| Author | Message | ||
     Sprintex |
With the new tires I am also doing a belt change (original belt, 06, 14K), my question ,is it easier to get the tensioner pulley back on with the bike sitting on the wheels and not on a lift like I am trying to do? With no weight on the back wheel the suspension is at it's tightest point right? So would putting weight help? Because this sucker isn't going back on. And yes I did a search. | ||
| Skifastbadly |
I had to change my belt in the field and what I learned is you don't need to, and in fact should not, remove the belt tensioner in order to change the belt. Once the wheel is off, and the frame 'bridge part' removed, it's quite simple to get the belt on. Simply loosen the axle until there is slack. If you try to get the tensioner on with the axle fully tightened (and thus the belt fully taut) it's going to be a nightmare. Loosen (or even remove) the wheel, install the tensioner, then re-tighten the wheel. | ||
| Yool |
+1 on what Ski said. I did my belt on the side of the road as well......on the side-stand. Loosen the pinch bolts and the axle, till the wheel moves forward Remove the swingarm "bridge part" The new belt should slip straight in. Replace the bridge. Important to do this before you tension the wheel Tighten and re-torque the axle, AND THE PINCH BOLT, I forgot mine for a week. (I don't run belt guards, so took me about ten minutes tops) Good Luck | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Steve, I just installed a brand new belt just a few days before riding to Homecoming so I know what difficulties you are experiencing. But there is a trick to it. As Skifast says, leave the back wheel axle untightened but you MUST start the threads a few turns. If you don't, you'll NEVER get the axle to start threading after you get get the belt on the idler because the belt is so tight that you'll never be able to line up the axle to start threading. OK, so now you already have the axle threads threaded a few turns. Now the trick to get the belt over the idler. At least this worked for me and quite easily with an extra set of hands available (wife was lending a hand). With the idler bracket already attached to the idler wheel and the belt on the idler wheel, get the back hole of the bracket over the back stud just enough to hold the bracket in place. Then have your helper squeeze the upper and lower parts of the belt together as best they can so as to seat the belt into the rear belt sprocket better. At the same time use a pry bar under the idler pulley with a something like a folded wash cloth or board to keep from chipping the finish on the idler pulley. The fulcrum for the pry bar when I did it was the hydraulic motorcycle jack stand I was holding up my ULY with at the time. I used a crowbar for the pry bar. Just pry up the idler wheel so that the other idler bracket hole will slip over the front stud a bit. Then tap the idler bracket far enough onto the studs so that you can thread on the nuts. Seat the bracket on the two studs by tightening the nuts to torque spec. Don't forget to now tighten the axle following the correct procedure and torque spec. Pinch bolt too. Good luck. | ||
| Pso |
Like said earlier, you do not need to take the idle wheel pulley off. Some have just losened it, others have not even done that much. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
The only time I have had that idler pulley off was to install the new belt. So damned tight. Probably won't have to after it stretches a bit like the original belt. | ||
| Sprintex |
Thanks for the ideas. The idler pulley is already is off as as I was going by the book. But would it go back on easier if the bike was on the ground? | ||
| Rwven |
Sprintex, It will all go easier if you can compress the rear suspension. Simply setting it on the ground will not be enough. When I did mine I also was changing the cooling fan so I had the rear shock removed. I was able to "compress" the rear suspension considerably simply by lowering the bike. To get the idler back on, stick a finger through the slot in the idler wheel adjacent to the belt contact point. You can push the belt up onto the wheel as you install it that way. Be sure to squeeze the belt tightly just behind the front pulley to insure that it is fully seated in the pulleys before you attempt to install the idler. (Message edited by rwven on July 01, 2010) | ||
| Skifastbadly |
Do yourself a huge favor. Take the belt back off. Install the tensioner. Then put the belt on. When I did my 'field service', I was in the same situation as you are, and by the time I got the tensioner back on, I had so screwed up the threads on one of the studs I had to buy a die to fix it. It'll be worth the extra half hour to remove the belt and re-install. Trust me. After all, I'm a stranger on the internet. | ||
| Sprintex |
My new belt must have shrunk in the mail. | ||
| Rwven |
Nah, they are quite tight... | ||
| Sprintex |
IT"S ON!!!!!! Where's my beer? I loosened the axle a bit more, tap the pulley on till it was flush to belt, then rolled it the belt over it while trying to hold the wheel as close to the swing arm. Then tapped on the pulley bracket. Anyway, thanks for all the help. | ||
| Skifastbadly |
You tried to put it on without a beer? Well, THERE'S your problem! |
