| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
Well, I'd hoped my drive belt would make it to 50K miles, but a little parking-lot crash last night did something such that it finally broke...sigh. Mileage almost 49K. I was carrying a spare and tools so mounted the new one with no problems. But, boy, it's pretty tight! I bought the demo bike w/1300 miles on it so I never really felt how tight a new belt is...I guess better tight than loose. I Suppose changing the belt every 50K miles isn't a bad idea. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Yea, they're REALLY tight. A couple of people have suggested replacing the old belt before it breaks (hopefully LONG before it breaks) and carrying it as a spare, since they do seem to stretch somewhat with use. A used belt would be much easier to install roadside than a fresh one. I have my original belt with ~8500 miles (showing surface cracks) saved for just such an emergency. | ||
| Etennuly |
Was crashing in a parking lot an important part of your decision for removing the old one?  Would you recommend that method for the rest of us? | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Better idea is to just do what you did  | ||
| Dr_greg |
Better idea is to just do what you did Uh, would that be to crash then replace belt? FWIW, the belt was very cracked; I'll post a pic this weekend. I think I'm going to figure 50K miles/belt in the future, but I am sad that I didn't quite make 50K with this one.  If I hadn't crashed I'm sure it would have made it. When replacing the belt I always remove the idler pulley so that makes it easier, but it was STILL tight. And I'm not exactly  | ||
| Chadhargis |
New belts are very tight. I wanted to practice a "side of the road" change when I replaced my belt, so I did it without removing the rear wheel. It was so tight I had to remove the idler pully to get it on, then it was damn near impossible to get it back on. | ||
| Maximum |
My belt broke a 1000 miles ago, just shy of 25,000 total miles. I think that I need to stop pulling wheelies so much...yeah right, like that is going to happen!  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
They loosen a bit once you get a few miles of intimate "knowledge" with them. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Any tricks for doing it on the roadside more easy? | ||
| Jlnance |
Nate, it's not difficult to change the belt on the roadside, assuming you've got tools. You don't even need to remove the wheel, though you do need to loosen the axle. | ||
| Maximum |
I was able to change mine in the parking lot of work with only the tools that I carry in my stow-n-go bag. There was no need to jack the bike or remove the rear wheel. It took me one hour start to finish! | ||
| Hughlysses |
Nate- the trick is to have a used belt. Buy a new belt before you need it, change it in your garage, then save the old pre-stretched one as your spare. It'll be a lot easier to install kneeling in the dirt/in the dark/in the rain/etc. than a new tight belt. | ||
| Xbimmer |
OK isn't anybody else just a little curious how a parking lot crash breaks a belt??? Everything else OK Dr. Greg? | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
If you take the rear suspension from upright compressed with rider to fully uncompressed on its side quickly, the change in deflection can be enough to snap the belt particularly if a slight "goosing" of the throttle added to the parking lot "mishap". It's part of the argument for the spring loaded idler pulley. | ||
| Etennuly |
If you take the rear suspension from upright compressed with rider to fully uncompressed on its side quickly, the change in deflection can be enough to snap the belt particularly if a slight "goosing" of the throttle added to the parking lot "mishap". How could you possibly know such a thing? Is there something that has happened to yours that required such an analysis?  I have an inquiring mind you know. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Nah, no particular incident. Just makes sense. | ||
| Treadmarks |
In the fully unloaded position the belt is at it's tightest. I'm talking banjo tight. It is due to the extra travel in the uly suspension and it's relation to the standard XB fixed idler. I would be inclined to believe that going from full throttle to a heavy front brake or stoppie would be the ideal time to encounter a belt failure. If you do drive like this, plan on belt/wheel bearing failure due to excessive load on both. Try this test: Lift the rear of the uly with a paddock stand so the load is still on the swing arm. Feel your belt tension and while in neutral spin the rear wheel and notice how easy it spins. Now lift the uly with the frame so the swing arm hangs at the bottom (fully extended) of it's travel. Now feel the belt tension. Spin the wheel and notice it will not rotate as freely. That was my justification for the installation of the spring loaded idler (springy thingy). Not to mention belt changes are much easier. | ||
| Etennuly |
So long distance jumping is out with the Uly in stock form?  | ||
| Dr_greg |
Yes, the sudden tightening of the belt is what broke it, I'm sure. It was a very convenient place for it to break, and I'm not that sorry. It had served me well.  I've been meaning to do a geometrical analysis of the rear linkage to see just how much stretch the belt endures over the range of rear wheel travel. It would be interesting. What I can't figure out is how the crash broke the female tank bag clip on the left side? Y'know, it screws on at the front airbox cover bolt. Must have hit a rock or something...not that there were any rocks around.  |
