Whats the secret to adjusting the belt?

[ulflyer]

Mine is too close the the inside flange on the rear sprocket; actually rubbing slightly, so I decided to move it out so it doesn't touch. Jacked up rear, loosened both axle bolts, turned the right side adjusting screw clockwise about 1/4 turn. Tightened it all back up, went for ride and nothing changed. Did this a few times, going clockwise each time till finally the belt moved out, but it then it was too much. Ok, back on the adjusting screw just a tad; nothing happened. A time or two with this and I'm totally disgusted.

Anyway, multiple adjustments have accomplished exactly nothing! I'm back to where I started. Must be doing something wrong.

Any suggestions?

Yeah, I know take it to the dealer. I did Saturday and they were too busy to work me in.

[SNOOPY]

I'm interested in knowing how this is done too.

Haven't looked at the manual yet.

[joebryanjr]

i am not a motorcycle mechanic, but we use cogged belts on conveyors. The belt wants to run straight. Rotating the sprockets does not help. We put a long straight edge, like a level and make sure the flanges of the sprockets are in line. All 4 points (front of front sprocket, rear of front sprocket, front of rear sprocket and rear of rear sprocket. Should all touch the straight edge. Then the sprockets are in line and the belt should run true. I do not know how much adjustment there is, but my thought is that you may need to mo e the front sprocket on the transmission output shaft.
again, I am not a bike mechanic but power transmission is pretty much the same.
i suggest you also talk to a good bike mechanic.

[Chupaca]

You are doing it right but it is tricky till you get the hang of it. I do it with the rear wheel up roadster secured then loosen the axel start it up and put it in gear. While ideling in 1st gear I adjust the belt for tracking and then check it in reverse. For tension I measure center axel to end of swing arm. Do tension first cause the tracking will be minor adjustment once your tension is good. Use a Gates kriket to measure the tension. At least this works best for me cause I did what you did and got tired fast...good luck if this is too much get to the dealer...

[ulflyer]

You are doing it right but it is tricky till you get the hang of it. I do it with the rear wheel up roadster secured then loosen the axel start it up and put it in gear. While ideling in 1st gear I adjust the belt for tracking and then check it in reverse. For tension I measure center axel to end of swing arm. Do tension first cause the tracking will be minor adjustment once your tension is good. Use a Gates kriket to measure the tension. At least this works best for me cause I did what you did and got tired fast...good luck if this is too much get to the dealer...

Thanks Chupaca. Basically then, I"m on the right track. Haven't tried adjusting it while running in gear. Will give that a shot today and if no success, off to the dealer this week. Want to get everything sorted out before leaving for Mo at end of month.


Well, I did the above; jacked it up, loosened the axle bolts, put it in first gear, turned adjuster a moderate amount, and nothing happened, ran it in reverse also. Took it for 30 mile run to see if anything moved and it didn't. Will take it to dealer one day this week and let them do it!

[SPYD1]

Be cautious as many through the years have had to replace their casing up front from it rubbing a groove in it.

[joebryanjr]

I should have mentioned that the 1st thing to do is make sure the rear axle is perpendicular to the frame. Then when you align the sprockets you will run true.
Again, not a motorcycle mechanic, but this is how the belt manufacturers say to do it.

[PMK]

FWIW, on our 14, it too rubbed the inside flange or the rear pulley.

My first attempt, I did as suggested JOEBRYANJR. Got out straight edges, torque wrench for the axle and another to keep the axle from spinning when tightening and loosening. I dill donked with all the straight edge apparatus and dialed in to exactly where I wanted it and met book specs.

After all that, a quick test ride and roll to a stop, found the effort failed to get results.

Frustrated, I found a You Tube video where the guy did as already suggested. Chocked the front wheels, jacked the back tire just enough off the ground, fired it up and in first gear tracked the belt. This was mentioned by Chupaca.

When adjusting the right side, the adjustments to dial it in are very small and finally ended up at about 1/8 turn either way for fine adjustments. It was a bit finicky. One set, I lowered the machine, tightened the axle nut and verified the adjuster plate was still tight. Jacked it after axle tightening and rechecked nothing changed. Then gave a test ride and ensured it was tracking where I wanted it. I did not worry about reverse since the belt tracks different in that direction but not real bad.

It is not difficult, just takes small adjustments and care since you are working near moving parts.

I want add that I found the axle torquing a bit inconsistent. I decided to go with wet torque by applying a moly lube to the axle threads, nut threads, and facing surfaces. I did drop the torque to I believe 125 but should verify. I went with dry torque minus 30%.

PK

[agasperino]

I believe if you change the belt now, you will have to have your lazer alignment re done
Tee Gee

[finless]

Just to add... And this little fact was suprising to me.

I recently went on a SRA-LA spyder ride with about 40 spyders. I would say 70% of them the belt was against the flange on the rear pulley. I told many of the riders "hey you need to get your belt adjusted". Of that group, 50% of them said they did and the dealer told them that is where it needs to be due to the front pulley alignment!

I am thinking there is more to this than SPEC or meets the eye!

Mine will walk away from the flange about 1/8" inch after 2-300 miles after being adjust!

I am saying SCREW IT... It's still in spec and I am NOT going to chase it until next service.
I really think this "belt thing" is not rocket science and some chase it too much!

Bob

[ulflyer]

Just to add... And this little fact was suprising to me.

I recently went on a SRA-LA spyder ride with about 40 spyders. I would say 70% of them the belt was against the flange on the rear pulley. I told many of the riders "hey you need to get your belt adjusted". Of that group, 50% of them said they did and the dealer told them that is where it needs to be due to the front pulley alignment!

I am thinking there is more to this than SPEC or meets the eye!

Mine will walk away from the flange about 1/8" inch after 2-300 miles after being adjust!

I am saying SCREW IT... It's still in spec and I am NOT going to chase it until next service.
I really think this "belt thing" is not rocket science and some chase it too much!

Bob

You may well be right, but mine was producing a rubber smell when I came to a stop in my garage. I never had that on my '11...it STAYED a credit card width off the flange, and I want my current one adjusted the same. I had planned on taking it in tomorrow, but we're getting a cold snap, down to 30 in the morn, so the belt can wait till it gets warm again.

[StanProff]

If it rubs the flange you will get a lot of belt dust on the rear wheel rim. also you can smell it sometimes if it is against it. I have experienced more belt vibration as well when it rubbed the flange. I jack the rear up, chuck the front wheels, loosen the axle bolt and start it up and put in 1st gear and let it idle. You can then turn the right Allen adjuster screw clockwise a quarter turn and watch the belt move. If it doesn't, give it another quarter turn. It will then start tracking off of the flange. I watch it and usually it will take a couple of tries to keep it where I want it. About a credit card width off of the flange. Tighten the axle bolt, let the jack down and take it for a ride to see where it settles out. It is not hard to do but will take a little time to get used to it. Of course any time you have the machine running with the wheel on off the ground use common sense and be safe. I have also not started the bike and turned the rear wheel by hand to let the belt track over but that will give you more exercise than you might want. Not bad when you do it a couple of times.

[ulflyer]

By the time I took mine in the other day, the belt had settled in a credit card width away from the flange. Techs said its perfect! Odd thing tho, it wasn't that way when I left home!
I did the jack up and running in gear thing and it didn't seem to work for me. Well it did, but I didn't know it till I drove it 30 miles!

[rev.rr]

Tried adjusting it for an hour with no gap or to much adjustment to far off the flange, Final I tighten up the axle bolt a littel bit drove it for a block stop and look at the belt, still not there, adjusted about another 5- 7 time's to finaly get it right what I notice when I would adjust it and tighten the axle bolt the belt would drift back to the right very fustrating but I finally got it. I found tha it is important to look at the front pully to try and center it on that pully with a small gap on the right side of the wheel pully . A credit card gap is the right distance.

[billybovine]

I don't know where this credit card thick spec came from but it's just wrong. The spec is.
belt alignment 2.JPG
IMHO you guys are being too picky about this adjustment. No where that I can find does it say that the adjustment must be at the minimum.

[PMK]

I don't know where this credit card thick spec came from but it's just wrong. The spec is.
belt alignment 2.JPG
IMHO you guys are being too picky about this adjustment. No where that I can find does it say that the adjustment must be at the minimum.

I agree, the minimum is fine, but where does it run on the front pulley. The 14 manual had some math formula, with a statement about the belt can only touch one flange, either front or rear, not both.

Our machine is running probably 3 to 4mm from the rear flange and no contact on either front flange, pretty close to centered on both pulleys, but not quite. I tried to get closer to the rear pulley flange but I wasn't comfortable with it.

PK

From the 2014 Owners Manual for the RT series...

Drive Belt Alignment
The gap between the belt and the
sprocket internal flange should be
sum of "X" + "Y" = 3.25mm ± 2.75mm
(.13 in ± .11 in). If belt goes beyond
the outside edge of sprocket, have the
belt properly aligned by an authorized
Can-Am roadster dealer as soon as
possible.
NOTE: Belt can be in contact with
ONLY ONE flange from ONLY ONE
of the sprockets.
______________

[tim1]

For, I cannot see 5 mm, but I can see if it is centered on the pulley, works for me, if slightly towards the flange, even better, but never up against the flange. Tim

[bboley]

Yes Yes and Amen, preach it!!!!

I don't know where this credit card thick spec came from but it's just wrong. The spec is.
belt alignment 2.JPG
IMHO you guys are being too picky about this adjustment. No where that I can find does it say that the adjustment must be at the minimum.

[Bensonoid]

Tried adjusting it for an hour with no gap or to much adjustment to far off the flange, Final I tighten up the axle bolt a littel bit drove it for a block stop and look at the belt, still not there, adjusted about another 5- 7 time's to finaly get it right what I notice when I would adjust it and tighten the axle bolt the belt would drift back to the right very fustrating but I finally got it. I found tha it is important to look at the front pully to try and center it on that pully with a small gap on the right side of the wheel pully . A credit card gap is the right distance.

Mine does that also. I get it just off the flange, tighten the axle, spin the wheel a few dozen times and it stays there. Then I go for a ride and it's touching the flange. I finally got it so there's a gap between the flange now. Perfect as far as I'm concerned.

[cyclelover63]

When Spyder is ran with rear wheel off the ground,don't you get a check engine or traction control light?

[stmike 1800]

No big deal, just go for a ride and the dash lights will go out.

[stmike 1800]

I get a lot of rubber smell and the belt is tight to the front pulley. I adjust it close (1 mm) to the flange on the rear pulley, and it is still very close to the out-side flange of the front pulley. After a 150 km ride, I smell belt again, there is no adjustment left as the belt is just against the rear pulley and also the outside flange of the front pulley. To align it, the motor or front sprocket would have to go to the left or the rear swing arm to the right.

[SpyderJerry]

I get a lot of rubber smell and the belt is tight to the front pulley. I adjust it close (1 mm) to the flange on the rear pulley, and it is still very close to the out-side flange of the front pulley. After a 150 km ride, I smell belt again, there is no adjustment left as the belt is just against the rear pulley and also the outside flange of the front pulley. To align it, the motor or front sprocket would have to go to the left or the rear swing arm to the right.

How many miles on bike and year? Check the drive pulley for spline wear and make sure output bearing is ok. If it has done this since new, the engine may not be aligned properly. Or the engine struts that hold engine in alignment may be loose. The engine is aligned with a bar that is slid into the frame at the back of the engine and then adjusted to the stops that the bar rests against.

[stmike 1800]

It is a 2018 RTL ,with 8,000 km . I checked it this am after a ride , 1 mm at the front and 1.5 at the rear .I took pics and gave them to the dealer ,will see what BRP has to say. Thanks for the info on the line up bar .

[mikej]

With improper belt adjustment, do you get more wear on one outside edge of the rear tire..I am seeing more wear on the right edge of the rear tire, with max spec gap from rear flange...vee rubber rear tire at 5000 miles