| Author | Message | ||
     Dfbutler |
99 S3T has a broken drive belt. According to the service manual you remove covers from belt, the rear wheel, and then "loosen" the bolt, but not remove, for the swing arm isolator until the rubber bushing rotates freely and thread the belt between the frame. First how do you loosen the swing arm bolt? It has a recessed head for some type of wrench I've never seen. Once it is "loose" how do you tread the belt? I'd appreciate any advice since the bike is now in pieces and I've no clue how to get the stupid belt on! | ||
| Stevem123 |
Maybe this will help some but mine is an 2001 model which may be slightly different than yours. The book calls for a special tool that pushes the engine to the left and gives you enough room to remove the right side isolator. This allows you to slide the belt between the frame and the part of the engine where the isolator normally resides. Without this special tool, you can do it like I have more the once but it sucks big green you know whats. You need to remove BOTH isolator bolts and heim joint bolt below the battery. Do this with a jack under the rear axle with the wheel off. The axle needs to be in the swingarm for this or some other suitable metal rod. Of course you need the bike supported by a lift designed to raise the bike by the peg mounts to do any of this. The bolts in the isolators/swingarm pivots are spline or otherwise known as torks. I don't remember the exact size but they are something like T35 or somewhere near that size. After you have properly supported the bike and the rear swingarm with a jack and removed both isolator bolts including the heim-joint bolt, you can then lower the engine out of the frame just enough to remove the right isolator and then install the belt. You need to have the service manual to understand most of this unless you are pretty good at figuring mechanical things without help. Also, the isolator fits into the hole of the frame and onto a drift pin which keeps the isolator positioned correctly. This makes it even harder to get it out and back in again. In your case you might also have to remove the exhaust header because I think yours for the rear cylinder runs over the frame instead of under the frame like mine does. It may not allow you to lower the rear of the engine enough to clear the isolator. Sorry if this seems like a big hassle but it is until you do it a couple of times and even then it's still a pain in arse. It's probably easier with the special tool. I've just been too cheap to buy it..... Good luck! BC Steve | ||
| Naustin |
That's one thing I'd rather pay somebody else to do... I'm really not looking forward to the day that I have to replace the belt. Might it be smart to replace those rear isolators at the same time, just to avoid having to do all that work over again? | ||
| Stevem123 |
Actually the first time I did it was at my job in the back loading area. I brought the tools, a lift, and a jack after purchasing a new belt. It was that or pay outrageous fees to a towing co. to take it to the nearest dealer 45 miles away then wait forever to get the bike back from them. I did it in three hours and now I can do it in less than two. Best of all I saved hundreds by doing it myself! BC Steve | ||
| S3tbolt |
If it's any consolation to you, I did pay a dealer to install a new final drive belt after mine broke. The job took them weeks because they had broken the special tool from Buell used to hold the fame and motor apart and reordered another, then Steve pointed out you have to take care with the exhaust header when lowering the motor (the dealer failed to and scratched things up pretty good). Just not a fun job for professional or shadetree mechanic... | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Without the removable side plate from the early tubers, this job has me seriously considering going to chain final drive on my 01 S3T. I'd hate to be 1000 miles from home and have the belt go. | ||
| Stevem123 |
Hey Johnnylunchbox, I tried the chain on my 01S3T and hated it! The chain has to be loose to the point of being floppy to prevent being too tight when the suspension compresses. This allows it to slap the swingarm badly resulting in beating it up pretty bad. Then the aluminum rear sprocket wore out very fast because the chain had to be so loose! I made some "delrin" chain sliders that mounted to the swingarm but I was never happy with all the slap and noise of the chain. I finally went to the new stronger belt that was recently developed for the XB's. I'm much happier now and trust the new belt much more than the older one designed for sportsters. I've hit it hard and haven't broken it yet. Al at american sport bike can set you up with the new belt. I highly recommend it. BC Steve | ||
| Dfbutler |
Stevem123 According to the service manual, it first says just to loosen the isolator bolt enough that the rubber isolator rotates and "snake" the belt between the frame and engine, but that makes no sense since the belt has to be on either side of the bolt/isolator. At this point the bike is apart and I'll spend a few more bucks on a wrench. Worse case, I have to put it back together enough to tow it to a dealer. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The rear isolators have little roll pins that would prevent you from rotating them. At least mine do. That instruction makes no sense to me. Unless you're able to flex the steel frame enough to clear the pin? | ||
| Epmchow |
That "Special wrench " took Harley 3 months to get for me. It is made by Kent Moore and is only built to order. They don't stock it. It is rather cheesey in construction, but worth its weight in gold. Almost as much as gold.....cost me around $100 dollars. Makes life easier, but also easy to brake the tool. Good Luck. | ||
| Bookyoh |
If you check the American Thunderbike site you will find an excellent description on removing the rear isolators. It is still a good deal of work but it can be done. I did it on my M2 at 10,000 miles to upgrade to the 01 isolators and service the swingarm bearings and need to do it again at the 20,000 mile service. There is another frame spreading tool out there. I seem to remember it being a German company. If I can find the site again I will post it. Mark | ||
| Bookyoh |
I found a web site that sells a Buell frame spreader. http://www.aeincorporated.com/kastar/?category=&pa ge=show_item_detail&id=35&qs=c2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9cmVhc itpc29sYXRvciZzZWFyY2hfaW49YWxsJnBhZ2U9c2VhcmNo Mark | ||
| Epmchow |
That is a much nicer looking tool then the one from Harley. I would buy that one if I had it to do again. | ||
| Dfbutler |
Bookyoh, Thanks for that link! I ordered on today and they'll overnight it so I can do the job this weekend! | ||
| Buellboiler |
Torx socket. On the X-1 the size you need is T-60 (large). It will be the largest one in a typical set of Torx sockets. | ||
| Iamike |
I was able to remove and replace my swingarm with a rubber mallet and c-clamps. I covered the outside hole where the bolt goes in with a heavy washer. Clamp the isolators with a c-clamp, apply a little grease to ease installation and work the swingarm up into place using a jack. Once you get it part way up you can remove the clamps and bump it the rest of the way up. It was a lot cheaper than using a spreader. | ||
| Blake |
I'm not sure that having a greasy isolator is a good idea. This reminds me, I have a broken spreader tool that isn't mine. Sorry about that Al, I'm a total skatterbrain lately. Will get to the bearing store, get it back to good as new and returned to you next week. | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Exactly how much does the frame spread? I need to replace the isolators in my 98S3T and not looking to forward to doing it the old fashioned way. | ||
| Bad_karma |
Has anyone tried unbolting the top motor mount and rear locater along with the isolator bolts and lifting the frame off the drive train form the rear? I have been considering this idea for the next maintenance. Joe | ||
| Stevem123 |
Fot those that don't fully understand it I'll try to explain the "frame spreading myth". The tool may be called a frame spreader but it does not actually spread the frame. The frame has a cross-bar as part of the battery holder and unless you break the welds of this cross-bar the frame does not spread. What the tool actually does is force the swingarm mount against the left side isolator compressing that isolator enough to allow removal of the right side isolator. I hope this will dispell the myth of frame spreading. BC Steve | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
That makes sense. I was wondering about that. | ||
| Oldog |
I'm not sure that having a greasy isolator is a good idea. Grease may attack the rubber parts not a good idea. } |
