When To Replace Belt tensioner/Vibration Damper/Idler Pulley?

[ulflyer]

When did you replace your belt tensioner Roller?

Coming up on 15K shortly and thinking ahead about when to change the roller. What is general opinion when to do this?

Have to order some other stuff from Lamonster and thinking on ordering a roller while I'm at it.

 

[BajaRon]

Coming up on 15K shortly and thinking ahead about when to change the roller. What is general opinion when to do this?

Have to order some other stuff from Lemonster and thinking on ordering a roller while I'm at it.

Actually, you can't because the belt tensioners on the Spyder don't have rollers. You can, however, replace the rollers on a belt dampener! Sorry, just a pet peeve that I know I'll never win. Nothing personal...

 

[fatboy]

I have 50000 and wife has 30000 on our '21 RTL's, no problems so far.

 

[EdMat]

I would order the replacement to have on hand and just keep check on the one on the Spyder. I just have made a habit of once a week reaching under and lifting the roller and spinning it to check for smoothness.

 

[Peteoz]

Actually, you can't because the belt tensioners on the Spyder don't have rollers. You can, however, replace the rollers on a belt dampener! Sorry, just a pet peeve that I know I'll never win. Nothing personal...

Hahahaha……onya Ron.:roflblack:

Pete

 

[spyderdave]

Coming up on 15K shortly and thinking ahead about when to change the roller. What is general opinion when to do this?

Have to order some other stuff from Lamonster and thinking on ordering a roller while I'm at it.

I checked the dampener on my 2020 RTL, at about the same mileage, and found one of the two bearings to be bad. With a drive belt circumference of ~110" and Lamonster's roller at about 5.5", those little suckers are really spinning!

Once the roller is off, they come out of the housing easily, I used a socket & wooden mallet to tap them out after removing the snap ring. I replaced them (& the ones in my backup roller) with SKF 6202 2RS C3 Deep Groove bearings; they have the highest rpm rating I could find. I found them reasonably priced on Ebay. Good luck!

 

[Mikey]

Actually, you can't because the belt tensioners on the Spyder don't have rollers. You can, however, replace the rollers on a belt dampener! Sorry, just a pet peeve that I know I'll never win. Nothing personal...

I somehow knew you would say that!!!hyea:

 

[Mikey]

Coming up on 15K shortly and thinking ahead about when to change the roller. What is general opinion when to do this?

Have to order some other stuff from Lamonster and thinking on ordering a roller while I'm at it.

Reach up there every now and then and see if the bearings are starting to feel rough when you spin them, you'll know when it's time. If it's right after a ride they feel warm, but they should never feel hot! They should spin smooth, not rough! Shaken, not stirred! :cheers:

 

[BajaRon]

I checked the dampener on my 2020 RTL, at about the same mileage, and found one of the two bearings to be bad. With a drive belt circumference of ~110" and Lamonster's roller at about 5.5", those little suckers are really spinning!

Once the roller is off, they come out of the housing easily, I used a socket & wooden mallet to tap them out after removing the snap ring. I replaced them (& the ones in my backup roller) with SKF 6202 2RS C3 Deep Groove bearings; they have the highest rpm rating I could find. I found them reasonably priced on Ebay. Good luck!

Bless you my son!

 

[BajaRon]

I checked the dampener on my 2020 RTL, at about the same mileage, and found one of the two bearings to be bad. With a drive belt circumference of ~110" and Lamonster's roller at about 5.5", those little suckers are really spinning!

Once the roller is off, they come out of the housing easily, I used a socket & wooden mallet to tap them out after removing the snap ring. I replaced them (& the ones in my backup roller) with SKF 6202 2RS C3 Deep Groove bearings; they have the highest rpm rating I could find. I found them reasonably priced on Ebay. Good luck!

Bless you my son!

I somehow knew you would say that!!!hyea:

Guilty as charged! A creature of habit, (and lost causes) I suppose... I think "A Rose By Any Other Name" may apply here.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Actually, you can't because the belt tensioners on the Spyder don't have rollers. You can, however, replace the rollers on a belt dampener! Sorry, just a pet peeve that I know I'll never win. Nothing personal...

....Guilty as charged! A creature of habit, (and lost causes) I suppose... I think "A Rose By Any Other Name" may apply here.

Whadda you mean with this bit, Ron?? And TWICE! :shocked: Are you piking out on me?? :dontknow:

C'mon, suck it up! None of that 'defeatist attitude'! :lecturef_smilie:

We WILL WIN & get thru to everyone eventually!! Just keep the goal in sight, you know we'll make it! hyea: Hang in there, keep on slugging; we've come so far, it'd be a shame to give up now when we're sooo close! You only 'lose' when you stop trying! There may come a day when we can no longer, but TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY!

Be Positive - it's a Belt DAMPENER, not a belt tensioner - the tensioners/aligners on the far ends of the swing arms! The Belt DAMPENERS have rollers! You got this! I'm with you, and there are more! Together, we WILL prevail! :yes:

 

[BajaRon]

Whadda you mean with this bit, Ron?? And TWICE! :shocked: Are you piking out on me?? :dontknow:

C'mon, suck it up! None of that 'defeatist attitude'! :lecturef_smilie:

We WILL WIN & get thru to everyone eventually!! Just keep the goal in sight, you know we'll make it! hyea: Hang in there, keep on slugging; we've come so far, it'd be a shame to give up now when we're sooo close! You only 'lose' when you stop trying! There may come a day when we can no longer, but TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY!

Be Positive - it's a Belt DAMPENER, not a belt tensioner - the tensioners/aligners on the far ends of the swing arms! The Belt DAMPENERS have rollers! You got this! I'm with you, and there are more! Together, we WILL prevail! :yes:

I suppose you're right. There are still a few of us left! Every one we can convert is a victory!:thumbup:

 

[ulflyer]

Looks like BRP calls it an "Idler Pulley" or am I reading this wrong? Whatever it is, we all know what we're writing about. LOL
https://www.canampartshouse.com/oemparts/p/can_am/705503291/idler-pulley

Thanks all for the feedback and Mikey, your suggestion about feeling of the roller every now and then makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[Snoking1127]

Hey it is a tensioner when you are backing up. I wonder if CAN AM actually tried one on the bottom of the belt. I do know that when I installed at spring loaded roller on my first 2018 Spyder RTL it cured the harmonic belt sound at around 45 MPH. The recently purchase 2018 RTL had one already installed. BTW it is fun to challenge Honda and HD trike owner to a race in reverse gear.

 

[troop]

FWIW, Jacob at Lamonster recommended replacing their beefier roller every 15K miles.

 

[Yabbadabbadoo]

My OEM roller failed at around 10,000 miles, scored the drive belt. I replaced it with the Lamonster roller which is still going strong with 36,000 miles on the bike now. Maybe I'll order a replacement now just in case...

 

[troop]

Such a big PIA to replace on the 2020+ RT's

 

[2dogs]

I zip tied my dampener up to the frame and off of my belt and adjusted the belt to where I had the least amount of annoying vibration. Didn't and don't trust those little bearings at all!

 

[ulflyer]

Lamont says his are good for 15-20K but advises regular checks. I read this forum regularly and don't remember seeing much posted about failures, or issues requiring replacement.

My '22 RT has about 24K on it, and I check the roller now and then to see if it feels OK. So far, nothing detected, but beginning to think it may be about time to replace the factory with a Lamonster.

Just wondering how others deal with it; have you discovered any issues before failure? What did the roller feel like? Or have you, perhaps, replaced it for peace of mind? At what mileage?

 

[Knizar]

Lamont says his are good for 15-20K but advises regular checks. I read this forum regularly and don't remember seeing much posted about failures, or issues requiring replacement.

My '22 RT has about 24K on it, and I check the roller now and then to see if it feels OK. So far, nothing detected, but beginning to think it may be about time to replace the factory with a Lamonster.

Just wondering how others deal with it; have you discovered any issues before failure? What did the roller feel like? Or have you, perhaps, replaced it for peace of mind? At what mileage?

I have a 2020RTL, which is basically the same machine as yours. Mine came without a dampener and I have seen no reason to add one after over 45,000 miles.

You might try wiring it up off the belt to see if you actually need one!

:thumbup: Bill