Question about "14 RT drive belt.

[Buckeye Chuck 54]

My "14 RT-S has 160,000 miles on it. The Drive OEM belt lasted 1o8,000
miles. Since my first ride early this winter I noticed my drive belt is all over
the rear sprocket. All the way into the shoulder to way outside. The belt,
when outside, is on the outside of the front sprocket as well. I had the rear
wheel bearings replaced when I first noticed this, in April. I took a 148
mile ryde today and saw it's as far outside as I've seen it. It's a worry.
Any ideas? There's no red dust on the front sprocket and everything else looks fine.
Chuck

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

BELT WANDER

My "14 RT-S has 160,000 miles on it. The Drive OEM belt lasted 1o8,000
miles. Since my first ride early this winter I noticed my drive belt is all over
the rear sprocket. All the way into the shoulder to way outside. The belt,
when outside, is on the outside of the front sprocket as well. I had the rear
wheel bearings replaced when I first noticed this, in April. I took a 148
mile ryde today and saw it's as far outside as I've seen it. It's a worry.
Any ideas? There's no red dust on the front sprocket and everything else looks fine.
Chuck

Hi Chuck - Mike here ..soooooooooooooo glad to hear your back riding again :clap::clap::clap::clap:..... Mine is also a 14 but it doesn't matter what year .....I watched a video of the drive belt that focused on the rear Sproket ..... it moves all the time .... it's pretty long belt so this doesn't surprise me .....I have the tension at 160lbs on the ground ...... What's yours at ...........PS I don't have a TENSIONING device and I don't have any VIBES ..... good luck ...... :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Mazo EMS2]

Sounds like ya might need to go just a tad bit tighter, a 1/4 turn maybe, with the left side adjuster (as you're on the floor behind the bike looking at adjusters)

 

[Chupaca]

Little checking.....

With that kinda of mileage you should check the swingarm bearings. These belts will move some mostly when going forward and backwards but during normal ryding they stay in one place till something changes. Front pulley loose, swingarm bearings or wheelbearings. :dontknow:

 

[cptjam]

Agreed

I believe Gene is spot on. Check all of that. Joe

 

[Buckeye Chuck 54]

Thanks to all.

Thanks Mike. Yes, I'm back in the saddle but on a limited basis. Reason being
I think my #1 priority is to get a new belt. It's just got some miles on it. Because
of my disability I have a trusted dealer that does all my work of this nature. Back in
March I had the RT in for some service work. One of the items was to check the
belt wandering, and to change the rear wheel bearings. They couldn't find anything
to do with the belt, so they just adjusted it. But the belt is still moving around. It
never in all it's miles had this issue. When I take it in for the replacement, I'll have
them check the swingarm bearings. (Thanks Chupaca).
When all the work is done I'll ask what tension they set the belt.

Thanks for the replies.

Chuck

Hi Chuck - Mike here ..soooooooooooooo glad to hear your back riding again :clap::clap::clap::clap:..... Mine is also a 14 but it doesn't matter what year .....I watched a video of the drive belt that focused on the rear Sproket ..... it moves all the time .... it's pretty long belt so this doesn't surprise me .....I have the tension at 160lbs on the ground ...... What's yours at ...........PS I don't have a TENSIONING device and I don't have any VIBES ..... good luck ...... :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Belt Wander

Thanks Mike. Yes, I'm back in the saddle but on a limited basis. Reason being
I think my #1 priority is to get a new belt. It's just got some miles on it. Because
of my disability I have a trusted dealer that does all my work of this nature. Back in
March I had the RT in for some service work. One of the items was to check the
belt wandering, and to change the rear wheel bearings. They couldn't find anything
to do with the belt, so they just adjusted it. But the belt is still moving around. It
never in all it's miles had this issue. When I take it in for the replacement, I'll have
them check the swingarm bearings. (Thanks Chupaca).
When all the work is done I'll ask what tension they set the belt.

Thanks for the replies.

Chuck

Unless a specific lower tension is DEMANDED by the owner ....Dealers will use the BRP spec tension ....which IMHO is still high ( even tho BRP has moved it lower than previously ).............Mike :thumbup:

 

[PMK]

If you have a trusted dealer, ask them to remove the pulley from the shaft.

We too have a 14 RTS. When I inspected our pulley for spline condition, I found the splines / pulley came from Can Am lubricated.

Because of the lubrication, assuming yours was also, you may never see the red fretting dust particles. However, there possibly may be wear on the pulley, allowing it to wobble ever so slightly on the shaft. The uncontrolled belt wandering you describe, has been mentioned by others that shortly thereafter had pulley failures.

If the machanic is cool, they can release belt tension after merely slighly loosening the pulley retaining bolt. Then, with hand effort, see if the pulley has the capability to wobble at all on the shaft. If so, ask if the can test fit a new pulley and check it for wobble.

If the front pulley has the ability to reposition itself while riding, that will essentially cause pulley misalignment and belt wandering.

You also mentioned they replaced bearings. Did the check the rear pulley bearings for wobble also? That is a very easy inspection. Grab the rear pulley at the top and bottom. Push / pull, is any looseness or wobble detected, if so, the bearing in the pulley itself may be worn.

Just suggestion beyond the belt. In years of running belt driven model cars, typically a failing belt will stsy towards one side only, while a failing pulley to shaft fit, or failing bearing makes the belt move about.

Hope it helped.