| Author | Message | ||
     Edmbueller |
Stopped at the local bike hangout for a coffee today, was gabbing with the guys when I notice a 8 - 12 inch section of belt fraying. Upon further inspection the lower tip of the belt guard where it comes to a point is touching the belt. I took it to the dealer and they got it right onto the lift (very impressed at the service). The tech had just got back fro the 5 day 1125r course so I felt I was in good hands. His diagnosis was that the belt tracks fine going forward (he showed me while the bike was on the lift) rolling forward the belt is designed to track inward toward the wheel he tells me. He says it is normal for the belt to track outward a touch in reverse, but should not go so far as to rub the guard. He could not figure out the cause and is waiting on a call back from BMC for a possible cause / solution.... Check your belts boys! Sorry I don't have a digi cam right now (F'N ex-wife long story) or I would post pics | ||
| C4bird |
Edm, I have been running about a 1/4 space on my rear wheel where the belt tracks. We where told quite a while back by anon. that it was no issue. I had to loosen up my guards and retighten (they shifted to where they should have been), and it fixed all rubbing. Makes me a bit leary, but it hasn't moved any further out, and the whole belt is in contact on the cog. I'll just be keeping an eye on it. | ||
| Baggermike |
Do not hold your breath for buell to answer, I am still waiting for answer from them and my bike has been done now for a week friday, I was told I would get answers and have not. Mike | ||
| Thurstonbuell |
The lower belt guard was rubbing on my belt in one section when I first got my bike , not only on the rear , but front as well , i placed thick washers behind the guard to gain the clearance needed . I first noticed this when I could hear a grinding noise , and the belt too was starting to fray. But all is well now , except for the weather that is  | ||
| Edmbueller |
hmmmm, so Buell is aware of the problem but not fixing it on the later builds?? My bike was assembled February 20 something....thats a little disheartening. Part of buying a first run bike, I get that, but also why I specifically got the latest build date I could find.... When the tech rolled the tire backwards a bit, then forwards again, the belt track at least a half inch inwards....this is normal? (Message edited by edmbueller on March 20, 2008) | ||
| Reepicheep |
If you are going to imply a trend from two datapoints, I have some hot stock tips for you ;) Half an inch sounds like a lot. Did he check the belt tensioner to see if it has an alignment issue? | ||
| Edmbueller |
Reepi, No no, not implying anything - I would guess my issue is an isolated one that just needs the proper adjustment, only posting here to get advice like what you have given, my bike is the first 1125r they have seen here...thanks very much for your suggestion. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
+1 on the washers. I put a on couple of them and it straightened the guard out perfectly. | ||
| Bob_thompson |
FYI guys, I just did the spacing out deal on my new 1125 and found when I spaced it out slightly the inside guide, the metal one held on with 4 small bolts w/lock washers, came closer to the belt so I bent it slightly toward the inside for a little extra clearance. All good now. Bob | ||
| Bueller_bjorn |
My belt was rubbing on the guards too so i tore those things off since they are doing damage instead of preventing it. but i noticed when it had 200 miles so didn't have too much time to do major damage but did start wearing it down on the edge. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Rubbing is one thing (sounds minor and easy to fix), having the belt walk a half inch on the sprocket sounds like a bigger deal. If my 9sx or M2 did that, I never managed to notice in 50k of Buelling... If I run out for lunch (gotta use the Buell to get some Saab parts ;) ) I'll back it up and see if my belt walks. In the past, there have been a couple of people that had belt tracking issues that turned out to be idler wheel problems... though most of them had been wrecked at some point. Thats a pretty stout idler to bend. | ||
| Cataract2 |
This came out sometime back. Buells response on it was the supplier did not make the guards to spec. Was suppose to be fixed. Might be a few parts in the bin though that still are messed up a bit. | ||
| Brad1445 |
Someone here mentioned belts walking, my 08 Firebolt is doing that. It over 1/2 maybe 3/4 an inch away from the inside of the pulley wheel. Dealer said that was ok, but it is hitting the guard. This is the first of my Buells that the belt was not against the pulley. Is this ok? | ||
| Snowscum |
Sounds like a belt tensioner issue if your belt is moving. Like its tilted to move the belt off into the guards. | ||
| Bigdog_tim |
Well - I had even READ this thread too! So - this weekend I discovered my belt guards were rubbing my belt as well. Caused some premature fraying on the edge. My bad for not actually checking my bike. My dealer has ordered a new belt for me - so will be watching it CLOSE until the new belt arrives. | ||
| Ratbuell |
If you have a plastic guard causing some cosmetic fraying on a carbonfiber/kevlar/hibrex belt...don't worry about failure. The weaker link is going to be the guard, trust me. | ||
| Cataract2 |
If you have a plastic guard causing some cosmetic fraying on a carbonfiber/kevlar/hibrex belt...don't worry about failure. The weaker link is going to be the guard, trust me. eh?  | ||
| Slypiranna |
I 2nd that  eh?  ...can you say, friction? | ||
| Jrmsr51 |
Kevlar Belts won't fray from rubbing plastic. You obviously got a problem elsewhere. I'd check for a rock or obstruction within the guard. There is no run out on the belt what so ever. | ||
| Ratbuell |
What I mean to say is, the plastic guard will give way looong before the hibrex belt will. Ever put a piece of plastic against a bench grinder? Who wins? You may get some cosmetic (let me emphasize that - cosmetic)fraying, but I seriously doubt it'll be anything that will cause the belt to weaken or fail. Have your dealer order a new belt guard that isn't warped. Ride the bike until it comes in. Replace it when it arrives. Keep riding. | ||
| Slypiranna |
ALL belts fray when rubbed against...even a rock will wear down from water given time. Yes, I have rubbed plastic to a bench grinder...nearly daily in fabricating and or clearing other parts in the building way but a belt is NOT a stone wheel. Each strand is part of that chain that transmits torque. Think of it as a rope...one, weaker, cut two, weaker and so on. I purchased my 11 new in Jan of 08. After less than 50 miles, my belt was showing dull yellow strands on the left side while sitting on the bike...due to mechanical contact/friction. Nothing else. Yes, the belt rides a little port, then center, then starboard during a single rotation but nothing more than 3/16" total lateral travel tops. Only because I didn't like the look and design of the factory belt guards, I removed them within two days after delivery and have redesigns in the works...so no rubbing was done since, nor was further wear noted. I'm now at 2500+ miles. It is not my intention to argue about anything here but pure and simple mechanical knowledge leads me to voice this... If your showing little threads, YOU are in a WEARING/FRICTION state. Not to say that it will fail premature but IT IS weakening the belt with contact non the less. I also throw out that the only reason a belt would run out at all is MAINLY due to misalign between the drive and driven axle centerlines, parallelism and or planes...not the idler...it seems mostly along for the ride for tension application...NOT direction. It is called, tolerance. Every single part made has this attached to it's mechanical or electrical dna. Bottom line, if your guards are contacting...or anything else for that matter, your belt IS wearing and yes, for the record, PREMATURELY. Call and or get your ride to your local dealer for a looksee and a fix. They will resolve it and we'll all find something else to question or brag about here. Even that grinder's wheel wore just a little when you hit it with that plastic. So said the stone. I've replaced hundreds in twenty plus years...causing friction. | ||
| Bigdog_tim |
Thanks guys. As a proud new owner, I don't want the guard or the belt to fail prematurely. Thankfully, my dealer is in full agreement. Turns out the belt guard was not attached properly and and new belt is on order. | ||
| Ratbuell |
My only point was, it shouldn't keep the owner from riding the bike for fear of catastrophic failure. It takes a while for that stone to wear out ;) Have the dealer take a look and evaluate the belt and guards, but don't feel like you have to park it immediately for fear of being stranded. | ||
| Ponti1 |
My belt was rubbing ever so slightly. I was watching it because of the discussions here (thanks!), and noticed the plastic wearing a bit on the inside rear portion of the guard. No belt damage, but definitely was caused by belt rubbing. I just shimmed the belt guard last night with a washer and added another 2mm or so of clearance. I'll continue to watch it, and add a second washer if necessary. | ||
| Bearly |
My belt came that way, I think. I think these belts might be made the same way as other belts, where they are cut from a much wider version. (this is a guess). The fibers don't all run parallel to the ribs on the belt so some are going to be sticking out of side of the belt at different angles when cut to size. (This is another guess). Then again, since I don't know what I'm talking about without pictures, Hold on I snap some. Here's my level of "fraying" that I'm talking about. This is the "Normal part of the belt. I have to say that this how the belt looks more than half way around.  This is a 10" section that is not smooth as the rest of the belt is.  with a close of up of the non smooth portion.  And just for Good Measure, I've thrown in a picture that will show the tracking that has been the same for these first 1800 miles.  So is this what we are talking about? Or is it more? | ||
| Ccryder |
Heck, mine has more and longer threads showing and I'm not worried. Just my $0.02. Neil S. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Ditto here. Z | ||
| Bigdog_tim |
My bike is still at the dealership or I would post pictures. My fraying was considerably more - with threads sticking out 1/4" to maybe 3/8" all along the belt. As in, I did not have any smooth areas on the outer side of the belt. Pretty sure it was the belt guard. My dealer agreed - thus the new belt. | ||
| Bearly |
Ok great! Thanks for replying to that. I guess if looked like that, I'd be in for a new one as well. Thanks. | ||
| Sheridan_bueller |
The new belt I got had the 'fuzzies' like that while it was still in the box. No worries. JJ | ||
| Al_lighton |
Now, I'm not sure that the 1125R belt is built like this, but I'd bet it is... The kevlar cord in the belts is not 9 independent loops, but rather, a spiral wrap that wrapped 9 times in the 1-1/8" width of the belt. The belts are built really wide, and then sliced to 1-1/8" widths. What this means is that along the sliced edge, you are seeing the part of the strand that has been sliced through. Any rubbing on that section will fray the strand, and any rubbing in the other sections won't. The above was true of the old gates belts. Are the goodyear hybrex belts the same? I dunno, but I'd bet they're very similar. Might not be 9 wraps, might not be kevlar, who knows? But I'd bet that it is still spiral wrapped and sliced to width. Al |
