drive belt aligment (again)

[Aussie spyder]

I installed a new drive belt after the old one was destroyed.(please read docturo's counter shaft pulley tread on 09-12-09 my reply 22 )I Started with adjusting the belt tension using the the krikit tension tool.When that was o.k i did the aligment as per manual and the belt is with in the maximum and minimum tolerants on the back pulley.on the front pulley the belt has run of the pulley and is hitting the engine cover.I belief that is the reason that the first belt was destroyed. there is a smal grove in the engine cover and and a smal crack in the axhaust pipe behind the belt.the rear axel nut has been tightend as is recommended.the reading on the krikit is 210.after a few more attemps with no different result, i put the wheel forward so far as posible and made sure that the shaft was parallel with the end of the swinging arm, with the same result.i can pull the belt back against the flange on the pulley,but when i spin the wheel it wil hit the engine cover again.i need some help to solve this problem i hope some one know what to do.

thanks and greetings from down under. henk:helpsmilie:

 

[NancysToy]

It is pretty hard to troubleshoot mechanical problems over the Internet. It sounds like you have a major mechanical issue. The most likely culprit would be a bad countershaft and/or drive sprocket, and perhaps a cracked bolt. Another possibility would be bad rear wheel or sprocket bearings. A bad countershaft bearing could cause problems like this, too. I would also like to say that your Krikit reading is too high, based on what mine read after the belt was adjusted to the new, lower spec. This will not cause such a problem in itself, but can lead to accelerated countershaft, bearing, or sprocket failure.

It is possible that your belt is bad (again), with damaged reinforcement fibers on one side. These weak fibers would let it curve along the edge and run out...at least in one spot. The belt damage is likely a symptom, rather than the cause of your worries. A straight edge should tell you a lot about the sprocket alignment and the belt straightness. If the belt is off, check it every few inchs by hand for lateral stiffness. See how things line up when the belt hits the case. Careful inspection with the belt off should tell you about the sprockets, shaft, and bearings. Look for play in and component, including movement on the countershaft. Provided your Spyder has not been in an accident, you should not need to look for frame damage, although you might check your motor mounts. BTW, are you sure it is not the sprocket that has damaged the case? That is more likely.

Best of luck in your detective work.

 

[Arthur---Mexico]

Aligning the rear belt

Woodchuck is not a name. If you will send me an email to [email protected] with your name and address I'll answer you telling you the way to correct your belt alignment. It will be a long letter. You're right on the ball when you said that something isn't lined up right. There is no "system" and there is no "low side". Arthur S. Cohen, Mexico City, Mexico. I'm in the tellephone book.

You wrote: A belt will run to the lowest side of the system. Something isn't lined up right to have it ride over the front pulley.I think you have a bad bearing in the rear wheel allowing the rear wheel to get out of alignment.. When I was working as a millwright, we were told when a belt is installed on anything that you must be able to read the writing on the belt. As in your case, the writing must face you where it is readable.
Good Luck[/QUOTE]