Misaligned drive belt

[SVUly]

I recently had a shop replace my 2006 Uly's rear wheel bearings and tire. Since I had the wheel off the bike, I decided it was time to replace the drive belt, since it was about as old as the one that broke earlier. After putting everything together, the belt rides about 1/32 inch off the wheel pulley. On the one hand, I'm wondering if turning the belt around would help. On the other hand, when I mounted everything, in my haste I tightened the axle before the swing arm brace, and the manual says that is forbidden. Could that have caused my problem? If so, what is the remedy? This is not the first time I have replaced a belt, and previously I did not have that problem.

 

[user_deleted]

I'm wondering if turning the belt around would help.
no

in my haste I tightened the axle before the swing arm brace, and the manual says that is forbidden. Could that have caused my problem?

yes

when a belt decides to ride towards the OUTSIDE of the rear wheel pulley it is always either faulty wheel bearings, bearings installed incorrectly, or an incorrectly installed and torqued rear axle.
i would closely double check the work done by the shop and be sure the rear bearings particularly the pulley side bearing is installed correctly and flush against the hub floor it bottoms against. with rear wheel supported loosen the axle 21 turns....remove the swingarm bridge....check the alignment of bridge to swingarm and if ok.....reattach bridge...properly retorque rear axle using service manual method....install axle hex cap pinch bolt....and hope for the best.

 

[Cooter]

Lunatic is totally right, but a quick FYI....


Roll the bike forward about 6' before you analyze the belt tracking. Don't just back it out of the garage and look at it.

 

[tazwolf]

Loosen axle, loosen brace, retension brace and retension axle. See how things look from there.

 

[SVUly]

I've ridden it at least 20 miles since the change, and the belt does ride out a bit. The bearings looked good to me when I got the tire back. Thanks for the responses. I'll try what you suggested and report back.

 

[user_deleted]

yes do that and let us know. and for what it's worth think of mis-alignment in terms of viewing your bike from the rear:
a belt that tends to want to "walk-off" the outside/right side of rear pulley is a wheel and tire assembly that's cocked to the left.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" move towards the wheel centerline and shred itself on the inner guide face of the rear pulley is a wheel and tire assembly that's cocked to the right.....which is virtually always faulty wheel bearings.
the amount of distance you referenced is actually quite small. if the steps i provided don't resolve it the other 2 possible considerations are that the bearing set and spacer tube were incorrectly installed....or the spacer tube is defective which can only be verified by careful measurement. 2006 spacer tube specs below.........correct bearing installation is ROTOR side bearing installed first followed by spacer tube then pulley side.
Rear Spacer Tube: 202.8 +/- 0.05 mm....... 7.984 +/- 0.002 inch

 

[njloco]

I'm am so happy that you also put it down in standard measurement also, for us old goats !

 

[Outlaw]

I prefer all measurements in American Standard. Not that foreign crap.

 

[SVUly]

I did what lunatic fringe suggested, and while it was on the hoist the belt seemed to track correctly as I turned it by hand. However, I have now ridden it maybe 50 miles, and it has returned to be a bit off the wheel pulley again. I agree it is cocked to the left. It seems to ride ok, but I'd rather have it right. It can't be ok to be tracking a bit off. I think I'll go back to the place that installed the wheel bearings and ask a few questions.

 

[LouWambsganss]

Could the swingarm bearings be worn? Loosen the axle to unload the belt and try to move the swingarm around in all axes.

 

[SVUly]

I've tried this and that as suggested, and it still rides a bit off. Even got a new swing arm brace. It rides ok, so maybe I'll just leave it that way. If I could shim the axle on the left side a bit, that might line it up correctly, but then something else would still be that much wrong.

 

[user_deleted]

I've tried this and that as suggested, and it still rides a bit off. Even got a new swing arm brace. It rides ok, so maybe I'll just leave it that way. If I could shim the axle on the left side a bit, that might line it up correctly, but then something else would still be that much wrong.

the rear axle is THE critical component in lining things up correctly along with pre-loading the bearing inner races to the hub spacer. i know of no way to "shim" it. according to your 1st post we're talking 1/32nd of an inch here or 0.8millimeters. that will be difficult to track down but as a final suggestion have a look at all your engine mounts and supports and check for tightness and serviceable front mount bushing. slightly "cocked" lump could give you the 1/32nd differential you're chasing.