Please help me clarify my Belt tension concerns?

[Donnieshacks]

I appreciate all the feedback. I'm not inclined to adjust the belt at all right now. I know it's impossible to say but at 180 and the alignment exactly as it is, what's the danger in leaving it? My guess is a lot of people deal with noises and things that are a little off, and just ride.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I appreciate all the feedback. I'm not inclined to adjust the belt at all right now. I know it's impossible to say but at 180 and the alignment exactly as it is, what's the danger in leaving it? My guess is a lot of people deal with noises and things that are a little off, and just ride.

180 lbs ..... we've talked on the phone about this ..... and you said you can't easily TWIST the belt by hand ..... I think it's a lot more than 180 lbs. .....JMHO .... Mike

[Donnieshacks]

Maybe the kricket is inaccurate or I am reading it wrong but keeps reading at 180. A video showed that where the Kricket rises above the metal sides is where the tension is. I did this with wheels on the ground. Either way, if you're saying that at 180 I should be able to twist the belt between my fingers, then it's probably too tight. It seems like some people ride at 190 or 200 and feel it's ok. You can probably ascertain that I do not want to adjust the belt, because that's true. I don't have the tools, I'm in the middle of other stuff, and I can easily see where a 20 minute job of this sort, can wind up being hours of fiddling with it. I'm undecided what I'm going to do yet but I appreciate the feedback. I'll recheck with the kricket when I get home.

[sledge]

mine was set way high first time I checked it...after i found a place to buy a Krikit guage , it had this whine at 60 mph. I started slowly lowering it .. and test driving it... over a couple of days , I lowered it from about 170 to 150..... and 150 was smooth , quiet .. and just what I was looking for . this is my only Spyder , but that worked for mine.

[Donnieshacks]

I've decided to adjust the belt. I have 4 projects going on with the bike and much rather be riding. However, I got a lot of good information and saw the videos on how to do it. I'm glad I'm poking around and doing the mods I'm doing. I noticed there's no cotter pin on the axle nut. I didn't like seeing that but I'm glad I did.

[Donnieshacks]

Come to read there is no cotter pin for the axle nut. Had both sides of the Tupperware off on the bike because of GPS wire harness installation, USB/voltmeter installation, and tensioner. Did not adjust the belt tension. Did a good 2-hour ride, no vibrations that I can tell but still hear a little whine. Noticeable to me because my 2018 did not have it. Not loud but I can hear it. Question I have is can you adjust the belt tension with the Tupperware on the bike? It reads between 180-200 on the ground. I had a louder whine with 2 up yesterday. I have a 36mm spanner, 36mm open end wrench, and a 15" breaker bar with 36mm socket. Thanks.

[K80Shooter]

Do you have a torque wrench?

Yes, it can be done with the tupperware on the bike.

[Donnieshacks]

I do have a torque wrench yes.

[Isopedella]

.... Question I have is can you adjust the belt tension with the Tupperware on the bike? .....

I posted on this in post #5 in this thread

and again in post #25.


Have a look and all will be revealed.



The links contained within not only answer your question but also show you how to achieve it.




Over to you.

[Donnieshacks]

So.. read a bunch, talked to a member kind enough to talk about it with me and opened up the can of worms I was afraid of. It does not seem that the tension is getting lower. The end cap on that side stays tight. Now, when I adjust the alignment side to bring tge belt over towards the flange, that end cap gets loose. I guess where I'm at a loss is how loose should the axle nuts be in order to make adjustments? If I lose too much, the alignment side cap gets loose. If I snug the right axle nut, the cap gets tight but the adjuster doesn't do anything. It seems to me that I should loosen both axle nuts more to lower the tension. That side is tight and adjusting it to the left.. to lower the belt tension, doesn't seem to be doing much. Conversely, the alignment side will adjust if the axle nuts are snug. The end cap on that side loosens when I turn the adjuster left, and tightens when I turn it to the right. But now.. its on the ground, the alignment is way off towards the outside of the sprocket, and the end cap on the alignment side is loose.

[Isopedella]

#5 in this thread and again in post #25.

Bought to your attention again in #35

[Donnieshacks]

#5 in this thread and again in post #25.

Bought to your attention again in #35

Yes. I saw those posts. Everything is easy, unless it's not. I know how to use the Kricket and do the adjustments. Issue is mainly with the alignment side and axle bolt. I loosen the axle bolt even a half turn then turn the hex head fitting to the left, the end cap gets loose. I tap the axle nut forward with a wrench, it tightens the end cap. I turn the hex head to the left, the end cap gets loose.

[WDAVEY]

Yes. I saw those posts. Everything is easy, unless it's not. I know how to use the Kricket and do the adjustments. Issue is mainly with the alignment side and axle bolt. I loosen the axle bolt even a half turn then turn the hex head fitting to the left, the end cap gets loose. I tap the axle nut forward with a wrench, it tightens the end cap. I turn the hex head to the left, the end cap gets loose.

Don't turn the hex bolt on the belt side of the bike. Hold it still with a wrench while you slowly tighten the nut on the muffler side of the bike in very small increments. Frequently tap the axle forward on both sides to keep the adjusters tight in the swing arm. Use a soft blow or brass hammer. It's tedious.

[Donnieshacks]

That's just the thing, the belt side end cap hasn't budged at all. In fact, I don't think the adjuster on the belt side is really loosening the belt. I have been getting lower Kricket readings but after tightening everything up and taking it for a ride, it seems the tension goes back to how it started.

The right side... if I loosen the axle nut a whole turn then go to the left with the same side adjuster, the end cap gets loose. The end cap on the right side gets loose easy. The belt side end cap hasn't budged at all.

[Peter Aawen]

Donnie, as others have found while playing with the belt alignment & tension, you might need to find a way that works for you to either pull the entire wheel & axle assy forward towards the swing arm pivot so that it's held tight against the adjusters or to push it back away from the swing arm pivot as you adjust the belt so that you've actually got the belt under some tension and that you then maintain said tension as you tighten the axle tube in place....

Some use ratchet straps & blocks of wood; others use rubber mallets or hammers of some sort; some even spend $$ on replacing the dodgy 'only pull back' OEM Adjusters with fixed into the swing arm 'push/pull' type adjusters, but once you've read all the threads, posts, & watched all the vids & links, it eventually comes back to you needing to find a technique to do all this that works for you!

Oh, and at the risk of maybe trying to teach you to suck eggs, but for the clarity of any who don't yet get this, do please realise that loosening one side of the axle tube also loosens the other side of the axle tube; and that the adjusters will only TIGHTEN & pull back on the axle tube, so if you want to move one or both sides of the axle tube forwards, you need to loosen everything off enough to let it move it forwards, get it where you want it, AND THEN HOLD IT FIRMLY THERE while you tighten the axle tube in place! And in the case of belt ALIGNMENT, this really is a situation where 'near enough is good enough', cos the belt WILL MOVE around on the pulley as you ride, and it'll do that ESPECIALLY whenever you reverse!

So get the tension pretty close to where you want it; then get the alignment somewhere in the right ballpark, making sure that even if it IS touching the flange instead of just near it: - which btw, is perfectly acceptable - given the following caveats:

1. the belt is not rubbing too hard on the inside flange of that rear sprocket, ensuring that it's neither burning the edge of the belt nor is the belt climbing up on the flange as the sprocket rotates; and
2. that it's not running any part of the belt off the outside edge of the sprocket as you ride.

Just about anywhere between those extremes is fine and will work for hundreds of thousands of miles!

[Donnieshacks]

20230618_205338.jpg

I like the alignment. I think the tension can still come down.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

That's just the thing, the belt side end cap hasn't budged at all. In fact, I don't think the adjuster on the belt side is really loosening the belt. I have been getting lower Kricket readings but after tightening everything up and taking it for a ride, it seems the tension goes back to how it started.

The right side... if I loosen the axle nut a whole turn then go to the left with the same side adjuster, the end cap gets loose. The end cap on the right side gets loose easy. The belt side end cap hasn't budged at all.

Read this thread about how I solved the problem of the axle creeping and the alignment going wacky when tightening the axle nut, particularly post #14.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ight=alignment

[Donnieshacks]

Read this thread about how I solved the problem of the axle creeping and the alignment going wacky when tightening the axle nut, particularly post #14.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ight=alignment

I saw this. This is a tricky adjustment.

[Snowbelt Spyder]

20230618_205338.jpg

I like the alignment. I think the tension can still come down.

Truthfully Donnie, I wouldn't change a thing. That's beautiful alignment. You've got 180# with the Cricket gauge and you're using it correctly. You are well below the max tension spec. Why veto that reading because of an old shade-tree mechanic practice of twisting the belt. Which one is more accurate?

And besides, cogged belts make noise. Your engine and gearbox is full of straight cut gears. They make noise. And the air being displaced by the belt as it enters the front and rear sprockets makes noise. Worry less. My 2 cents worth.

[Donnieshacks]

Truthfully Donnie, I wouldn't change a thing. That's beautiful alignment. You've got 180# with the Cricket gauge and you're using it correctly. You are well below the max tension spec. Why veto that reading because of an old shade-tree mechanic practice of twisting the belt. Which one is more accurate?

And besides, cogged belts make noise. Your engine and gearbox is full of straight cut gears. They make noise. And the air being displaced by the belt as it enters the front and rear sprockets makes noise. Worry less. My 2 cents worth.

I like this. Yes.. if the alignment stays as it is and the tension is in the ballpark, I'm going to torque it the rest of the way, on the ground. It's just at 150 pounds because that's the highest that my torque wrench does. I just got one delivered today that goes to 200.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I like this. Yes.. if the alignment stays as it is and the tension is in the ballpark, I'm going to torque it the rest of the way, on the ground. It's just at 150 pounds because that's the highest that my torque wrench does. I just got one delivered today that goes to 200.

Save yourself some money and send it back. Buy one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Harley-Davids...s%2C179&sr=8-3

With this wrench extension you can easily do 200 lb-ft with your 150 lb-ft torque wrench. That's what I do. Divide 200 by the total combined wrench length and multiply by the length of the torque wrench. Just make sure the HD wrench is in a straight line with the torque wrench. For example if the torque wrench is 15" long and the HD wrench is 7" long you have 200/22 x 15 = 136.

[Donnieshacks]

Save yourself some money and send it back. Buy one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Harley-Davids...s%2C179&sr=8-3

With this wrench extension you can easily do 200 lb-ft with your 150 lb-ft torque wrench. That's what I do. Divide 200 by the total combined wrench length and multiply by the length of the torque wrench. Just make sure the HD wrench is in a straight line with the torque wrench. For example if the torque wrench is 15" long and the HD wrench is 7" long you have 200/22 x 15 = 136.

Thanks but I like the one I got. It's a big one and easy to get it torqued.

[sgerksinwi]

Ok I understand to adjust the rear.
What should the front pulley belt alignment look like?
Will the adjustment on the rear take care of it.
Could the front be off and the rear belt pulley relationship be ok?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Ok I understand to adjust the rear.
What should the front pulley belt alignment look like?
Will the adjustment on the rear take care of it.
Could the front be off and the rear belt pulley relationship be ok?

There is a spec for it but pretty much everyone ignores it. The front pulley has a flange on both sides so the belt won't come off. If the belt rides hard against one of the flanges all the time that would indicate the motor/transmission is not aligned perfectly perpendicular to the line between the front and rear pulleys. Correcting that is a warranty issue and not an easy fix for us if the bike is out of warranty.

So, generally speaking, the rear pulley tracking is what matters and the front pulley tracking is what it is.