Primary belt not chain?

[sporty77]

Hi

just got my hands on a 77 sporty xlh. 1st harley i've owned and trying to do most of the work on it myself...

i have a primary belt and not a chain.

1. is this standard on this model or has it been changed/modified over the years?

2. most importantly do i still need to put oil in seen as it's not a chain??

apologies if this is a ridiculous question but i have no idea and it's been driving me nuts!!!

not easy when you're not sure if any modifications have been made to bike when you are trying to find info

thanks for any help offered

 

[glider]

Doubt you'll find a primary belt on any factory bikes so it no doubt has been changed. No oil with a belt, they run dry.

 

[sporty77]

thanks for the info

 

[Jonas]

Doubt you'll find a primary belt on any factory bikes so it no doubt has been changed. No oil with a belt, they run dry.

No sure about sportsters, but there are Big Twins with factory Belt Primarys. Around 80 or 81.

 

[Jack Klarich]

No Sportsters left the factory with a belt in the primary

 

[sporty77]

ok so i've been going through this in my head and i understand no need for oil for the belt but and i could be horribly wrong here as my knowledge is practically zero but what about the clutch assembly which is in the some 'enclosure'? no oil needed for this too??

 

[sporty77]

happy days... thanks

 

[BrettG]

Belt drive primary conversion has been around a long time.
People do it on Triumphs also, but there are two types, in oil and dry.
When converted to dry, they warn about the need to cool the primary with vents, otherwise stuff gets too hot, like the alternator coil.
Not sure is this is important on the Harley's, but I remember seeing them with screens for the primary cover.

Brett