HD: Snapped the drive belt

[Pedrostt500]

One of the Guys I work with converted his HD to chain Drive, Because he said the belts were a pain in the arse to fit, seemed to make sence.

[peasea]

Cost me about $700 just over a year ago on my FXDX at McIver and Veitch in Dunedin, they did a good clean job and well groomed the bike too.

Me and a mate did it in an afternoon on his Wideglide for the price of the parts and a couple of bourbons.

700? Eek.

Mind you, the salary you're on etc etc.........

[peasea]

One of the Guys I work with converted his HD to chain Drive, Because he said the belts were a pain in the arse to fit, seemed to make sence.

I think many would see the sense in it, especially if you've tweaked the engine, like to go drag racing and maybe do a few dirt roads. Having done many, many years with chains and getting my hands dirty for decades, I'm enjoying the belts.

To each his own.

[peasea]

I was expecting a 'maximum service life'.

They used to recommend replacement intervals on the early ones - I think.

It's not unusual to get 100,000kms out of a well looked after/adjusted belt. I was talking to a guy on Saturday who has 70,000kms on his belt and it looks immac.

A lot of it is down to good luck and good maint'.

[ajturbo]

buellBabe and I brought a spare one each when the $ was around 80c, i have used my spare, but i still have BB's just incase, hers tend to last till they rot... lol

[popelli]

Heh, don't rub it in, that's cruel.

Seriously though, have you had a chain break on your 'glide? I've recently been told horror stories about chains breaking under load and punching holes in the primary case.

no but I had a belt shred all of its teeth and become an elastic band

[peasea]

no but I had a belt shred all of its teeth and become an elastic band

They make great chokers for the missus huh?

[Ocean1]

from what i gather, most damage to drive belts are related to stones or small rocks..Mmmmmmm.... let me think, I know why don't the manufactures fit fully enclosed belt guards, add bling to your ride haha

Or sweep the roads. and we there are road works, have a lane that has been swept just wide enough for a bike.

Maybe should just HTFU

Contractors (not councils or whatever authority applies) are directly responsible for any damage incured to private property (from normal use of the road) as a result of the work they do.

Contractors get pinged by the councils all the time for shit like "grass not growing on groundworks job No#398472"... in mid winter. So I've got some sympathy for them.

Nonetheless, I'm aware of three belts having broken as a direct result of work done south of the Rimutaka hill last year, may well have been more. So the REAL cost of the work done is at least several thousand dollars more than what the authorities or the contractors paid for. We did. Might be hard to prove, but I reckon it's about time we started demanding the relevant councils direct the contractor to reimburse us.

I was expecting a 'maximum service life'.

They used to recommend replacement intervals on the early ones - I think.

Later belts look similar, but the design is somewhat improved, (belatedly, most other industries have been using the more advanced belts for years). Older belts did have a recommended service life, so do the new designs, it's just that the life expectancy of the new ones, (in the right environment) exceeds the service life of the bike itself.

[scumdog]

Me and a mate did it in an afternoon on his Wideglide for the price of the parts and a couple of bourbons.

700? Eek.

Mind you, the salary you're on etc etc.........

T'was a time thing.

Wanted to go to the Magpie Madness, only had four days from when the belt was damaged until the M.M. and I had no time free from work.

Hence bit the bullet and had it done for me.

Any other time I would have done it myself.

[peasea]

T'was a time thing.

Wanted to go to the Magpie Madness, only had four days from when the belt was damaged until the M.M. and I had no time free from work.

Hence bit the bullet and had it done for me.

Any other time I would have done it myself.

Shuuuuuure ya would.
Those fingernails of yours are way too dainty.

[Horse]

Me and a mate did it in an afternoon on his Wideglide for the price of the parts and a couple of bourbons.

Looking at that picture, it looks like it's a bit easier than on the touring bikes, as the frame/swingarm interaction is a bit different. On the FLHs it's a major PITA.

Some days I love my bike, some days I wonder what they're smoking.

[peasea]

Looking at that picture, it looks like it's a bit easier than on the touring bikes, as the frame/swingarm interaction is a bit different. On the FLHs it's a major PITA.

Some days I love my bike, some days I wonder what they're smoking.

Milwaukee; where's the nearest plantation?
I hear ya, but even the W/g isn't a walk in the park, it's just that we had the gear, work well together and the girls kept us going on sammies. Steve and I have been spannering together for over 30 years and when things go wrong, we make them right.

In such a situation either one of us is watching what the other does, where the next move is, which spanner/socket will be needed and it's waiting.

Combinations of human beings like that don't come long every day; we value our friendship and our ability to work together as one on our motorcycles.

[Flip]

My first belt lasted about 40k km before it was half torn by a stone. Got me back from the west coast with no problems.
It took me 3 hours to get it out and 4 hours to get it back in. On a Road King the swing arm has to come out as well. The local dealer had a belt in stock and it wasn't too pricy.
About the only problem I had was getting the compensator nut off, man it was tight even with the application of a few btu's.

[popelli]

About the only problem I had was getting the compensator nut off, man it was tight even with the application of a few btu's.

thats what compressors and rattle guns are for

[peasea]

thats what compressors and rattle guns are for

Flip has my sympathy though. Sometimes they're freakin' tight, I broke two half-inch drive power bars on a mates 85 FXWG (before they became FXDWG's) so I bought a 3/4" bar and socket, problem solved. Some of those impact guns are great though and compressors are cheap as chips these days for a home-handyman sort of thing. I think I paid less than two hundred.

Plus: there are some great electric/cordless guns out there now with plenty of punch. Mind you, the compressor is a handy device for the workshop, we use it to wash the bikes down, then dry off as well as keeping a close eye on the tyre pressures.

Brum, brum...............brrrrrrr