Hey all,

Did some maintenance last week including replacing rear calipers and tightening my drive belt, which was a little less than the manual specifies. I followed the manual to the T, and after getting the belt tension where it needed to be, checked axle alignment, tightened things down, and tightened the axle nut. I did this all with the rear wheel lifted off the ground by the way.

After tightening the axle nut, I would check the drive belt and it would be tight as a guitar string. I tried having someone sit on the bike with the rear tire on the ground, same result. Tried putting another wrench on the other end of the axle to make sure things weren't moving, same result.

Finally, I basically just overcompensated with a hell of a lot of belt slack (probably 2" of deflection) and then tightened things down to spec.

Anyone else have this happen and have the solution that allows you to adjust belt tension and then tighten the axle nut WITHOUT the belt tightening?

 

Posted this and then realized I wanted to add something. I never understood why the idy or any service department would replace a tire, much anything that required the tire to have to come off and not adjust the belt upon reinsallation. You would think that was part of it but evidently not. Rather than get into a lengthy post this video out of several others I founded best suited for a reply.
Edit: Had to come back, damn that belt gauge, 45 degree twist with your hand on the belt, anymore or less sux.

 

Softails are the only bikes that do that, and they ALL do! You have to set the belt tension for what it will be AFTER the axle is torqued, but you shouldnt need 2" of deflection...MAYBE an extra 3/16"- 1/4" MAX!

 

With softail models the bike is supposed to be the ground unladen when adjusting the belt and dyna models with a person sitting on the bike with the bike on the ground also.

 

Are you using the axle adjusters?