| Author | Message | ||
     Djs_151 |
Just got a 2002 blast and it is need of the 15,000 mile service. Replacement of belt and sprocket is called for in the manual. I thought one of the benefits of belt drive was that only the belt need be replaced, not the belt and sprocket (as with chain drive). Is this due to it being an older model, or is it the same on new blasts as well? If replaced now with new parts is there still a 15,000 mile replacement interval or do new parts have longer intervals? thanx | ||
| Ezblast |
Yes - replace both and the bolts as well every 15,000. GT - JBOTDS! EZ  | ||
| Jprovo |
The Interval is 15,000 miles. Personally, you can run them MUCH londer without worry if you keep all the stock belt guards in place. I got over 25,000 miles on my first bely, and changed out both the belt and the sprocket. I kept the old belt and sprocket. I'd put that sprocket on another wheel, and I'll be running the current belt that I have 16,000+ mile on until it actually shows some sign of wear. James | ||
| Rcontroler |
My belt snapped couple weeks ago @ about 22,000 miles. I decided to just try a new belt on the old sprocket and see how things work out. Old belt still looked good with very small crackage at the roots of some of the teeth. Sprocket looks good too with no damage to any teeth visible. | ||
| M4sterblast3r |
i dont understand, why do the other buell bikes never need belt replacement? could someone enlighten me? | ||
| Ezblast |
Goodyear makes theirs, Gates makes ours. GT - JBOTDS! EZ (Message edited by ezblast on November 12, 2006) | ||
| M4sterblast3r |
i cant google anything on goodyear hibrex belts, i want one on my blast  | ||
| Swampy |
Oh, they replace them...... But just when they do too many wheelies...LOL! | ||
| M4sterblast3r |
lol, i have this image in my head that they are magic undestructable wonder belts. | ||
| Luckyduck |
Hey, I finally decided to write up my belt spacing to follow up on the belt breaking above. After looking at Buellistics pictures and playing with some different washers to figure out how long of a spacer I wanted. It turns out 1/2" is the most I can do without getting too close to the swing arm. Too close is defined as inside the paint. Here is what I did. Step 1: Order a box of 5/16-18 x 1 1/2" armor coat hex head cap screws, grade 8 (pn 91286A159) and a package of unthreaded 5/8" OD, 1/2" length, .344"ID spacers (pn 93320A215) from www.mcmaster.com Step 2: Take off the rear wheel and pulley. Toss the plastic frisbee cover at the neighbors dog, it has no better use. Step 3: I painted the spaces black because they had beautiful chrome plating that looked out of place. Step 4: Bolt it back together with wheel, spacer, pulley, original washer stacked in that order. It has worked great for 3K miles with no more belt issues. It really looks like this is how it should go together from the factory. Paul Here is the wheel after step 2.  Here is the space sitting on the wheel.  Here is the finished wheel.  Just something else to think about. The total parts bill was about $30 with shipping and now I worry less about my belt breaking and stranding me. Paul | ||
| Swampy |
Luckyduck, how do you keep your wheel so shiney? All of mine look like crap, maybe its all the salty roads I ride on in the winter time? | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Great pics and write up Paul. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
For the sake of the archives and safety (and not to diminish someones mod but it has to be said): Running without the rear pulley cover will turn that 'sprocket' into a saw blade. If dropped it will cut through you or your passenger just as fast. Sure Buell and BMW both run bikes without an outside cover but neither 'sprocket' is an effective saw blade. There still hasnt been a rash of broken belts or broken belts due to running on the outside of the pulley (as Buell intended). I can guarantee that someone will read about this mod and assume its a mod that has to be done to prevent their belt from breaking or slipping off. No disrespect is intended. | ||
| Luckyduck |
Um, the shinyness must be because it is still a little wet after washing the crud off. The sawblade thing.....you know everyone has their own level of risk. The off center belt. I put it centered because my OCD need to have things aligned is not fulfilled by the half on look. Not to mention if it is your bike, one 6 mile walk in riding boots in 1000 miles of ownership constitutes a rash of failures.  Paul | ||
| Buellistic |
Centered my Drive Belt as soon as "i" got my BLAST !!! (Message edited by buellistic on October 12, 2007) | ||
| Sking1973 |
Hello All! Just wondering if replacing the belt and both sprockets is something a "shade-tree" mechanic like myself can tackle at home? My local shop has determined that mine need to be replaced (13,000+ miles), but they want $330 to do it. I just bought a new house so I'm not really in a place to shell out that kind of dough right now. So I'm curious how easy it is. | ||
| Ezblast |
Yes - just remember new bolts as well. EZ | ||
| Reuel |
Very easy! I still have the original sprocket, so I'm probably doing a bad thing. The only problem I had was the nuts holding on the belt guard. These nuts would just twist, and they were round and covered in rubber! Had to tear them apart! I decided I didn't need a belt guard shortly after that. I've always waited for my belt to fail completely. Both times, it was while I was pushing it in neutral, despite hitting WOT last time I rode it. They will pass 15K, but not by much. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
How/why did they determine you needed new belts and sprockets? I'd just change the belt (provided there isnt some problem with them?). 5 screws and you're done. Very Very Easy. Uber asy. | ||
| Sking1973 |
I've had my bike in the shop now probably a month out of this summer trying to figure out a clicking problem with the rearend. It started approx. 300 miles after a bearing change. It went back to the shop. They couldn't figure it out, so they changed the bearings AGAIN. That didn't fix the problem. They were then going to to try putting a new belt on. They called me yesterday and said my belt needs replaced and the teeth on the sprockets were worn and also need replaced. This bike only has a tad over 13,000 miles on it. Sound legit? I suppose I could try just replacing the belt myself and see if that fixes the problem. | ||
| Ezblast |
Sounds legit - it is near the 15000 mark. EZ | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
"it is very annoying, especially when you pull up to a stoplight and everyone turns to see what all the racket is!" Its making that much noise? Very odd that they cant find the problem if its making that much noise. The belt is unbelievably easy to change (seriously-you wont believe it)! But its making so much noise people stare? Hmmm...? Very strange. | ||
| Reuel |
Mine's been making a heck of a racket, too! If I grab the plastic pulley cover with my thumbnail and pull until it clicks past, I hear the same exact noise that it's making when I'm moving. I can even shut the engine off and scoot forward in my garage and hear it. If there's a fix, I want to know, too!!! | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Provided there are no damaged parts, then I would resort to re-spacing the wheel or spacing out the sprocket. I dont much favour adding spacers to the sprocket, but if you do, use the right grade bolts, longer, and clean out the bolt holes with a thread chaser (or tap). It would seem to me that there must be some direct cause for the excessive rubbing. Bent or worn parts in the wheel, swingarm, sprockets or transmission. Is it possible that somehow the washers were left off the sprocket/sprocket cover and now its too close to the pulley? | ||
| Sking1973 |
Reuel, Seems like we may be in the same boat here. My clicking didn't do it in neutral with the engine off until after I had ridden the bike back and forth to work for a few days. Now, it does it in neutral. THAT'S when I returned to the shop and had them look at it AGAIN! Their diagnosis was belt and sprockets. I haven't done anything with it yet but plan on replacing the belt first and see what happens there. If I still have a problem I will replace the sprockets. Gearheaderiko, Yes, it actually does make that much noise. When you roll up to a light and there is a definite loud clicking noise. Rolling in first on smooth concrete I was able to reach down and feel the clicks in the swing arm as well. As EZ stated, my HD shop is probably right. I'm due for a sprocket replacement. | ||
| Reuel |
Since belt and sprocket are changed together according to the manual, that's what you ought to do. If you do it yourself, you'll save a few bucks! | ||
| Sking1973 |
Oh, I plan on at least trying to do it myself. I checked out the service manual and it seems to be pretty straightforward. I know there were a couple of tools in the manual that had HD part numbers. Will I need those or can I get away without them.? | ||
| Reuel |
Torque wrench and allen bits should be all you need. | ||
| Berkshire |
RE: clicking noise You're SURE the shop re-installed the center spacer - the one that goes inside the wheel hub between the two bearings? ...and also the one between the caliper bracket and the left bearing? ...and the brake pads are installed correctly? ...and they put the axle in the right way, nut on the right, round thing on the left? If so, I'd remove rear hugger fender, lower belt guard, front belt/sprocket cover, and rear sprocket cover (all the guards & covers!), and see if it still makes the noise. | ||
| Ratsblast |
My belt must have over 15k miles on it but I think they wanted 80$ for the thing. Screw that I'm going to run it until it dies. I must live up to the rat buell name. If the belt an pulley look alright I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think many people ride a blast as hard as I do so if you just put around on the thing give it a few more thousand miles. This was one of those jobs HD will try to sell you as a safety item. After I had them decline to test drive my bike after servicing it and give me a line about fixing this, fixing that, this leaks, blah blah blah, I started doing everything on my own minus mounting tires. Good luck! |
