|
Question Posted By: H.D.30-06 on 5-7-2007
Back to Questions
| Make of Bike: |
H.D. |
| Model of Bike |
sportster |
| Year of Bike |
2001 |
| Engine Size |
1200cc |
| Other info on Bike |
|
| What's your question? |
Drive belt snapped
|
| Details: |
Any idea what would cause the drive belt to snap? Mine snapped on me today. Now the left rear shock absorber was tweaked a bit in a lowside over a year ago but it still seemed to function fine so I left it on. I'm now thinking that may have led to the belt failure I had today. Any ideas or thoughts? |
Answers:
- First thing I'd do is check your swing arm and pulley alignment. Going down, bending the swingarm, and ignoring an alignment offset will eventually wear a belt out to the point that it fails.
Look at the failed belt and the sprockets. They will tell you why the belt failed! By: 47Knuckle-Dragger on: 5-7-2007
- Thanx Knuckle By: H.D.30-06 on: 5-7-2007
- I have thousands of miles on belts several hundred thousand. Just a bunch of thousands. I have had belts that have been center punched with rocks, no big problem and did not snap. I have shredded the teeth off a pully the belt did not snap, too loose a belt and too much throttle causes that.
The only time I have snapped a belt was when the pulley's were misaligned. Evidently from my expierence you can do all you want to the center of a belt, but you have to be careful of the sides, The sides of these belts become compromised and they seem to rip right across.
No, I don't know why, but I do know proper tension and alignment, is a must. I am not sure how far the belt will go. I got over 160 thousand miles on my 99 and the bike blew up first.
KD I know the manuel says to replace at like fifty, but shit getting my money's worth out of something from the factory, is like ever oh so sweet.
Oh, the shredded builts were all on high power, high torque machines under serious abuse. I went back to chains for that. Chains are easier to replace, and a hell of alot cheaper.
For dressers I am belts only thank you.
By: Mark_Goff on: 5-21-2007
- Even a little bit of mis-alignment will cause a belt to break. With no warning. By: pb68slab on: 6-3-2007
- Well it happened to me again yesterday with a brand new belt. New swing arm, new shock absorbers. Adjusted the belt tension according to the manual and checked it every week or so. Now when it snapped I was accelerating hard , missed a shift and accidentally down shifted. I know , rookie maneuver but thats when it snapped. I'm sure that put tremendous strain on the belt. This is getting old. Any in depth ideas [ and criticism] would be appreciated.
Thanx By: H.D.30-06 on: 7-24-2007
Reads: 2712
|
|
Home
