i've adjusted alot of belts,but i adjusted mine dead on when it was eighty degrees out and when checking it today it was 45 degrees out and now it's on the loose side. i'm picky about my belt adjustments, but this is annoying. i have always set them when the bike is cold (not ridden). i can only twist the belt about 45* angle. just wouldn't think it would swing so much with the air temps. anyone else observe this ?

 

was looking at my belt today and there is a 5/16 difference in the belt deflection from the loosest to the tightest spot and it does differ with the temps. but still and only twist belt about 45* . alot tigher when hot.

 

was looking at my belt adjustment today and there is 5/16ths difference when you roll the bike around. still pretty tight when the bike is hot and can only twist it about 45* only 5000 miles on the bike.

 

Doing service on one of the bikes and did the belt adjustment. Bike was at ambient temp. of around 50. The next I ran the bike at 80 degrees, belt was so freakin tight I thought it was going to pop. I learned real fast that everything grows on a harley when its hot except the belt. Now I only adjust the belt at 70 to 75 ambient on a cold bike.

I don't know what is worse, a slightly loose belt untill bike warms up or one that you can hardly get any flex out of it cause the belt is so tight.

 

oops, double post. sorry

 

I'll take the slightly loose belt since your not gonna get on it till the engine is warmed up anyway. At least I don't romp on a cold moter.

 

this has always been my train of thought too. that's why i always set them up at the loose end of specs cold, but when it gets really cold it does loosen up quite a bit.

 

Does someone use a smart-phone application that could measure the natural frequency (tone) of the belt when pulled then released like a guitar string?

The result could be displayed in Hz or cycles/second and compared to recorded values at the min and max tensions of the belt as explained in the owner's manual

Any ideas?