Belt Tensioner

[mrosenb107]

Hi All...Looking into the potential purchase of a belt tensioner for my spyder, looking for any feed back in regards to how they perform, how big of an impact tat it may have....etc... I can only locate a couple manufacturers and the $$ appear to be about the same.
Any imput would be appreciated before I junp in with both feet.
Thanks

[spydaman60]

Hi All...Looking into the potential purchase of a belt tensioner for my spyder, looking for any feed back in regards to how they perform, how big of an impact tat it may have....etc... I can only locate a couple manufacturers and the $$ appear to be about the same.
Any imput would be appreciated before I junp in with both feet.
Thanks

just bought one from capt jim.(WWW.SMOOTHSPYDER.COM) i should have it monday and on my 2012 rss by tuesday morning. let you know then!

[IGETAROUND]

[QUOTE=mrosenb107;473671]Hi All...Looking into the potential purchase of a belt tensioner for my spyder, looking for any feed back in regards to how they perform, how big of an impact tat it may have....etc... I can only locate a couple manufacturers and the $$ appear to be about the same.
Any imput would be appreciated before I junp in with both feet.
Thanks[/QUOTE There is a provider on the forum for tensioners; smooth spyder. Support your forum supporter

[SPYD1]

I bought one from our sponsor this spring and have put about 3K miles on it and love it. Excellent, quality in its construction. It eliminated a lot of the vibration.

[JCSMOKE]

Works great, when I change the oil I check the tension and make sure it is tracking well.

[Crisis]

Works well, make sure you adjust it properly as per instructions. Don't try to hook the scale on in the fashion the directions state, you'll only wind up with scraped knuckles. Tie a piece on cord round the tension wheel first and hook the scale to that. I learned the hard way. Very easy install.

[Extracool]

Does the scale you referred to come with the tensioner?

[spydaman60]

Does the scale you referred to come with the tensioner?

the website shows a picture of the one that comes with it. i think it's just a fish scale by the looks.

[SPYD1]

the website shows a picture of the one that comes with it. i think it's just a fish scale by the looks.

It comes with it and is performs its purpose. You should check the tension after it is on there for a few weeks. It was a bit off after 4-500 miles. It, again, is worth the money.

[capt.jim]

Works well, make sure you adjust it properly as per instructions. Don't try to hook the scale on in the fashion the directions state, you'll only wind up with scraped knuckles. Tie a piece on cord round the tension wheel first and hook the scale to that. I learned the hard way. Very easy install.

The Cord Idea is a very good idea, thanks, makes perfect sense, I will start including a plastic tie or something similar, you may have to fold the handle of the scale against the body or raise the back tire up on a block to get enough space between the pulley and floor. The hook on the scale does not work like the older scales did. Sometimes working on the big things you tend to overlook the small stuff that matters, kinda like the tensioner that should come installed on the spyder. Thanks for the suggestion, anything to make life easier.

[TuckMiddle]

The Cord Idea is a very good idea, thanks, makes perfect sense, I will start including a plastic tie or something similar, you may have to fold the handle of the scale against the body or raise the back tire up on a block to get enough space between the pulley and floor. The hook on the scale does not work like the older scales did. Sometimes working on the big things you tend to overlook the small stuff that matters, kinda like the tensioner that should come installed on the spyder. Thanks for the suggestion, anything to make life easier.

Capt. Jim

Just want you to know that during my 18,000 mile mx yesterday (really the first of the new 9300/14,000 updated checks) the belt was a little loose and they took care of that, redid your tensioner to 10 lbs and away we go. No wierd sound like the Harley guys heard on Monday.
Great product and the service "ain't bad" either!

Tuck

[MikeinGA]

I have worked with a lot of types of drive belts in my time and a the belt tensioner that Capt. Jim sells is good as they get. The Spyder drive belt needs a belt tensioner due to it's design. It will pay for it's self, because it will give a longer life to the all the drive bearings, the drive belt, and sprockets. I have it on my to do list for this year. I thing it's well worth the money. That's IMHO.Mike

[Phil]

Took Darth out for a walk last evening. 85+mph and a TOTALLY smooth belt now!!! Loving mine.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Littlebadwolf]

Just got mine from Captain Jim and will be installing after we get back from our trip up north for the weekend. Thought it was a good idea to get after I decided to install a hitch and trailer on my 2009 RS...I'm thinking this is a good buy either way after loosing my license plate due to the vibration...split the license plate from the edge to the nut hole.

[Some Guy]

Just got mine from Captain Jim and will be installing after we get back from our trip up north for the weekend. Thought it was a good idea to get after I decided to install a hitch and trailer on my 2009 RS...I'm thinking this is a good buy either way after loosing my license plate due to the vibration...split the license plate from the edge to the nut hole.

Yep...my plate did the same thing! I removed the fender and fabbed up a different plate mount. I guess I'll be looking into the belt tensioner as well.

[leenanj]

My first mod was the Smoothspyder drive belt tensioner installed at 400 miles.

My first ride out of the dealer I noticed the vibration at different speeds
that would come and go.
Took it back to the dealer for them to check and they confirmed the belt vibration
and that it was pretty much the nature of the beast.

I would say the tensioner got rid of 90 percent of the vibration and now when you feel
it starting to vibrate the tensioner stops it right away without having to change speed
or rpm.

I no longer notice the or think about the vibration and just enjoy the smooth ride
that the Spyder is capable of.

It does kind of bother me that I had to add this device on a 30k machine but in the
end I am very happy with this mod and overall my wife and I love the Spyder.

[mrosenb107]

Put my tensioner on, Sun. installed very quickly and after some fine tuning to get my drive belt to track properly it appears to have gotten rid of allot of the drive belt tencion....Nice quality piece of equipment also

[Littlebadwolf]

Installed Jim's belt tensioner today, works like a charm...big difference in ride...much smoother...Put a trailer hitch on the RS today and wanted to make sure I got rid of any vibration...Money well spent...

[spydaman60]

i ordered the smoothspyder from capt. jim and was worried about getting it in time for my vacation. the guy is great! let me say it again, great!! sent it out to me overnight, trusting that i'd get a check off to repay him for the overnight shipping. (which i did) got the unit on my rs on tuesday and just got back today from a 1300 mile ride thru ny state with the misses this past week. i'd say the unit took out about 80% of my vibrations away, but still think that i have a bad tire. time to go back to the dealer and haggle it out. thanks capt. jim for your prompt shipping and trust in a fellow spyder lover! (chuck)

[cyclelover63]

With all of the good feedback here.I'm thinking of getting one of these for my 2009 GS...Do you do any adjusting on the drive belt after you install this,or is all of the adjusting done on the tensioner?..Thanks..

[capt.jim]

i ordered the smoothspyder from capt. jim and was worried about getting it in time for my vacation. the guy is great! let me say it again, great!! sent it out to me overnight, trusting that i'd get a check off to repay him for the overnight shipping. (which i did) got the unit on my rs on tuesday and just got back today from a 1300 mile ride thru ny state with the misses this past week. i'd say the unit took out about 80% of my vibrations away, but still think that i have a bad tire. time to go back to the dealer and haggle it out. thanks capt. jim for your prompt shipping and trust in a fellow spyder lover! (chuck)

Thanks Chuck,
I go by my gut feeling after talking to someone, and I have no doubts about the folks on here, and the fact that all the spyder owners I have met just seem to be great people in general, hard for me to imagine a fellow spyder rider screwing another.

[spydaman60]

With all of the good feedback here.I'm thinking of getting one of these for my 2009 GS...Do you do any adjusting on the drive belt after you install this,or is all of the adjusting done on the tensioner?..Thanks..

it's simple as can be. easy installation. took me and one of my buddies about forty five minutes working together. any questions, just call jim, but you probably won't have any!

[capt.jim]

With all of the good feedback here.I'm thinking of getting one of these for my 2009 GS...Do you do any adjusting on the drive belt after you install this,or is all of the adjusting done on the tensioner?..Thanks..

There is no additional adjustment needed on the static tension or rear alignment, just make sure the belt and pulley are in alignment and you should be good to go.