Just had my front sprocket, belt, rear sprocket replaced under warranty. Was wearing improperly and my dealer caught it for me.....
Just began cleaning the bike for spring and noticed there is about an inch and a quarter of slack in the belt (yeah I know, too much) but also, if I push or pull the belt, there is about and eighth slop in the rear pully. In other words, the pully moves about an eighth of an inch forward and back without the wheel moving. Is this normal?
Thanks for the help...

Jeff

 

Not sure what your saying but your rear pulley should be bolted to your wheel with NO play what so ever. The bolts that hold your pulley to your wheel are loose if the pulley moves and the wheel dosent. Is this what you are talking about??

 

Yes, the pulley moves about an eighth of an inch. The rim doesn't move at all. The belt moves also, obviously. So, there is play in both the front and rear pulleys it seems

 

If it is an ids sprocket, then yes it will move in the rubber cushion slightly.
Ron

 

I really am not sure what is normal. I went to a local dealer and checked a dozen or so bikes on the showroom floor. NONE of the bikes had any movement of the belt. None whatsoever. I called my dealer, (Adventure Harley in Dover, Ohio) who is absolutely the best ever and they are going to send a trailer (45 minutes one way) to get it just to be on the safe side.
I'll repost with the results....

Jeff

 

I have never had a bike with the IDS which is a rubber isolator inside the pulley, but I'd imagine a little movement is the goal of the IDS. 1 1/4" of movement on the belt? Hell no. If you can turn the belt at a 45* you are good. It sounds like someone was in a hurry that day.

 

I haven't fooled around with a IDS system either but I worked in industry fro 40 years and these things look just like rubber flex couplings between motors and whatever they are connected to. Mainly a sound or vibration insulator.

They are not supposed to be, "loose".
The motor or pump or sproket or whatever may be able to tell, but the hand shouldn't.
Seems to me.

 

Well, since the belt had not been adjusted properly, I took it back to the dealer for tightening. While they had it, I had them check the sprocket. Split the cost with me since they already had it on the rack, charged $25.
The diagnosis was that the movement of .179 was within specs with max at .400. Said it was due to normal wear on the IDS. Since the bike is a little over a year old with only 26K, asked what was normal.... was told that statistically, the average Harley rider puts 4500 miles on his ride in 18 months..... doesn't anyone ride anymore? So, bottom line, guess a little "play" is normal....

 

Wow --almost 1/2" seems to me like a helluva lot of play for "normal", wonder what that degree of movement does to the wear on other components in the drive.