member RICZ's Avatar
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    alOvely....I guess I'm being to susceptible to what others here are posting. Thanks,I will take a wait and see attitude re the sway bar. Back in the day, I raced sport cars and they benefited greatly from a beefier sway bar. I assume a Spyder would too.
    nhoj....See my first sentence above. Post #5 impresses me.
    Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
    2017 F3 Limited , Red, Black & Chrome

  9. #9
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    Anyone want/need a lamonster roller and bearing upgrade??? Guess I don't need it after all...

  10. #10
    Very Active Member JP58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by citadelfox View Post
    Anyone want/need a lamonster roller and bearing upgrade??? Guess I don't need it after all...
    My friend has the BRP tensioner with the stock roller. I'm sure he would like the upgrade roller.
    2018 F3 Limited , Oxford Blue

  11. #11
    Very Active Member al0vely's Avatar
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    Sent you an PM earlier.
    Love my Spyders
    2016 F3L Steel Black purchased 7/16/2016 Sold 3/11/2023 (22,500 mi)

    2014 RTS Circuit Yellow purchased 3/2/2018

    2020 RTL Petrol Blue purchased 1/27/2023

    Girls on Spyders #3195

    No more 2 wheels
    2020 RTL , Lamonster floor board riser Petrol Blue

  12. #12
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    Lamonster Garage was kind enough to find the stock tensioner for me at a reasonable price, so I decided to give the whole works a try! Thanks!

  13. #13
    Very Active Member Rattlebars's Avatar
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    Part # 219800431 for F3 around 34-42 bucks.

    >CLICK ME<
    to see my 2016 F3-T and many how to's
    2016 F3-T SE6 Roadster , Extended brake pedal for which I drilled out the brake rod yolk to lower it and added spacers to lift it slightly Black/Grey

  14. #14
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    I have been wondering if this vibration business isn't related to the red rust and premature failure of these sprocket and spline failures. that vibration and oscillation might be causing some of this. I was a master technician for Ford Motor for over 30 years. when the 2004 redesigned F150 came out we had vibration issues out the you know where. one of the issues related to the drive shafts not being able so slip in the tail shaft to allow for flexing. one of the other was the driveshafts themselves being out of balance just enough you could feel it on the steering wheel and the floorboard. they had us changing transmission mounts road force balancing all four tires and indexing them on the hubs. if it went on long enough it took out the front pinion bearing. it had chatter marks on it and even loosened the pinion nut. so I just am thinking, the tingle on your hands the vibration in your elbows ? could it be our little friend the belt tensioner and upgraded bearing might just help prevent some of this. I guess i will find out i just ordered one from lamonster! LOL!
    Last edited by Jethro; 07-06-2019 at 03:00 AM. Reason: typo
    2016 F3 Limited , Crimson RED

  15. #15
    Active Member Huked's Avatar
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    Well I am no expert, but as no one has mentioned this I will. I just bought a 2019 RTL on my first few rides I was alone and felt no noticeable vibration or sway for that matter. Then came the adding of my wife, who will be with me most of the time. With the added weight and load on the Spyder there was a very noticeable vibration at around 65 and it felt unstable in corners. Now with that said every rider, passenger, and Spyder are not the same. I never had a damper on my RS for example. I think that the need for a damper is for each rider to figure out. I do think Jethro is probably correct though, even if the vibration does not bother you if it is there it could possibly have ill effects over time. I say, they are not that much $$ compared to other modes, so go for it, but each to their own. The anti sway bar is the another thing, but it is not as cheap to add. If you feel comfortable in curver and you don't hold back do to the sway or pull, then skip it. However if you feel the lean\sway is a bit much and unnerving, or you just want better handling then it is well worth the $$.
    2019 RTL

    Farkles
    BRP Comfort Seat.
    Foam Grips
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    Baja Ron Anti sway bar
    Lamonster's upgraded BRP vibration damper.
    2019 RTL , Asphalt Grey Metallic Dark

  16. #16
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    In my case, I bought a belt tensioner for my F3-S. I installed it then re-tensioned the belt to 180 lbs. with the Krickit 2, and centered the belt on the pulley so it is 1/8 inch from the inner flange. It took some doing to get the tension and the belt position both right at the same time, but once I did, what a difference! All the belt vibration is gone, there's very little whine, and the low speed pad rubbing is gone!.
    2017 F3-S Daytona , Yellow and black

  17. #17
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    The Spyders never came with a belt tensioner from the factory. What they often did come with, however , was various belt vibrations at certain speeds. Some units of the exact same model had it more than others. It's the result of running a very long belt with a lot of tension at a high load. When a certain speed was reached, the belt teeth would contact the cogs on the pulley at just the right frequency to set up sympathetic vibrations, and that's what you feel. The tensioner dampens out those frequencies by never letting them transfer along the belt and therefore never letting them amplify into vibration.
    2017 F3-S Daytona , Yellow and black

  18. #18
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    I had very few occasions where I felt the vibration. I bought the tensioner but didn't install it. Then, I took a 1500 mile trip pulling my camping trailer and experienced the vibration multiple times. I could always ride out of it by applying throttle or slowing down for just a moment so it wasn't a big concern to me. However, I installed the part with the Lamonster upgrade when I got home. Since then, no belt vibration.

    It works and was simple to install. It took about 30 - 40 minutes with the tupperware taking the most time.
    2018 Can Am Spyder F3L, 1995 BMW R1100R, 1988 Suzuki GS250, 2019 Ryker 600 (Wife's)


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