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FLHX 09 - drive belt adjustment

skcm2006

skcm2006

Member
How hard is it to adjust my drive belt - To get it adjusted is the ONLY reason I am getting my 10K maintenance done. I am concerned that if I mess around with it I will cock it so it isn't true.

Any suggestions of help pages?

Thanks

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Also, What are the "Major" fasteners that HD service checks?
 
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In self-help section under "transmission, clutch, and primary" has some help. Get a HD service manual and you can do 10K check up yourself (pays for itself right there).

Link below has a softail video of it.

Harley Davidson Community

Fastener specs are in your owners manual. Tells you what to check every xxxx miles.
 
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If you ask me, I think the whole process of belt tension is bogus. Ten pounds of pressure for 5/16" deflection is way too tight in my opinion. From day one, I run no where near that tension. I have no belt noise, no tracking problems, no tranny bearings going bad, no rear sprocket wear and I ride hard (on 3rd rear tire in 15K miles).

You got me,,,I am still trying to find a reason to run them banjo-tight like the book says.
 
Hoople said:
If you ask me, I think the whole process of belt tension is bogus. Ten pounds of pressure for 5/16" deflection is way too tight in my opinion. From day one, I run no where near that tension. I have no belt noise, no tracking problems, no tranny bearings going bad, no rear sprocket wear and I ride hard (on 3rd rear tire in 15K miles).

You got me,,,I am still trying to find a reason to run them banjo-tight like the book says.
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After learning from the Experts here I agree. If adjusted to spec after a long ride you can not even move belt. So where is all that heat going from being so tight???? No wonder bearings are going bad. I always wonder if MOCO forgot to add when belt is hot for spec used...
 
I only have 15K on this belt so I am a long way off from proving any theory. But I am going to give it a try and see what happens. If I tear the teeth off before I hit 80,000 miles because I run the belt loose, I will admit I was wrong. I have no problem with that...:)
 
Hoople,

It will be a personal decision for each person to make as to whether they try your technique, how do you set your belt tension? Hot, cold? Deflection with or without HD tool?
 
btsom said:
as to whether they try your technique,
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It's not really a technique. I just make the adjustment about twice what the book calls with 1/2 the pressure. The book calls for 5/16" deflection with 10 PSI. I just set it to about 3/8" with about 5 lbs of pressure when hot. I don't use any tools and I check it while hot. Basically what "feels" good to me or what a belt should feel like (to me).

By no means am I recommending others to do it. At least not yet. It's just 1 service manual adjustment I could not agree with. I have never seen a cog belt adjusted so tight in my life. Actually so far (15K miles) it's been Great. Believe it or not, the bike just feels so much more "relaxed". Especially the up & down rear suspension movement. I know it's hard to believe but the whole bike just feels better.

I can't say this holds true for all rear bike geometry but the more weight on the rear of my bike, the tighter the belt gets. The rear swing arm does Not follow a concentric arc around the front pulley. It was like belt tension was supporting rear end weight and preventing the shocks to do their job.

If it turns out to be the worse thing I could do & I rip the cogs off the belt, then so be it. I will put in print that it was a mistake because that is the way I roll. I will just replace the belt and learn something new. But I think the upside benefits of having a relaxed belt are many and my adjustment is worth testing. At least for me it is.
 
Question on the maintenence schedule , my manual says to change fork oil at 50,000 miles , seems too long to me , the pdf JBC2565 posted shows 20,000 miles according to the dealer schedule which is right or wrong ?
 
BOWHIKER said:
Question on the maintenence schedule , my manual says to change fork oil at 50,000 miles , seems too long to me , the pdf JBC2565 posted shows 20,000 miles according to the dealer schedule which is right or wrong ?
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Straight from my 2008 manual: CHANGING FORK OIL
NOTE
If changing the fork oil at the 50,000 mile (80,000 km) service
interval, or if fork is leaking or fails visual inspection, see
2.17 FRONT FORK, Removal and 2.17 FRONT FORK, Disassembly,
as complete disassembly and inspection of the fork is
required. However, if a decision has been made to replace the
fork oil before the recommended service interval, and the fork
passes visual inspection, see steps 1-5 below.
 
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