Rear drive belt gauge?

[Roy]

Hello

Just got a quote from my local HD shop for a belt gauge, £28. Wonder if anyone knew of any 'just as good but cheaper' alternatives??


Cheers, Roy

[Oilslick]

I've got one you can borrow.

It seems too tight to me though when set with it (including the weight of a rider.) Got a whine from the belt so mine set a bit looser and runs quiet now.

Might be the wrong thing to do but it just seems happier.

I did hear yours whine a fair bit while we were in Denmark. Thought it was mine to start with.

[Roy]

Cheers Pete

I did get Cheltenham HD to have a look at it to triple check and they confirmed belt too tight hence squeaking so made the adjustment. I just wanted a gauge in the garage for next inevitable tyre change.

Channel Isles HD seem about the cheapest for the HD belt gauge, unless anyone knows of anywhere yet cheaper ... ???

Speak to you soon (Monday) mate


Cheers, Roy

[banquo]

As an aside, my belt hasn't needed adjustment in the last 35,000 miles. When taking the back wheel off, mark one the the flats on the adjuster bolts with indelible marker, and count the turns when you back them off. Stick them back in the same place and you're guaranteed that alignment and belt tension are as before.
I bought the belt tension tool too, but as I can't sit on the bike and adjust the belt at the same time, it's not a lot of use. Planning to make a suspension compressor, so it can be done with one person.

[devon.john]

I bought the belt tension tool too, but as I can't sit on the bike and adjust the belt at the same time, it's not a lot of use. Planning to make a suspension compressor, so it can be done with one person.[/quote]


you can compress the suspension with a heavy ratchet strap, it better to remove the seat to do it . someone i was taking too does it this way and it is successful.
john

[john mac]

If you can get hold of a copy of the Harley service manual for your bike and check the (Quick Reference Maintenance Chart), it gives the deflection measurement with the bike on the jiffy stand, and with the bike on a lift and the back wheel off the ground.
Both these measurements are "without" the weight of the rider or luggage.
The measurements for my Fatboy are, (1/4 - 5/16 in.) on the jiffy stand, and 3/16 - 1/4 in. with the back wheel off the floor, and 10lb upward pressure applied to the belt.
Hope this is of some use.

[banquo]

That's the sort of thing I had in mind John. The idea was to sit on the bike to compress the suspension, then fit something somewhere to hold it there; maybe a bar between swinging arm and fender rail, or a spacer between base of swinging arm and the frame (it's a Softail). Will get something worked out, but must admit a ratchet strap would be a far simpler solution...

[Roy]

John

Thanks and good call. This is the same in the dyna service manual as well.

Cheers Roy

[MarlboroMan]

there's a tool for this.? dayum,, ive been doing it by look and touch for 20 years, on my 2nd belt in 110,00 miles,, so think ill continue to do it the old way ;)

[Battersea]

I put this post on a similar query, might give you an alternative method.

"I have always thought the factory adjustment method is a bit 'hit and miss', mainly because it requires a seated rider. When its time to adjust the belt, most of the time the only person available to sit on the bike is my misses and she only weighs 8 stone. Our combined weight is 21 stone and I just don't see how using 8 stone is going to put the wheel in the right position for correct adjustment to be made when riding two-up.

So I pull the swinging arm up with strops until the centre of the clutch, swinging arm spindle and rear wheel spindle visually align. I find the tightest spot by revolving the wheel and then adjust the belt so that there is only the minimum of deflection with a guesstimated 1/2lb force.

The first time this was done I re-checked the tension using the factory gauge and it came out about right."