PS: I use a ratcheting box wrench for the adjuster. IIRC it's a 3/8.

 

any chance you can post link to this?

 

Ok I did some more measurements on this belt today and I am recording Youtube video on this for my channel https://youtube.com/c/RidersUnited but would like to share what I found out as I hope this might help someone in the meantime before I release the video which will be in 2-3 weeks from now.

Based on my investigation position of the bike (on kickstand or vertical of the kickstand) do NOT affect belt tension what DOES for sure is weight of the rider. My 200lbs fat *** sitting on the bike increase belt tension by 3/16” so this is critical factor here. Since specs are really tight 1/16” between 1/2”-9/16” as per service manual just by sitting on the bike we are already too tight by 2/16” (if we adjust to loose specs if we adjust to tight specs this is even more tight) which results in over tighten belt and squeak.

Since this is what I discovered I started with loose belt at 11/16” on kickstand, cold, unloaded, in neutral now when I sit on the bike in vertical position I ended up with only 8/16” of free play which is lower end 1/2” of required specs.

So far I got a chance to ride the bike about 200 miles and no noises or any other issues. Hope this will put our squeaky belts to bed once and for all.

Hope to share video in this post after release so you guys can see for yourself as I was recording belt as I tried various things on this.

 

https://www.stanleytools.com/product...ae-set/94-542w

You can get them at any AutoZone, Home Depot or probably Walmart.

 

The added tension from your weight on the bike is supposed to happen. It is allowed for in the unloaded specifications. The belt should be really tight when you are on the bike.

Squeaking is an alignment issue that is aggravated by tension.

Engine torque will pull tension on the belt with well over 1000 pounds of force.
Belts that are too loose will climb the pulley teeth under load, wear out the pulleys and belt, and fail early.

 

So as I sit on the bike, I reach down and lift the belt to see if I've got about 10 lbs pressure on my fingertips within about a half an inch of flex, right?
(K.I.S.S.)

 

Too loose.

 

Not on a 2002 Dyna? (I don't have any new belt drive bikes.) Maybe the rules have changed on later models.
(EDIT: I should have said just under 1/2" to be clear in my case at least.)

 

Hi Hulkss
I really appreciate your comment and will really appreciate detailed explanation on this matter as I try to garher as much as I can. I know someone mentioned you did post on belt tension but I couldn’t find it and I would like to compare our results. Would you mind to share link to it?

As of now when I sit I on the bike I have about 3/8” free play without any additional load, shield, tourpack and passanger. Do you think I will be fine with these specs?

I also understand I should expect this belt to tighten even more when the bike will warm up as there is some expansion of the pulleys. How much of this tension is reduced by this warm up?

I am also curious if belt tension can be adjusted without removing muffler as looks like it is really tight fit to the adjustment screw so maybe you can share some tricks on this one.

Please be so kind and help me out here as I would like to assure I will provide proper information when recording video on this.

 

All I can really say is that the specs from H-D are correct, certainly plenty tight, and apply to an unloaded bike at room temperature. I have found with my bike that the suspension does sag some when the bike is upright. The H-D specs permit setting the tension with the bike upright, so, I put it in a front wheel chock.

The initial sag from being upright does tighten the belt some so I get a looser setting with the upright bike and I adjust to the looser side of the spec. When I'm on the bike with luggage loaded, a touch of the belt feels tensioned and tight.

I wear out tires faster than the belt loosens so I am only adjusting when I change tires and the rear muffler is off anyway. I just inspected my pulleys and belt at 21,000 miles and they look pretty much like new.

Extra load and resulting suspension movement will begin to loosen the belt as the axle moves above the point where the front pulley, swing arm pivot, and axle are on the same line.