I just installed a new tire and was checking my belt deflection ( with the HD gauge). Says I should have 5/16 to 3/8 with rear wheel in the air. With the window with the 1/8" graduations . My belt is about 1/4" below the window before the pressure of the gauge is put on.Should I count that or not. When I push up with the gauge I am getting to just below 3/8" mark but my belt still feels tight. Won't it get tighter with weight on plus the heat of the pulleys when the get hot.It is about where it was before but when I let off the throttle I get a vibration and I think it is comming from the belt

 

you measure from the relaxed position of the belt and check the difference after applying 10lbs (if Im not mistaken) of force.

Heres a quick way to test your belt:

Put the motorcycle in neutral, grab the belt an inch and a half behind the primary cover, and twist it with 2 fingers and a thumb. It should feel really tight when the belt is twisted 45 degrees. If you can't twist the Harley's drive belt 45 degrees, it is too tight. If you can twist it more than 45 degrees, it is too loose.

 

yes you take in all the movement from the relaxed position. i use a little steel ruler and clip it on the lower debris shield and measure all the travel of the belt. i always set my deflection at the loose end of the specs, but within the specs.

 

on my '94 the manual says check the tension on the ground with the weight of the rider on it...

 

Are you sure the bike is supposed to be in the air? I don't have the procedure in front of me but I thought you had to check the deflection with the bike on the ground AND the rider on the bike. When the bike is on the ground the belt should come up into one of the bottom graduations on the scale.



carl

 

'Bout all I can tell ya is if I set the tension to HDs specs. the belt is noisy. Sings in a bad way as the belt engages and leaves the pulley. '04 FLHT BTW.
I take the slack out and give a tiny bit of tension.