Belt tensioning problems

[Steber]

I recently got my rotor chromed and its singing like a nest of birds, so much its embarrassing to roll around between 30 and 50mph. Tejas stated my belt was true and tension was right, I have heard of using a bar of soap, how do you apply it.

thanks for any help.

jack it up, roll the wheel with the soap/wax on the edges of the belt.. Who chromed the pulley? Is it possible the chrome thickness is too thick? Their's not exactly a lot of side play the way it sits, with a few mills of the several layers from chroming it could be causing an issue.

[RoadStarRaider]

[CHROMINATOR]

I recently got my rotor chromed and its singing like a nest of birds, so much its embarrassing to roll around between 30 and 50mph. Tejas stated my belt was true and tension was right, I have heard of using a bar of soap, how do you apply it.

thanks for any help.

jack it up, roll the wheel with the soap/wax on the edges of the belt.. Who chromed the pulley? Is it possible the chrome thickness is too thick? Their's not exactly a lot of side play the way it sits, with a few mills of the several layers from chroming it could be causing an issue.

There is more than 1/8 inch total space between the belt width and the inside measurements of the pulley.  That may not seem like much but when you are comparing chrome plating thickness to it it's like a canyon between valleys.  The dealer has to, for liability reasons, align according to the book, which states the alignment marks must be lined up.  As we all know the alignment marks on the Raider are not lined up.  You can wax/soap all you want but you are not eliminating the problem.  Every time I have had my bike in to the dealer for anything that required the rear wheel being removed when I got it back it was as you stated, singing like a nest of birds.  Either jack it up or do it on the ground, get the proper tension according to the service manual then align the belt so it tracks true just right of center on the pulley.  Once done, and it may take a few times to get it just where it needs to be, the wax/soap will never be needed again.

[hawk3473]

There is a good you tube video showing how to do this adjustment.  I never pay attention to the marks use calipers or a steel rule.   Make sure they measure the same on both sides and tighten everything back together.  As far as using soap you are only doing a temp fix and NOT REPAIRING the problem.  Adjust your belt my dealer said the same thing but mine was singing as I call it.  I watched the video and bought the tension tool and adjust it myself.  Mine was has to be on the tighter side of the limit to not sing.  I usually adjust mine put it all back together and take it for a ride.  Sometimes it takes a couple of tries.  I had to do the same thing to a buddies bike the hardest part about doing it is removing the exhaust if you don't have an aftermarket the allows you to get to the axle nut.

[Steber]

I recently got my rotor chromed and its singing like a nest of birds, so much its embarrassing to roll around between 30 and 50mph. Tejas stated my belt was true and tension was right, I have heard of using a bar of soap, how do you apply it.

thanks for any help.

jack it up, roll the wheel with the soap/wax on the edges of the belt.. Who chromed the pulley? Is it possible the chrome thickness is too thick? Their's not exactly a lot of side play the way it sits, with a few mills of the several layers from chroming it could be causing an issue.

There is more than 1/8 inch total space between the belt width and the inside measurements of the pulley.  That may not seem like much but when you are comparing chrome plating thickness to it it's like a canyon between valleys.  The dealer has to, for liability reasons, align according to the book, which states the alignment marks must be lined up.  As we all know the alignment marks on the Raider are not lined up.  You can wax/soap all you want but you are not eliminating the problem.  Every time I have had my bike in to the dealer for anything that required the rear wheel being removed when I got it back it was as you stated, singing like a nest of birds.  Either jack it up or do it on the ground, get the proper tension according to the service manual then align the belt so it tracks true just right of center on the pulley.  Once done, and it may take a few times to get it just where it needs to be, the wax/soap will never be needed again.

I assume such a reputable well regarded (by this forum) dealer stating the pulley was trued to the belt would mean they properly adjusted it to run true regardless of what a manual said.. further more 1/8 total space between belt is far from a canyon when you consider that leaves 1/16 or 0.0625 of an inch play on each side. When your average chrome thickness can range from 0.0005 to about 0.025 of an inch ON EACH SIDE you can see how your valley is non existent. this leaves you with nearly 0.0375 of an inch to play with on each side after being chromed depending on who chromed it..

[Beelze]

OK....   
I've been tensioning the belt and aligning the wheel using the swingarm hash marks. I have been trying to think of a way to measure the distance between the axle and the swingarm pivot.  (ongoing)

3 Questions:

1. The belt rides on the left side of the pulley (There is a space between the belt and the right side of the pulley.)  For those of us that need help visualizing the geometry, if the belt rides on the left side of the pulley, which way should I adjust the alignment?  Right side or left side forward?

2. Can we have an easy (hopefully sticky) thread with a simple "if your belt rides on the left side of the pulley, adjust your right side (foreward or rearward) and your left side (opposite direction)? (And vice versa)

3. Also, I'm curious... For those that have aligned your rear wheel wheel by centering the belt on the rear pulley, how far off are the hash marks on the swingarm?

[Zxdave]

for alignment don't use the marks bro , just make sure belt rides center to slightly right of the pulley !!
if its to far left you need to take the right side forward some , and the left side back a little

[CHROMINATOR]

for alignment don't use the marks bro , just make sure belt rides center to slightly right of the pulley !!
if its to far left you need to take the right side forward some , and the left side back a little

Once the proper tension is achieved, which is done with the left side adjustor, it does not need to be moved again.  Just use the right side to get the proper alignment.  As for your question #3 I will look at mine in the morning and get back to you.  My belt has been adjusted and I have not had any squealing in over 5000 miles.  There is no need for wax or soap if done correctly.

[Beelze]

Got it.  So it sounds like what I'm going to start doing is:
- Tension the belt
- align the rear wheel using the hash marks on the swing arm
- adjust the right side alignment bolt in 1/4 turns or so until the belt is centered on the pulley.

And I'm adjusting the right side forward to move the belt right on the pulley.  Or rearward to move the belt left on the pulley.

Good info, thanks.

[dreadly]

Once the proper tension is achieved, which is done with the left side adjustor, it does not need to be moved again.  Just use the right side to get the proper alignment.  As for your question #3 I will look at mine in the morning and get back to you.  My belt has been adjusted and I have not had any squealing in over 5000 miles.  There is no need for wax or soap if done correctly.

I may have been doing this wrong all along, but do you not adjust the belt tension from both sides? Using just the left to adjust the tension seems to me would put the wheel itself out of adjustment, no?

[CHROMINATOR]

Once the proper tension is achieved, which is done with the left side adjustor, it does not need to be moved again.  Just use the right side to get the proper alignment.  As for your question #3 I will look at mine in the morning and get back to you.  My belt has been adjusted and I have not had any squealing in over 5000 miles.  There is no need for wax or soap if done correctly.

I may have been doing this wrong all along, but do you not adjust the belt tension from both sides? Using just the left to adjust the tension seems to me would put the wheel itself out of adjustment, no?

Not at all, the tension is done from the left, once you get the proper tension per the service manual the right side is then used to get the proper alignment.  As you move the right side the left won't move from where you left it.  As you continue to adjust the right side the wheel will adjust the belt until you have it tracking in the center of the pulley thus making the wheel track true.  I always adjust the belt just a bit right of center because when you apply the throttle the torque will cause the belt to pull just a bit to the left.

[dreadly]

Not at all, the tension is done from the left, once you get the proper tension per the service manual the right side is then used to get the proper alignment.  As you move the right side the left won't move from where you left it.  As you continue to adjust the right side the wheel will adjust the belt until you have it tracking in the center of the pulley thus making the wheel track true.  I always adjust the belt just a bit right of center because when you apply the throttle the torque will cause the belt to pull just a bit to the left.

Isn't there a chance that the adjusters at some point may not be the same distance from measuring point on the arm?

I have always ensured that both adjusters were the same distance apart - once the tension was close - with no issues thus far.

[Kevs UK Raider SCL]

This is what I use..........I know it isn't cheap, but you have it forever. Can't get the alignment wrong with this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Profi-Products-Drive-CHAIN-or-BELT-Line-LASER-Exact-ALIGNMENT-TOOL-/141139954928?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

[CHROMINATOR]

Not at all, the tension is done from the left, once you get the proper tension per the service manual the right side is then used to get the proper alignment.  As you move the right side the left won't move from where you left it.  As you continue to adjust the right side the wheel will adjust the belt until you have it tracking in the center of the pulley thus making the wheel track true.  I always adjust the belt just a bit right of center because when you apply the throttle the torque will cause the belt to pull just a bit to the left.

Isn't there a chance that the adjusters at some point may not be the same distance from measuring point on the arm?

I have always ensured that both adjusters were the same distance apart - once the tension was close - with no issues thus far.

If it is done the way I stated the adjustors will always end up the same distance from the measuring point on the arm.  I do mine on the jack, once I think I have it where it needs to be I start the bike, put it in gear and allow the wheel to turn.  If your measurements are off the belt will not track true.  If the belt moves to the far left then tighten the right side adjustor, if it moves to the far right then loosen it a bit.  Of course always shut the bike down before making any adjustments.  Do the adjustment until the belt is tracking where you want it and remember, if the tension has been set you never need to touch the left side adjustor again.

[RaidWA]

As you move the right side the left won't move from where you left it.  As you continue to adjust the right side the wheel will adjust the belt until you have it tracking in the center of the pulley thus making the wheel track true.

This isn't a universally true statement but one that is repeated often on these forums. If the alignment and/or tension are very slightly off, this will hold somewhat true but not otherwise. It's the mechanics of axle geometry. If the right side is adjusted to push the axle away from the swingarm on that side, it will move towards it on the left since the axle is perfectly straight. The movement will change its orientation vs the swingarm and thus change the belt tension.

Re-install the wheel after a tire change and this becomes readily apparent.

OP, regarding your question about factory alignment marks, mine used to be perfect when the bike was new, but the disparity gradually grew. Now, they are off by 4 markings between the right and left.

[CHROMINATOR]

As you move the right side the left won't move from where you left it.  As you continue to adjust the right side the wheel will adjust the belt until you have it tracking in the center of the pulley thus making the wheel track true.

This isn't a universally true statement but one that is repeated often on these forums. If the alignment and/or tension are very slightly off, this will hold somewhat true but not otherwise. It's the mechanics of axle geometry. If the right side is adjusted to push the axle away from the swingarm on that side, it will move towards it on the left since the axle is perfectly straight. The movement will change its orientation vs the swingarm and thus change the belt tension.

Re-install the wheel after a tire change and this becomes readily apparent.

OP, regarding your question about factory alignment marks, mine used to be perfect when the bike was new, but the disparity gradually grew. Now, they are off by 4 markings between the right and left.

You are right that if one side moves the other has to also but that being said it is not going to move so much that the tension once set properly will be put outside of the allowable tolerance per the service manual.  I adjust my belt on my jack and the service manual states: Drive belt slack (On a suitable lift) (14 - 21mm) or (0.55 - 0.83 inch), that just over 1/4 inch of movement once the 10 lbs is reading on a tension tool.  To move it that much the wheel itself would be out of alignment.