Did the belt drive adjustment --

[Donzo]

I was having annoying vibrations on the Spyder around 60+mph. The belt had about 2" of play. I bought a belt tension gauge from NAPA = $18.00.
The belt was at 200lbs.
I loosened up the rear wheel bolt jacked up the rear tire and tighned up both of the allen keys a little less than 1/2 a turn - drove a short distance - re-tightned the wheel bolt. The belt has a little less than 1" of play and reads around 275lbs.
No more vibrations! Very smooth at all the cruising speeds!

Thanks to all that provided info on this adjustment - it saved me a trip to the dealer :clap: Great :f_spider: forum.

 

[ataDude]

Glad it worked for you but... you drove it with the axle loose?

.

I was having annoying vibrations on the Spyder around 60+mph. The belt had about 2" of play. I bought a belt tension gauge from NAPA = $18.00.
The belt was at 200lbs.
I loosened up the rear wheel bolt jacked up the rear tire and tighned up both of the allen keys a little less than 1/2 a turn - drove a short distance - re-tightned the wheel bolt. The belt has a little less than 1" of play and reads around 275lbs.
No more vibrations! Very smooth at all the cruising speeds!

Thanks to all that provided info on this adjustment - it saved me a trip to the dealer :clap: Great :f_spider: forum.

 

[Donzo]

Glad it worked for you but... you drove it with the axle loose?

.

Not loose - just not fully tightned - I wanted to make sure it was seated on the keys - drove around 20 feet and ten snugged the bolt.

 

[ataDude]

Gotcha. :thumbup:

.

Not loose - just not fully tightned - I wanted to make sure it was seated on the keys - drove around 20 feet and ten snugged the bolt.

 

[Putt-Putt]

I was having annoying vibrations on the Spyder around 60+mph. The belt had about 2" of play. I bought a belt tension gauge from NAPA = $18.00.
The belt was at 200lbs.
I loosened up the rear wheel bolt jacked up the rear tire and tighned up both of the allen keys a little less than 1/2 a turn - drove a short distance - re-tightned the wheel bolt. The belt has a little less than 1" of play and reads around 275lbs.
No more vibrations! Very smooth at all the cruising speeds!

Thanks to all that provided info on this adjustment - it saved me a trip to the dealer :clap: Great :f_spider: forum.

Is that what it is supposed to be set to 275 lbs.?

 

[Latemarch]

Is that what it is supposed to be set to 275 lbs.?

Yes, (180-330 if my conversion from N to Lbs is right) but the NAPA tool isn't all that accurate as it's designed to measure the tension of grooved auto accessory belts.

I've got the same tool and my belt from the dealer when new measured out at 250 so that's the number that my tool reads and my belt can be flexed about 1/2 inch with a "calibrated" 10lbs from my thumb. Which by the way seems overly tight but I understand that they come from the factory tight and loosen up as the motor mounts shift.

 

[Donzo]

Is that what it is supposed to be set to 275 lbs.?

250 - 300lbs is what my dealer said to go for.
I went for a long ride yesterday - very smooth, no vibration - love that machine!
The grin factor was in effect on my ride - spontanious grins all day long! :clap::spyder2:
The amount of attention you get on this ride is unreal - never knew how much I like attention and meeting new people - a must if you ride a Spyder :chat:

 

[krb1945]

Newton meters to Foot pounds

Here is a newton meter to foot pounds conversion link...
http://www.unitconversion.org/energy/newton-meters-to-foot-pounds-conversion.html

There is also a foot pound to newton meters there.

I'm looking at the shop manual and it has two areas for belt tension one states
800N to 1500N and another states 1400N to 1600N.

When I run the conversion 800N to foot pounds it the conversion is 500+ FTlb and few points. At the 1400N it would be in excess of 1000 FTlbs.

My foot pounds after aligning the belt off the gear lip is 260 on the wheel spoke and 240 between the wheel spokes and that seems to work real well. No belt whining or singing since I got it off the inner sprocket lip and no vibration.

I just don't get why the shop manual says 800n to 1500n and 1400N to 1600N. You would think that would be tough on bearings and belts. Can someone put some light on this?

Hope this wee bit of information helps.

 

[ataDude]

Here is a newton meter to foot pounds conversion link...
http://www.unitconversion.org/energy/newton-meters-to-foot-pounds-conversion.html

There is also a foot pound to newton meters there.

I'm looking at the shop manual and it has two areas for belt tension one states
800N to 1500N and another states 1400N to 1600N.

When I run the conversion 800N to foot pounds it the conversion is 500+ FTlb and few points. At the 1400N it would be in excess of 1000 FTlbs.

My foot pounds after aligning the belt off the gear lip is 260 on the wheel spoke and 240 between the wheel spokes and that seems to work real well. No belt whining or singing since I got it off the inner sprocket lip and no vibration.

I just don't get why the shop manual says 800n to 1500n and 1400N to 1600N. You would think that would be tough on bearings and belts. Can someone put some light on this?

Hope this wee bit of information helps.

There's a bunch of us that think the specs, as they came from the factory, were really tight... and potentially hard on the bearings. I personally run a lot lighter... don't know how much... and align my belt on a jack in third gear... with it running.

BTW, in my manual there's a note under the 800-1500N specs that says never use those to SET the tension... only to CHECK the tension?!? BRP checks the tension with a sonic device that measures the belt's harmonics. Weird, but true.

I'm happy.

.

 

[krb1945]

Belt tension

Thanks for the information.

When I check mine cold it is 240 and 260 depending on whether between the spokes or spoke aligned with swing arm.

Hot it checks at 280 between and 320 aligned on the swing arm.

I would prefer it at 300 or a little less hot. Still fine tuning it some... about 1/8 of a turn at the time.

 

[czdaryle]

Does anyone have the part nos or a name of the tool. Are they all the same or does the spyder use a certain type? I might as well go out and get one as I will need one I take it

 

[Putt-Putt]

Ya me too on the tool.

 

[ataDude]

Does anyone have the part nos or a name of the tool. Are they all the same or does the spyder use a certain type? I might as well go out and get one as I will need one I take it

Ya me too on the tool.

You don't need it... and besides, the sonic tool is upwards of $500.

Buy a belt tension gauge from NAPA for $10 and you can get to the same result. After adjusting with it, I had the dealer check it once as a sanity check. It was on the "less tight" side (intentionally) but within BRP specs.

.

.

 

[Putt-Putt]

Just called NAPA for the Gates belt tension krikit-V guage. Part #nbhkr2 And they told me they don't have anything under that part #. I read somewhere that was NAPA's part #. :dontknow:

 

[ataDude]

Putt (mind if I call you by your first name? )... from their web site:

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPag...PartNumber=KR2&Description=Belt+Tension+Gauge

 

[krb1945]

Gates KRIKIT II Belt Tension Guage

I got my guage a few days ago and here are the numbers right off the box.

Got it from Napa in north FL and it was 18.94

Numbers are as follows: 7401-0072 (on the end of the box)

On the side of the box: KRIKIT 88 V-BELT TENSION GAUGE
91132
UPC: 0 72053 00630 8

Hope this helps.

 

[czdaryle]

thanks everybody!

 

[Putt-Putt]

thanks everybody!

DITTO! :2thumbs:

 

[barb36jack31]

Belt adjustment

I am still using the old "if you can twist the belt 90 degrees at midpoint by hand" you are in the ball park. So far, so good.

 

[nickcaro]

I am still using the old "if you can twist the belt 90 degrees at midpoint by hand" you are in the ball park. So far, so good.

LMAO!
I'm nearly there.. I look to see if the belt is still there.
If it is, I ride.