Mounted a new tire this morning and went to set my primary belt deflection. I have the little spring loaded gauge for this but I've never used it. Anyways my GSM says with the rear wheel off the ground I should set it at 3/16"-1/4". That's darn tight! It seems like 3/8" feels right with the jack removed. Thoughts?

 

I use the finger gauges. I grab the belt between my thumb and index finger and twist the belt. It's perfect if you can twist it 45 degrees, less and it is too tight and more it's too loose.

 

Follow your service manual and stop worrying about it. DO NOT TWIST your belt for a tension test. These belts aren't designed to be twisted and it may damage the fibers causing premature belt failure.

 

If you're a 300 pound weight lifter, or a 100 pound weakling, how do you decide how much to twist?! Use the gauge, as CSMHOG recommends - it's there to provide uniform and predictable results.

 

I just got a 2002 roadking efi. There is a missing vacuum line off the throttle body on the left side of body right behind air cleaner. I don't see any ports open or broken hoses, it does have a k&n air filter and the port comes out of body just ahead of butterfly and is a 90 degree. Any help haven't got a manual yet

 

missing vacuum line any ideas where it went using k&n air filter.

 

I don't disagree that the spring loaded tool is the proper way. But the twist method does seem to work, and is a reasonable way to quick check the belt when out on the road and such.

Strength or weakness is pretty irrelevant. It feels rather akin to bottoming a bolt out when the belt hits 45 degrees. Easy twisting up to that point, remarkably harder past it.

Crude, but apparently effective.