Vibrations after 12k service....!

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Sooo... I picked up my girlfriends spyder the other day. It had been in for the 12.000 mile service. It was running rough at low revs. and the gear shift sensor was buggered.
They changed the sensor,changed an exhaust gasket,did the normal service and did a data update.
The result was a significantly better run at lower rpm, but ones rev'ed up to around 3500 rpm it has a high frequent vibration, felt in foot pegs and handle bars. It is worst around 5000-6500 rpm and worse on the left side. This was never the case before the service. We rode a couple of hundred miles over a weekend and brought it back to the dealer that performed the service. We explained the vibration issues... They did not find anything wrong,they could not feel it. Three techs rode it and said it absolutely normal. Ok...but why did it not vibrate before the service then.
Explaination, one should expect ones spyder to vibrate more when it gets old... I said : Yes maybe,but this one only got 12k... They said :Well that's very old for a new model.
On that note I paid the $960 for the service, left and brought it to another dealer to get their opinion.
The tech here was very helpfull. Together we hooked it up to the laptop and ran the diagnoses....nothing wrong,everything is fine.
We adjusted the belt to less tension according to a BRP bulletin...still same vibrations.
I ripped all panels off to look for loose parts,engine mounts etc. Everything is fine.
Is this the way it should run now,after the latest update...
Going on a 3000 mile road trip in two days.Pretty concerned.

Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appriciated.:helpsmilie:

 

[Dudley]

Well, I only have 39,000 miles on our '08 SE5, so according to the techs it should be falling apart! I hope you get your problems fixed. There should not be ANY unusual vibrations, from my experience, anyway.

 

[boborgera]

:dontknow:
Maybe just maybe but i had the same vibrations when i adjusted my belt TOO lose, tighten it up and the vibrations were gone,
Hope this helps.?

 

[BajaRon]

Sounds like belt tension to me. And no, it isn't age that is giving you vibration.

Having the belt too tight is likely to cause uneven belt stretch.

My belt was too tight and I losened it up to the high end of the current specs. Initially I got a lot more vibration and I was not pleased at all.

But as I've ridden it the vibration has consitantly gotten better till now it is much less than ever before.

Here is my theory. Belt was too tight to begin with and may have caused it to stretched unevenly. With the belt re-tensioned correctly the inconsistant belt lengths caused more vibration.

Over time the belt stretch has evened out and now I have less vibration.

Admittedly, this theory has some apparent holes in it but I haven't come up with anything better yet.

If you're sure the tension is correct I'd ride it for awhile and see how it goes. It took a few hundred miles for mine to get to where it is now so it wasn't a guick fix.

If the belt is bad riding it with a correct tension isn't going to hurt it any.

 

[Firefly]

I think Ron could be onto (or at least on) something.....

Does the vibration come and go depending on what RPM and gear you're in?

When I lowered mine to the low end of the new spec-- I had vibrations --- perhaps not 'worse' than before-- but more noticeable because the RPM points of them changed big time. Took me awhile to get used to. Then I decided to increase the tension just a bit and they got better--- but again the belt vibrations were at different points.

You may need to change your shift points and cruise RPMs to minimize the vibrations. I usually only notice them if I'm in too high a gear and too low an RPM (not quite lugging--- but getting close).

Whoever told you your bike will vibrate more as it gets older is full of it. That is a lame excuse.

My guess is they goofed up on getting the belt tension done right.

 

[capt.jim]

I feel your pain, my spyder was super smooth before i installed new bearings and a new toyo t1r, then had all kinds of vibrations at all kinds of different rpm's, drove me crazy, disassembled the whole rear axle twice looking for a bad bearing, out of round or unbalanced tire, anything i could think of. Adjusting the belt tension just moved the vibrations to a different RPM, got it to where i could live with it, and it seems to have improved over time or maybe i just got used to it, but it's never been as smooth as when the belt was tight. Once i get to cruising speed it smooths out, but under accelleration it still vibrates. I have my belt at 180 lbs. Being that the belt is 40" between front and rear spockets and is vibrating under power makes me suspect that it is the bottom side of the belt, which is the looser side, which is causing the vibration. I am currently designing a spring loaded belt tensioner with a 3" idler pulley, placed midways between the front and rear sprockets to see if it helps. 40" is quite a span

 

[BajaRon]

I feel your pain, my spyder was super smooth before i installed new bearings and a new toyo t1r, then had all kinds of vibrations at all kinds of different rpm's, drove me crazy, disassembled the whole rear axle twice looking for a bad bearing, out of round or unbalanced tire, anything i could think of. Adjusting the belt tension just moved the vibrations to a different RPM, got it to where i could live with it, and it seems to have improved over time or maybe i just got used to it, but it's never been as smooth as when the belt was tight. Once i get to cruising speed it smooths out, but under accelleration it still vibrates. I have my belt at 180 lbs. Being that the belt is 40" between front and rear spockets and is vibrating under power makes me suspect that it is the bottom side of the belt, which is the looser side, which is causing the vibration. I am currently designing a spring loaded belt tensioner with a 3" idler pulley, placed midways between the front and rear sprockets to see if it helps. 40" is quite a span

Let us know how your belt tensioner project goes. The Spyder runs a very long belt. I would think BRP would at least have considered a tensioner. But since they didn't supply one they either tried it and didn't think it was worth the effort or maybe they didn't try it at all.

 

[docdoru]

Initially (2008, 2009 and 3 months of 2010) the belt tension was set for 750N+/-150N. The April 27, 2010 revision of the 2010/6 (April 1st Service Bulletin) lower the belt tension to 450N+/-150N. Such a dramatic change can't be explained only to parts failure: main shaft, hub, counter shaft pulley, bearings...and yes, it does vibrate after lowering the belt tension. opcorn:

 

[BajaRon]

Initially (2008, 2009 and 3 months of 2010) the belt tension was set for 750N+/-150N. The April 27, 2010 revision of the 2010/6 (April 1st Service Bulletin) lower the belt tension to 450N+/-150N. Such a dramatic change can't be explained only to parts failure: main shaft, hub, counter shaft pulley, bearings...and yes, it does vibrate after lowering the belt tension. opcorn:

Vibration is better than bearing failure. But after about 500 miles my vibration has gotten much better.

Sorry...Couldn't Resist! :yes: