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Drive Belt Tension Gauge

7K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  crazymf 
#1 ·
Is everyone using the little finger "Click" type gauge or some other type?
Thanks! :capwin:
 
#3 ·
Take the upper belt guard off and place the finger gauge half way between both pulleys on top of the belt. Put one finger in the gauge and place your other forefinger on top of the first and press straight down. You should get consistent readings this way. took me a while to get the hang of it also...Joe
 
#5 ·
Yep, I am using the click type finger gauge. I don't have the belt guard to remove but I am using it like Joe describes and I get different readings ... maybe just my eyes :wink: but readings vary with mine. I take an average of three readings while setting the tension.
 
#7 ·
Heck, I need to get a gauge I suppose! I have always tightened the belt "by the seat of my pants" (just guessed). Do most of the dealers have these gauges, or does someone know another source? I guess any type of gauge beats no gauge at all. Thanks guys!
 
#8 ·
EastnMike said:
Heck, I need to get a gauge I suppose! I have always tightened the belt "by the seat of my pants" (just guessed). Do most of the dealers have these gauges, or does someone know another source? I guess any type of gauge beats no gauge at all. Thanks guys!

Mike,
I bought two of them at the factory. They are cheap. Somewhat around
10 to 15 USD if I remember right.

Loaf
 
#9 ·
I was told you get one with a new Boss Hoss. As I didn't get it when I bought mine, I asked when I was at the factory last october. I also asked for the allen-wrench to take away my sidepanels. It looks like a screwdriver.
Gess what - I got both for free. :D
 
#11 ·
Mike..Harley uses a diferent type of device for belt tension but I'm not sure what it is. Those of you with Harleys...Speak!
I think using no gauge at all is flirtimg with danger because, for sure, I can't manually feel the difference between 300 and 450 lbs. tension. Both are very tight and 1/4 turn of the adjuster can make a 100 lb. difference once it is tight.....Joe
 
#17 ·
I have been having hell with belt alignment and have tortured my belt all spring. Ran 350-500 lbs in the pulley squeaking the side of the pulley over under sideways and any possible config you can imagine. Belt looks good still so I'm not too sure how critical belt tightness is.

Got it aligned and settled for 400lb on the finger guage finally.
 
#18 ·
I think the most critical thing about belt tension is not to have it too tight or you will put stress on the transmission output shaft bearing and not too loose to slip on the pulley or jump teeth . If you front and rear wheels are aligned and your belt is not making noise or wearing excessively , forget about where it runs on the pulley . Of course if you have a custom pulley without the sides on it you want the belt to be centered for looks . I've found around 400 lbs. tension works best for me with the ZZ4 .

Jack
 
#19 ·
Bill...you will definitely get different readings by pushing the device up under the bottom of the belt. The reason is you can't see the angle at which you are pushing and readings are very inconsistent. The apex point of the tool may be on a cog or between them and you'll never know. It needs to be on a flat surface, ie., the top of the belt. Take the top belt guard off (****...only two bolts) and do the tension on the top of the belt by pressing STRAIGHT down with one forefinger over the other. Drive the apex of the tool directly downward into the belt and avoid the urge to roll your finger. You will see the readings will be fairly consistent within 50 lbs. of each other after a little practice.
I have to disagree with Jack here and say that most belt problems are because they are too loose...not too tight. I would stay between 400-450 lbs. Below and you are flirting with slippage and above 500 flirting with bearing toasting. My belt and pulleys look like new after 30,000 miles.
I certainly agree with Jack that where the belt runs on the pully (90+% run to the left) is not meaningful in any way....Joe
 
#20 ·
Joe , I think it has a lot to do with what kind of tire you are running and how much traction your getting . A car tire probably puts more stress on the belt than a grooved Avon . I know I can spin My rear wheel at will and don't believe at 400Lbs. belt tension I could ever slip my belt . At one time I tried 500 lbs. belt tension and it just didn't sound or feel right so I backed it off and feel more comfortable with the 400 lb. setting .

Jack
 
#21 ·
I run 350 lbs with a car tire. I have ran as little as 300 lbs. The problem I see with too much belt tension is that the swingarm bushings are getting a lot of stress in on direction and seeing there is no bearing it is just a matter of time before it eggs out. I have seen this on my buddies 99. I say run as little as you can without slipping, for me that is 350 lbs.
 
#22 ·
Good point Lamont , I'm thinking about making up a set of hardened and tempered steel swing arm bushings now that I am able to grease them thru the swing arm bolts I don't see why they have to be made out of bronze .

Jack
 
#23 ·
LaMonsterV8 said:
I run 350 lbs with a car tire. I have ran as little as 300 lbs. I say run as little as you can without slipping, for me that is 350 lbs.
I use the same tension. My lowest is 300, highest is 400 - best is 350 for
me. I too run a car tire, and never had a slipping belt. Andy bought a
chromed rear pulley from Chopper City and experienced a slipping belt
even at 450 Lbs after he installed it. He has to run 500 Lbs now all the time. :roll:

Loaf
 
#24 ·
Joe

I tried using the tention gauge on the top and bottom side of the belt under the upper chain gaurd with the gaurd off. After 10 readings on each side both sides registered 300lbs.
I was already to call it a done deal but after putting the belt gaurd on again I thought I would push from the underside one more time .
It registered 475. So I tried a few more times and the tention was different depending where I placed the gauge. Those teeth in the belt do cause different readings to occur. Weird the test with no belt gaurd was so identical. All I can chock it up to is holding the gauge at exactly the same place each test and taking the teeth out of the equasion.

Thanks buddy :D
Bill
 
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