| Author | Message | ||
     Buellsrule |
How do you make it stop? I've got a chirp between 2,800-3,300 rpm as you lightly load and unload the belt. I replaced the belt thinking that might do the trick(26,000 miles). The noise is still the same. Any ideas? Thanks guys. Frank. | ||
| Rippin |
Check drive side bearings in rear wheel!! Have had two bikes with same problem. My first bike when I pulled the axle out and dropped the back wheel the whole bearing fell out! Do you have PM or cast wheels? Both mine were cast. Let me know Ryan | ||
| Buellsrule |
Ryan, bearings are fine(pm wheels). At 26,000 miles I dropped the swingarm to have it polished and thought I would replace the belt while the swingarm was off. I've been told now that if the belt is on the loose side of its adjustment that it can chirp. I tightened it up considerably tonight and will ride it tomorrow. I may also try some silicone lubricant. Rear wheel alignment is good. I've been reading on the web tonight that tension and cleanliness have everything to do with belt noise in almost all instances of "chirp". Thanks for the reply, I'll let you know what I discover. Frank | ||
| Reepicheep |
If you want to err on the side of a tighter belt, I would not do it without releasing the shock and moving the swingarm through the whole range of motion to make sure it does not bind. Otherwise, just err on the side of scary loose looking. Otherwise, you *will* have a bearing problem to solve. | ||
| Rick_a |
Mine started squeaking slightly at low speeds recently and loosening 'er up a bit cured it. | ||
| Blake |
Check front pulley; make sure it's tight. | ||
| Hootowl |
This happened to mine a few months after I bought it. The dealer told me that if you ride in the rain a lot, or if the belt is a few years old, it could lose some of its natural oils, causing it to squeak. The service manager mic'd the adjusters on the swingarm and said they were good. He suggested rubbing some parafin on the edges of the belt, which I did, and it stopped for a few months. I just lived with the noise after that. Take it for what it's worth. | ||
| Buellsrule |
Hi guys, I found my problem and it wasn't the belt. The evap fitting(for CA models) below the intake manifold had lost it's small rubber cap and created a slight vacuum that was occurring just as the butterfly began to open in the throttle body. Once I recapped it, no more noise. Thanks to all who responded. | ||
| Blake |
Hoot, Something sounds amiss. The belt should not chirp. Have you checked the front pulley for tightness? When they loosen they will sometime emit a chirping noise. Buellsrule, Cool! That is another diagnostic data point for our collective brains. I don't believe I've ever heard of what was initially thought to be belt chirping to actually be caused by the belt. Your findings further reinforce that. | ||
| Hootowl |
It was most definitely the belt. Take off your engineering cap for a second while interpreting "definitely"  . It did it while walking the bike. Putting a little candle wax on the edges made it go away for a while, and replacing the belt made it go away entirely. | ||
| Crusty |
The belt on my '88 FLHS would chirp when it was wet. It was annoying, but nothing bad ever came of it. Of course, once I converted it to chain drive, the chirping disappeared altogether. | ||
| Ray_maines |
 The chirping was replaced by an ever present WHIIIRRRRRR - GROOOWWWWLLLLLLLL. Slop the chain with oil, wipe the oil off of the wheel. Do it again in a few hundred miles. Progress. | ||
| Hans |
My belt driven Kawa had that chirp always when wet. That belt had a close fit between the flanges of the pulley. The Buell pulley has some spare room and mostly the belt is just touching one of the flanges. When you are lucky it does not even touch the flanges after adjusting the belt tension. Maybe some (micro) aligning of the wheel can lessen friction and free you from chirping? | ||
| Crusty |
1)O-ring chains don't require oiling 2) they come with a 20,000 mile warranty 3) it's easy to tell when they're worn out 4) they can be replaced in minutes as opposed to hours 6) stones don't poke holes in them (ever see a dirt bike with a 7) you can find a 530 chain at any motorcycle shop 8) a good quality O-ring chain and its sprockets costs about 1/3 as much as a belt and its sprockets. (Message edited by crusty on May 10, 2003) | ||
| Road_thing |
(ever see a dirt bike with a chain?) ...umm, yeah... | ||
| Ray_maines |
Crusty, Serious chain question: A new chain comes in a long length, rather than a closed loop, and has a master link. Which type of Master Link is preferable? Do you get the rivet type “Master Link” that needs to be mushroomed on the end, requiring the use of a chain rivet tool, or do you get the “Clip” type that is more easily removable? Maybe too easily removable. It seems that both types have their advantages. It would be easy and politically correct to say the clip type isn't safe enough, but do they really come apart? | ||
| Crusty |
I've always used the clip type, and I've never had a problem. | ||
| Rick_a |
Clip type generally only come apart if the clip is put facing the wrong way. | ||
| Ray_maines |
Crusty & Rick: Are we talking full size sport bikes here or just little 175cc tiddlers? I like the idea of a clip type master link but the very thought of some doctor pulling 8 feet of chain out of my butt makes me squirm. What do ya mean "O-ring chains don't require oiling"? Don't you at least clean it with WD-40 now and then to keep the O-Rings supple? | ||
| Crusty |
If you put it on right, it wont fly apart. Last time I checked, all the AMAPR, WSB and GP bikes were running chains.I think you'd consider them full sized sport bikes. No, I don't clean the chains with WD40, or Gunk, or any other oil or degreaser. I check the adjustment regularly, and change them every 20,000 miles. |
