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looking for updated drive belt info XB12R

Buellxb Forum

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XB Richard

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2023
Messages
10
hello, my 05 xb12r finally needs a replacement belt.
Looks like that's 128Tooth x 1/18"
I'm in Australia and most sites either won't ship (bdl) . . (gates & aftermarket) citing export restrictions, can you believe it!
or they want $150 to $180 US extra just for postage.
HD locally want $450 to $500 AU for their sportster belt . . it's lined with gold dust.
I've trawled through every forum google will find and can't find new info . .
Anyone offer incite?
ta.
 
Richard: Click link below. Scroll to bottom...see my name....see belt info I posted. Firebolt belts readily available over here via Harley Davidson dealer network and aftermarket outfits you mentioned. Off the top of my head, shipped weight is approx 4 US pounds. USPS priority to OZ is approx $80....USPS first class is approx $72.
I do NOT need any more work but if you buy one over here, have it sent to my dealership and I'll ship it over to you as a favor. I ship to OZ and NZ several times a week.

https://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?57694-Spare-Parts&p=637982#post637982
 
Hi Barrett, thx that's very generous of you.
I'll try to pm you for details.
Richard.

edit: pm sent.
 
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Hi Barrett sorry to keep you hanging . .
my local HD dealer has a belt in stock for what I can buy one for on the web+post.
thx again for your kind offer.
Richard.
 
Hi Barrett sorry to keep you hanging . .
my local HD dealer has a belt in stock for what I can buy one for on the web+post.
thx again for your kind offer.
Richard.
 
Yes Sir Richard my pleasure. That new belt is going to feel extraordinarily tight during initial installation. Give it a few miles to "run in". While you're doing this work, also check your rear wheel bearings....1 per side...and the belt tensioner pulley bearings for condition and smoothness.
NOTE: You are going to struggle installing the tensioner pulley with new belt installed. There is a trick to painlessly doing it. Let me know if info needed.
 
the service manual just says "undo axle approx 15 turns"
it looks like there is a machined step to provide a little play.
.. hmm any "tricks" gladly received.
 
XB Richard said:
the service manual just says "undo axle approx 15 turns"
it looks like there is a machined step to provide a little play.
.. hmm any "tricks" gladly received.
Click to expand...

Not quite. Do as follows:

Rear wheel MUST be off ground however slight
With belt installed on BOTH pulleys....loosen rear axle EXACTLY 21 TURNS
Rear axle is standard right hand threads-------Front axle is left hand threads
Now take tensioner pulley and while firmly pushing the rotating wheel face against the bottom of the belt work the bracket onto the 2 threaded case studs

A small amount light grease on the case studs eases installation during this process. Completely remove the grease and wipe clean after bracket installed. I use small dab of blue LocTite on the case stud threads.
 
Great advice as usual John. I thought maybe the "trick" you were going to tell him about was elongating the upper & lower holes a bit, so the tensioner pulley can rotate a bit. The new belt I installed on my XB12X recently was RIDICULOUSLY tight. I took your advice on doing this mod., and it worked beautifully! Just a couple of millimeters elongating them was all it took. Just don't over-do it. It was still awefully tight after the mod., but that's what we want. Just don't need/want that much load on the bearings. That how-to modification thread is in here somewhere.
 
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Thanks a ton Bob and really appreciate the kind words. That tensioner mod you eluded to actually does relieve just enough belt tension to give the wheel bearings a break. All XR1200's from the factory have a fixed belt tensioner which is similar in design and identical in application to the XB tensioners...and only runs a few pounds of belt tension to successfully do its job. The XB tensioner is a nice design but poorly executed.
XB TENSIONER MOD----simply elongate bottom of front hole and top of rear hole to allow pulley to slightly rotate downwards relieving a bit of belt pressure. Use common sense when enlarging the 2 bracket mounting holes.


I've seen spring loaded tensioner pulleys for sale. Are they good in theory bad in practice?

As in Free Spirits? As in garbage. WorldWideWeb full of hundreds of failure examples.
 
well thx Barrett, belt is on and it's drum tight.
I ran it on a paddock stand for a couple of minutes and the tension loosened a little. .
But there's no way I would leave a car timing belt this tight.
I'm tempted to pull it again and drill out one of the tensioner holes.

edit: @Barrett 21 turns out on the axle made all the difference, great advice thx.
 
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XB Richard said:
well thx Barrett, belt is on and it's drum tight.
I ran it on a paddock stand for a couple of minutes and the tension loosened a little. .
But there's no way I would leave a car timing belt this tight.
I'm tempted to pull it again and drill out one of the tensioner holes.
Click to expand...

To be clear; don't just drill out the holes to a larger size. Elongate(ream)the two holes precisely as Barrett laid out. Many a bearing didn't live as long as they could have due to this issue.
 
I think the only way I could elongate those holes is to mill them . . if I had one!
Hacking them with a drill bit . . maybe if I just did one hole so it could still pivot squarely, hmm don't know.
 
XB Richard said:
I think the only way I could elongate those holes is to mill them . . if I had one!
Hacking them with a drill bit . . maybe if I just did one hole so it could still pivot squarely, hmm don't know.
Click to expand...

No mill necessary. Yes, a little geometry should be used to mark the 2 shoulders you'll remove. Use the centerline(halfway between the 2 holes) as the pivot point and rotate a line from that point and the center of the hole to where it rotates approx. 2 to 3mm outside the hole. This will be the apex of your 3/8" diameter ream. As Barrrett mentioned, bottom of front hole, and top of rear hole. I understand it can be difficult to understand my layman explanation of this, but hope you get it.

It's aluminum, not SS, so I just used a fresh 3/8" bit and VS cordless drill and took my time. Use a little thread cutting oil and pressure towards the apex. Secure in padded vise, and stay plumb and square to the face by eye(close enough if you have a good eye). Test fit, lather and repeat until you get your perfect fit to slide on the studs cleanly. If you think this is hacking then perhaps you can get a machinist to do it for you. But you should make the marks for them, otherwise he or she will fluck it up. And you may still need to return for a slight trim, unless you can leave the bike there for them to test fit. I did this in conjunction with my (3)wheel bearing and new belt replacement procedure. carpe diem!
 
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Absolutely brilliant Bob and that is precisely how the 2 mounting holes should be slightly elongated.
Great info.
 
TheWood said:
No mill necessary. Yes, a little geometry should be used to mark the 2 shoulders you'll remove. Use the centerline(halfway between the 2 holes) as the pivot point and rotate a line from that point and the center of the hole to where it rotates approx. 2 to 3mm outside the hole. This will be the apex of your 3/8" diameter ream. As Barrrett mentioned, bottom of front hole, and top of rear hole. I understand it can be difficult to understand my layman explanation of this, but hope you get it.

It's aluminum, not SS, so I just used a fresh 3/8" bit and VS cordless drill and took my time. Use a little thread cutting oil and pressure towards the apex. Secure in padded vise, and stay plumb and square to the face by eye(close enough if you have a good eye). Test fit, lather and repeat until you get your perfect fit to slide on the studs cleanly. If you think this is hacking then perhaps you can get a machinist to do it for you. But you should make the marks for them, otherwise he or she will fluck it up. And you may still need to return for a slight trim, unless you can leave the bike there for them to test fit. I did this in conjunction with my (3)wheel bearing replacement procedure. carpe diem!
Click to expand...

I just pivot from the top bolt, As you say, there is no need to remove that much.
I center a 10mm rod on the lower bolt hole, then tight the 3/8 top bolt to the clamping device, then swap the rod for a mill, and by tap the part it rotates the few millimeters needed and remove that bit of metal from the bottom hole. By doing this I leave the top hole the factory dimension just slotting the lower one
 
motoqueiro said:
I just pivot from the top bolt, As you say, there is no need to remove that much.
I center a 10mm rod on the lower bolt hole, then tight the 3/8 top bolt to the clamping device, then swap the rod for a mill, and by tap the part it rotates the few millimeters needed and remove that bit of metal from the bottom hole. By doing this I leave the top hole the factory dimension just slotting the lower one
Click to expand...

Yep, that works too. The criteria and logic behind doing both holes is to leave the maximum amount of thickness at the remaining wall. I think by only doing one, and to get the proper amount of relief you're looking for, you have to get the ream closer to the perimeter edge(weaker)than if you do both. That's my $.02
 

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