We got a guy in our group that has been wrenching bikes since the early 70's.

He is always telling everyone that their belt are too loose. He got a hold of mine about a month and a half ago. He said my belt was loose and he got it up on his lift and tightened it using the Harley belt tension gauge.

I just think the belt is way to tight. Have put a couple thousand miles on it since and I seem to be getting a squeal or almost a shutter coming from the rear. My line of thought is that if it's too tight I could be damaging the main shaft pulley and oil seal.

I don't know, maybe my brake pads are making the noise ... damned if I know. I had the front tire replace recently and those pads may be squealing too.

 

Withe bike on the jiffy stand you should be able to grab the lower portion of the belt half way between the pullies and be able to twist it to about 45 degrees. More than that belt is lose less than tba she may be a tad tight. Tight could cause damage to the main bearings very possible.

 

Usually too lose of a belt will cause the squeal or if it's possibly not centered in the pulley. I would get the belt tension tool and check it for yourself. I don't buy into the whole twist the belt theory. I'm sure I could twist the belt further than my wife so I don't think that's an accurate check plus I didn't see that method in the owners manual.

 

+1...

 

Run it loose. There is nothing to gain in running it tight.
Running it tight will make it hot, last shorter, wear on bearings, and run a better chance to instantly destroy a belt if it picks up a rock.
But don't take my word for it.
Some long distance fellas run it so loose that it can slip (jump a tooth) under the right conditions.
Peter Forwood the dude who travels the world with his 95 EGC is one of those dudes.

lp

 

That doesn't mean he's any good..... just means nobody has killed him yet for messing up their bike.

Get the adjustment thingie, and check it yourself. Pretty easy to do. I check mine every oil change.

 

Too loose wil cause premature wear. Too tight and premature bearing wear and too much stress on the belt. I run my on the loose end of the spec using the belt tension tool. The tool is cheap. Why not do it right?

 

+1 on wife

 

when your friend put your bike up on his lift to adjust your belt tension was the rear tire off the table or off the ground? it has to be sitting on its own weight while adjusting the belt.

 

The manual says to have some one sit on the bike when you test it. I am 240# & after adjusting it, I checked out how it was adjusted with me off the bike & it was tighter, which means it loosens up with a rider. I also like to run mine on the loose end of the scale. You may want to check the wheel alignment now that it was moved.

Toby