| Author | Message | ||
     Pogue_mahone |
ok....i think of this as a serp belt on a car. easy to replace with just a bar to release the tension. thoughts?would take like 90 seconds to do it. | ||
| Froggy |
Oh boy, here we go again!  | ||
| Nik |
How is the fixed pulley hard to remove and replace again? | ||
| Pogue_mahone |
lmao froggy :P | ||
| Schmitty |
 Schmitty | ||
| M1combat |
What happens to the top of the belt on decel anyhow??? How about with a spring loaded tensioner? Yikes... | ||
| Gschuette |
I developed a hybrid pulley. It's fixed for backroads and trackdays but its spring loaded for when I'm stuntin' for da ho's. It's dope. | ||
| Nillaice |
pics? | ||
| Damnut |
What happens to the top of the belt on decel anyhow??? How about with a spring loaded tensioner? Yikes... Well? What would happen to the bike? What damage can happen? I'd like to hear it. | ||
| Dentguy |
Well? What would happen to the bike? What damage can happen? I'd like to hear it. Engine braking loads up the bottom of the belt and takes pressure off of the top. If the tensioner is not fixed and is spring loaded, it may allow the belt to move the tensioner enough (if it doesn't have a limiter) to cause a lot of slack in the top of the belt. If there is enough slack, the belt may try to jump a tooth on the pulley, damaging the belt or binding it up. | ||
| Damnut |
If the tensioner is not fixed and is spring loaded, it may allow the belt to move the tensioner enough (if it doesn't have a limiter) to cause a lot of slack in the top of the belt. If there is enough slack, the belt may try to jump a tooth on the pulley, damaging the belt or binding it up. May try or will jump a tooth? Have you heard of this happening? | ||
| Dentguy |
Have you heard of this happening? No I haven't. Don't know for a fact that it will get that much slack. It might not. That's why I said may. Somebody did make one, but I don't know anyone that has used it. (Message edited by dentguy on October 14, 2009) | ||
| Redbuelljunkie |
I would think it's the difference between constant loads and sudden, sharp high-stress "shocks" that cause belt failures. Under constant, relatively even stress loads (fixed tensioner) the belt is plenty strong, but a movable tensioner might allow an excessive amount of slack. The shock placed on a belt when going from slack to load would be exacerbated by a spring tensioner, and this would worry me more than jumping teeth on the pulley. Or I could be completely wrong. | ||
| Midknyte |
How many of you understand that the take up wheel is part of belt path geometry in which the swingarm does not travel through an apex of slack? | ||
| Aptbldr |
Put a Free Spirts (brand) spring-loaded idler bracket on my '04 XB12R. Apparent upon reassembly: bike's easier to push around the garage. Harsh down shifting loads are expensive to tire wear, but when things aren't so smooth, my down shifts can slide rear. Belt does not slip, tire does. Site sponsor, Trojan, was resource for spring-loaded tensioner bracket. Plus, its little spring is yellow and matches XB's amber wheels, sorta. : ) | ||
| Damnut |
Have you heard of this happening? No I haven't. Don't know for a fact that it will get that much slack. It might not. That's why I said may. Somebody did make one, but I don't know anyone that has used it. That's because it has NEVER happened. I would think it's the difference between constant loads and sudden, sharp high-stress "shocks" that cause belt failures. Under constant, relatively even stress loads (fixed tensioner) the belt is plenty strong, but a movable tensioner might allow an excessive amount of slack. The shock placed on a belt when going from slack to load would be exacerbated by a spring tensioner, and this would worry me more than jumping teeth on the pulley. Or I could be completely wrong. Your last statement was the correct one. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The only people who bad-mouth the Free Spirits belt tensioner and tell you all sorts of bad stories are the people who have never owned one or tried it. I've have it on my bike for well over 18,000 miles. NO problems what so ever. I am not easy on my belt and it shows no signs of wear or damage. This is like the RSS. A bunch of people always said that it was useless and blah blah blah. That was until Buell came out with their own. Then the story changed, it was now "Buell's is different that the aftermarket ones" REALLY??? Is it that much different? The reality is NO it isn't. People will argue with me on this but it's splitting hairs is all it is. So unless you've tried it, owned one or KNOW of someone having a problem with the Free Spirits tensioner, PLEASE stop talking shit about them. If I was in the market for one and heard these stories, from people who have never dealt with them no less, then I'd be a little weary of buying one. | ||
| Fast1075 |
I was talking with Buellistic the other day...when I told him I bought an XB....the first mod he told me I needed to do......was to buy the tensioner...that counts a lot in my book. And oh....the FIRST mod I did after the breather reroute....you got it...big RRS. Tensioner on order... | ||
| Nik |
I've have it on my bike for well over 18,000 miles. NO problems what so ever. I am not easy on my belt and it shows no signs of wear or damage. I've had the stock Buell unit on my bike for well of 46,000 miles. NO problems what so ever. I am not easy on my belt; the first was replaced at the factory recommended 25k though it showed no signs of wear or damage, and the second continues to show no signs of wear or damage.  | ||
| Damnut |
OK so you had 25K on the first and have 21K on the second. and? Where in my posts did you see me talk garbage about the stock unit? I never said there was anything wrong with it. | ||
| Nik |
Where in my posts did you see me talk garbage about the stock unit? I never said there was anything wrong with it. I know. There is nothing wrong with the stock unit. So why fix it, with a more complex solution even, if it's not broken? | ||
| Aptbldr |
Felt adding spring loaded belt tensioner reduced rear wheel bearing's work load. My XB came with 67% of desired rear wheel bearing capacity; judging by subsequent upgrades. | ||
| Pogue_mahone |
i'll be getting one for mine. | ||
| 1_mike |
""There is nothing wrong with the stock unit. So why fix it, with a more complex solution even, if it's not broken?""} Ah yes...the modern, model "T" reasoning again. Now granted..don't let things get too complex. Mike | ||
| Nik |
It's not model "T" reasoning. I'm all for improvement when there's documented, quantitatively measured improvements to be made. The only support I've seen for the spring loaded tensioner are: it looks cool; you could remove belt tension at the pulley instead of at the axle so it would save you the whole 30 seconds it takes to loosen the axle; it's just like a timing belt tensioner so it must be better (the axis of crank and cams don't move, so it really isn't the same at all...); it hasn't caused any documented failures, and a bunch of other subjective feelings. If someone comes up with a study documenting an objective, quantitative improvement, I'll buy one. Until then, its just engineering bling. There's nothing wrong with engineering bling, but to justify it as anything but is a false rationalization. | ||
| Dentguy |
Damnut, Little bitter today? I'll respond because you quoted one of my comments in your post. Don't know if you are referring to me, but I'll assume you are since you quoted me. I didn't bad mouth the Free Spirits belt tensioner at all. Didn't even mention the name and didn't tell any bad stories. I most definitely, as you said, didn't "talk shit about them". As a matter of fact, the only person to mention "Free Spirits" was Aptbldr (and you). Both of you had nothing, but good comments. You asked a few questions, I answered them and didn't say anything that wasn't true. If someone made a tensioner (not the Free Spirits one, to be clear) that allowed a belt to get too loose during engine braking, it may cause a problem. Nobody was discussing any certain product! It could have been a bar with a skateboard wheel, using an old carburetor spring for tension. You just assume that somebody was talking bad about the Free Spirits tensioner. If you are such a fan of the tensioner and haven't had any problems with it that's great. I'm sure it's a fine product. Why not just say that in your first post? Maybe that's your thing, just ask some questions to try and catch someone in a lie so you can just write a comment about how everyone is wrong because you have one and you've never had a problem? "If I was in the market for one and heard these stories, from people who have never dealt with them no less, then I'd be a little weary of buying one." If you were so worried about someone hearing some story, I ask again, why not post how great the Free Spirits one is from the beginning? This thread was about spring loaded tensioners period. Not the Free Spirits one. Lighten up. | ||
| Sokota |
Free Spirits Tensioner works. 10,500 miles , including three track days with no issue. Upon initial ride after install , there are three pronounced improvements in ride and performance. | ||
| Damnut |
LOL not bitter, sorry if I'm coming across that way. As far as I know, the Free Spirits one is the only one made for our bikes. So that's why I mentioned it in my posts. Is there another company that makes them? I've had mine for 4+ years and I've seen these threads before. 100% of the folks that have had negative or unsupportive things to say about a spring loaded tensioner have never owned one or have seen a case of one causing problems. Same with this thread. It's not model "T" reasoning. I'm all for improvement when there's documented, quantitatively measured improvements to be made. The only support I've seen for the spring loaded tensioner are: it looks cool; you could remove belt tension at the pulley instead of at the axle so it would save you the whole 30 seconds it takes to loosen the axle; it's just like a timing belt tensioner so it must be better (the axis of crank and cams don't move, so it really isn't the same at all...); it hasn't caused any documented failures, and a bunch of other subjective feelings. Have you contacted one of the suppliers of a spring tensioner and asked if they had any documentation to support that it is an improvement? Do you have any of that documentation for the fixed (stock) one? Please and I don't want to hear "If Buell put it on there, then it has been tested to be the best solution". | ||
| Dentguy |
LOL not bitter, sorry if I'm coming across that way. Thanks for the response and understood.  | ||
| Froggy |
Guess there is no more need to speculate on the bikes ever coming with a springy tensioner from the factory.... |
