the idler tension was the hot-set up at first. phase 3 belts were about the first i used. then same set up but with a karata belt. then to a primo ssytem. then to a primo with idler.(when the belt broke with an idler it was easy to blame it for heating up the belt and what not.) also i have not run a belt drive system since 1995......so there have prob been some improvements since then.

probably if i rode like granny i might not of broke AS MANY but they still woulda broke unlike a chain. and one of the worst feelings is cruizin down the road and all of the sudden you engine starts to rev up and you are slowing down. then you look and see the rear chain still on and you know when you shut the bike down you will need to replace the belt.

im not knocking belt drive systems. i ran them for many years....i preffer the chain drive with the updated clutch to keep up with my motor.

 

sqdealgeorge,
Did you want anyone's input on the tensioner type belt drive? If so, the last belt drive I tried (this is within the last sixmonths)used that type of adjustment. It was a very disappointing setup and ended my interest in running a primary belt drive.

 

I've been running belt primaries for 35years ( God I'm old !) Starting with the old Belt Drives Limited thru BDL All my belt drives NEVER had a tensioner that pushed the belt upward at the bottom. I either had to move the trany back and forth (my knuck & pan /shovel) or had to elongate the bolt holes on the inner primary ( the 4 that attach to the engine) The pan/shovel has had the same belt for 9000 miles (knock on wood) I never did like the idea of that tensioner that reverses the natural flex of the belt I have been told I drive too slow

 

Correction time I started off with Primo belts out of southern CA which later became BDL Rivera eng took the name to be Rivera Primo Trivia time!!

 

Hi George. I talked to Dan @ BDL yesterday about my starting issue I am currently having with my 68.
What a nice guy we chatted for I'd guess 15 minutes about stuff he gave me some good ideas with my starter and he converts points distributors to electronic for a little over a 100.$
I run my bdl belt dry but was wondering if having no oil in the primary could be effecting my starter??

 

belt trivia....lets see... i know i will get some $hit wrong...but here goes:

my first set up was a phase three with the 2 shroud covers - open and very cool for the time. bought from walter at nempco - before it was bikers choice. lol about 1979

then i went to a closed system about 3-4 years later. think it was primo ( i think they bought out phase 3 or something??) no idler - vented covers on primary

now i remember something like 12 or 14 mm. like 1 1/2" belt

huh i don't remember too much.....hahaha

i may be slow but i ain't stupid.

rodney - IMHO - you won't find anyone better than Joe at Vulcan Engineering in new hampshire for ignitions on ALL generator engines. - he is the MAN when it comes to the spark in those generator bikes.

 

Rodney I always put never seize on the electric start parts inside the dry primary I have built some bikes with after market inner primaries These did give me some grief like when the starter would engauge it would tend to eat the ring gear(BDL belt drives) Thought maybe the BDL ring gear was hardened too much making it brittle I'm still working on that one I use only HD inner primaries now

 

Thanks Shrktooth. I went with the accel electronic Distributor and single fire coil on my shovel.
never seize! good idea George I was using grease. I have my stock primary but have sold a coupe inners to guys {from V Twin} had to return both of them due to very poor quality, the fit and finish were both awful- unusable. I've been watching e bay for a spare inner for my 68.

 

sqdealgeorge,
I believe I know exactly what you mean about BDL ring gears getting eaten. I never found an explanation for it.

 

if i am remembering correctly the bdl jackshaft assembly was upgraded ( don't remember how long ago) and this eliminated some of the issues with the ring gear problems. the lenght of the bolt and something else was done????