Drive belt tension.

[Firefly]

Not sure about the Gates, but it is similar to the NAPA gauge. Not much to it. Put it in the center of the belt run (running lengthwise with the belt), push down on the finger tab until it clicks, read the number off the scale.

Ahhh.. but which side of the moving yellow part does one read for the scale?

I've always assumed the 'top' or 'leftmost' part.

Mine has always been maxed out.. push down to click and nothing has really moved. Going to take it with me to Cuba and check against what they adjust it to.

 

[RJB]

Belt Tension

After reading this thread, I took the bike to my local friendly car mechanic who has a Robinair belt tension gauge which reads ft.lbs and Newtons. It was reading a bit off the chart, but we guestimated it was at 250 ft.lbs/1100 Newtons. Had the wife take the Spyder to the dealer to check the belt tension. They said they loosened it and that anything but a "Sonic" gauge will not give an accurate reading. It seemed the same to me, so we put the Robinair on it and sure enough we got the same reading.

So what gives? Is anything but the sonic or whatever gauge they are using inaccurate? Or is the dealer blowing smoke? This is the same dealer that over filled my oil at the 600 miles.

 

[Sarge707]

After reading this thread, I took the bike to my local friendly car mechanic who has a Robinair belt tension gauge which reads ft.lbs and Newtons. It was reading a bit off the chart, but we guestimated it was at 250 ft.lbs/1100 Newtons. Had the wife take the Spyder to the dealer to check the belt tension. They said they loosened it and that anything but a "Sonic" gauge will not give an accurate reading. It seemed the same to me, so we put the Robinair on it and sure enough we got the same reading. Doesn,t It just make you wish you could go in a look at their final guage reading? Sort of like the guy at the oil change place showing you your level on the stick!!

So what gives? Is anything but the sonic or whatever gauge they are using inaccurate? Or is the dealer blowing smoke? This is the same dealer that over filled my oil at the 600 miles.

When they don,t measure what they take out aren,t they sort of guessing how much they put in. Sea Doo 4-stroke watercraft also have a dry sump and we use a 5 quart oil extractor to take out oil and put the identical amount back in!
When I change my Spyder oil I pour it in the 5 quart extractor and that tells me just what to put back in within a few ounces.

The MORE you can do yourself the better. NO ONE cares for your Spyder like you do!nojoke