Belt issues on a 17

[Mykneesbehurtin]

I have a facebook friend that has a 17 Tri Glide with 2800 miles on it.He posted a pic of the drive belt with about 4-6 inches of teeth completely gone from the belt,not just chewed up but gone.Has anyone else heard of this.I checked my belt today and my trike has 8000 miles on it and all looked good.Mine is also a 17.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Hardening of sprockets was an issue on some

The material would come off and take the belt with it

Also too loose ( lack of dealer prep or PDI pre delivery inspection)

the tracking of the belt was not quote right, most belts do not track right, either to the outside of the pulley { most common} or the inside JMO

Read here

http://www.epi-eng.com/rotorway_helicopter/rotor_drive_system/gates_belt_issues.htm

 

[vito]

I don't follow all the technical issues but I do know that the belt on my 1990 FLHTC had close to 150,000 miles on it when I finally changed it (and the sprockets) because the belt had some weather checking. I had carefully adjusted it for both tightness and to run centered on the sprockets when new and checked both at every service but once "broken in" it needed little change. The only damaged or broken belts I have seen were due to things getting caught between belt and sprocket or a combo of a loose belt and too many wheelies - that is due to a loose nut on the seat. Naturally YMMV.

 

[Gorilla]

off to the dealer for warrantee work. like Jack said defect

 

[ultrafxr]

Got a new 2018 Tri-Glide (my first) one week ago. Now have 400 miles on it and it's great. When cleaning I did push on the belt to check its tension and found that it is very tight. I don't have the deflection gauge but it has hardly any play at all. Do they set the tight from the factory because they will stretch a bit?

 

[hardheaded]

Got a new 2018 Tri-Glide (my first) one week ago. Now have 400 miles on it and it's great. When cleaning I did push on the belt to check its tension and found that it is very tight. I don't have the deflection gauge but it has hardly any play at all. Do they set the tight from the factory because they will stretch a bit?

yes ! i think they set it fairly tight when new. get it to a 1000 miles and check it again. they run the belts on these trikes tighter than on the two wheelers. 7/16 of an inch is the loose side of specs. still seems pretty tight to me. check when cold.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Got a new 2018 Tri-Glide (my first) one week ago. Now have 400 miles on it and it's great. When cleaning I did push on the belt to check its tension and found that it is very tight. I don't have the deflection gauge but it has hardly any play at all. Do they set the tight from the factory because they will stretch a bit?

Check it after a ride, it will loosen up a bit

The 1000 mile check up they should adjust it make sure they do you will be paying 4 it

 

[hardheaded]

Check it after a ride, it will loosen up a bit

The 1000 mile check up they should adjust it make sure they do you will be paying 4 it

you check after a ride and it will be guitar string tight, really tight. just after it's overnight cold is the correct way. set it while hot it will be way loose when cold. also buy the correct deflextion tool for set the belt up.

 

[Jack Klarich]

you check after a ride and it will be guitar string tight, really tight. just after it's overnight cold is the correct way. set it while hot it will be way loose when cold. also buy the correct deflextion tool for set the belt up.

Mine is tight beforeI ride it, loose when I park it Go figure

The deflection is correct, different han ALL my two wheelers

 

[ultrafxr]

Well l got the scoop today about the belt on my new 2018 Tri-Glide being guitar string tight. Was at the dealership and mentioned it to the shop foreman / lead tech who I've known for many years. He said, yes, they do adjust them tight at the factory. He said when doing PDI on new bikes they used to adjust the belt to the spec but the factory told them to NOT do that. Factory said the belt would stretch and tech said by the time I'm ready for the 5k service in his experience most often the belts have stretched and are A-OK in accordance with the spec. His advice: 'ride it like you stole it!' :laugh:

 

[hardheaded]

after a couple of thousand miles my belt was loose. had to tighten it up some. it's set on the loose side of harley spec's, but within spec. i've always taken my time and done this with every bike i've had . never any belt problems.