[khollister]

I've spent hours searching for info about belt tension here and think I know what I should do, but one piece of data doesn't fit, so I need your thoughts.

The situation is this - 06 FLHRSI with about 1200 miles. I havbe recently noticed a noise during deceleration that I would describe as a moaning, whine or drone. It only starts after riding the bike for an hour or so. The noise is not there cold. I have checked the belt tension using the HD tool and it is exactly at the upper limits in the service manual (5/16" on the stand). I have washed the belt and even smoothed the inside edge of the pulley with fine emory cloth. Based on what I have read, I'm inclined to loosen the belt tension some, afte all, if it was too loose, it shouldn't take 50+ miles of riding to start making noise.

The problem is I only started hearing this in the last 200 miles or so. Since I assume that the belt would not tighten up in 1000 miles, I'm confused as to why this didn't happen from the beginning - the belt was probably even tighter originally.

It is definitely coming from the left rear of the bike, so I'm convinced it is belt related.

Ideas?

 

[Guest]

Primary Chain Tension (too tight).

The chain is right on the limit of being too tight, As the bike gets warm, it gets slightly tighter. Loosen it by one tooth on the adjustment rack.

Harris

 

[TXCHOP]

good tip Harris, but when you check the chain, try to jack up the back wheel and spin it.(5th gear) I always like to check the chain in a couple spots...Was this bike just in for a 1000 mile sevice...Maybe the tech went up one or two teeth to many....

 

[khollister]

I did the 1000 mi service and the primary chain tension was within spec - no adjustment. Again, since I would expect the chain tension to get looser with time (if anything), a tight chain makes no sense to me. I could also swear that the noise is coming from the rear wheel/pulley area, not the primary case.

 

[Guest]

Well, when you try everything else, and still have the noise, just try loosening the primary chain one tooth on the adjustment rack. It certainly won't hurt anything, and will only take 15 minutes.

Harris

 

[khollister]

Well, when you try everything else, and still have the noise, just try loosening the primary chain one tooth on the adjustment rack. It certainly won't hurt anything, and will only take 15 minutes.

Harris

Sorry - no joy. Put another 3/16" of slack in the chain which put it right at the upper limit and no difference.

 

[berserker]

I would guess priamry to, since it gets tighter when hot. Was it completely cooled down? I am anal about adjusting it cold. I find even after a few hours its still warm. So I only do it after it sat for the night.

I don't know why a belt would make noises when warm and not cold. I have heard some people say spec is to tight. So maybe loosen belt.

 

[khollister]

I would guess priamry to, since it gets tighter when hot. Was it completely cooled down? I am anal about adjusting it cold. I find even after a few hours its still warm. So I only do it after it sat for the night.

I don't know why a belt would make noises when warm and not cold. I have heard some people say spec is to tight. So maybe loosen belt.

I will double check the primary temsion tomorrow AM after the bike cools overnite. Assuming it is not tight, I'll put about 1/4 - 3/8" more slack in the belt and see what happens.

The belt does get tighter as the bike warms up for the same reason the primary does - the pulleys get hot and expand.

 

[berserker]

After all this, it will probably some dumb unrelated thing. Thats how it goes. Either that after awhile you don't hear it.

Sounds like your primary chain is ok. Even if the chain is warm and you do it to the cold specs, if you go to the loosest of the cold I would think you wuld be ok. By now its probably to loose and whining

 

[ratt]

I've spent hours searching for info about belt tension here and think I know what I should do, but one piece of data doesn't fit, so I need your thoughts.

The situation is this - 06 FLHRSI with about 1200 miles. I havbe recently noticed a noise during deceleration that I would describe as a moaning, whine or drone. It only starts after riding the bike for an hour or so. The noise is not there cold. I have checked the belt tension using the HD tool and it is exactly at the upper limits in the service manual (5/16" on the stand). I have washed the belt and even smoothed the inside edge of the pulley with fine emory cloth. Based on what I have read, I'm inclined to loosen the belt tension some, afte all, if it was too loose, it shouldn't take 50+ miles of riding to start making noise.

The problem is I only started hearing this in the last 200 miles or so. Since I assume that the belt would not tighten up in 1000 miles, I'm confused as to why this didn't happen from the beginning - the belt was probably even tighter originally.

It is definitely coming from the left rear of the bike, so I'm convinced it is belt related.

Ideas?

I have been following this thread ,,,, i have one question ,, is this your first twin cam? Have you given it any thought that you might just be hearing normal noises? Air cooled push rod HD v twins make some pretty strange noises that are normal. The evo death rattle is a sound that made me as a new HD owner just cringe ....i bought the bike used with 17 k on it ... i asked the guy i bought it from ,, does this thing sound normal ,, he just laughed and said yea ,, sounds like its ready to come apart dont it .....i sold the bike last summer and it sounds exactly the same way it did when i bought in 7years prior ..... rat

 

[ViennaHog]

The belt does get tighter as the bike warms up for the same reason the primary does - the pulleys get hot and expand.[/QUOTE]
Not sure about this theory, more likely a characteristic of the belt material (Kevlar reinforced rubber compound I believe)

 

[khollister]

OK - problem solved. I put approximately 1/4" additional slack in the belt, which is in the ballpark of what most of the "spec is too tight" crowd advocated in previous posts. Not only did the decel noise go away, but a steady state droning when cruising (which I thought was tire noise) also disappeared.

Goes to show the first answer is often the right one.

I knew it was the belt

 

[berserker]

Have you given it any thought that you might just be hearing normal noises? Air cooled push rod HD v twins make some pretty strange noises that are normal. t

Every now and then I hear a noise, pretty much figure it was always there, I jsut happen to be tuning into it know and listening for it. Though I hate to say this when it might be a....
But they make some noise.

 

[ratt]

Every now and then I hear a noise, pretty much figure it was always there, I jsut happen to be tuning into it know and listening for it. Though I hate to say this when it might be a....
But they make some noise.

I know the feeling .... If the oil pressure is good and the power seems normal ,and the bike rides ok,, i pretty well ingore the noises. I figure if its comming apart its comming apart ,,,,,If you have any major problems ,,,its gonna be a really ugly noise... when you got somthing really knockin ,,,,,i am sure you wont have to ponder the sound .......rat

 

[berserker]

Noise is a very good diagnostic tool, but can drive you crazy tool. I can't count the times I've said do you hear that.
Though I did blow a motor once, and I could hear it, but though it was something else. So I am not giving advice.

 

[ratt]

Noise is a very good diagnostic tool, but can drive you crazy tool. I can't count the times I've said do you hear that.
Though I did blow a motor once, and I could hear it, but though it was something else. So I am not giving advice.

the way i look at it ,, is by the time i hear the noise ,, the engine is prolly junk anyway ,,,,,I dont hear that good lol. rat

 

[timbo]

I discovered this a long time ago. Read my post which is #3.

http://65.38.172.84/forums/showthread.php?t=43987&highlight=bottle

 

[khollister]

I discovered this a long time ago. Read my post which is #3.

http://65.38.172.84/forums/showthread.php?t=43987&highlight=bottle

I know. The only reason I even posted originally was I couldn't reconcile why the noise would not have been there from the beginning. I'm still a little fuzzy on that, but since the bike runs great now with no funky belt noises, I'm happy. Since there are several of you running the belt even looser than I am, I feel pretty confident that I'm not going to break the belt anytime soon as a result of this.

 

[94glide]

Another little secret!!!

Here's another little secret I've found that works....I too have been through the belt to tight...to loose game...to tight and it whines...to loose, and it will actually squeak/chirp under acceleration...until it warms up and then that will go away...I run mine just a tad bit loose...from what the book states...cause it's always going to get warm/hot...and give you that whine...so I run it loose...but in 30 degree weather...it will chirp...so I took a bar of soap, and held it on both sides of the belt and the cogs...and rotated the wheel....no more squeaks,squeals,chirps...or whining...now just about everytime I wax'er up....I'll go ahead and hit the belt with some soap...just my two cents...
JDB