07 FLSTC, I have adjusted my rear belt deflection several times acording to the servive manual and within 9/16" - 5/8" of deflection.Afterabout 4hundred miles later the belt will have lost some of it's tension, not strung as tight as it was. The axle adjusting bolts have not moved, the threads have been counted and the top flat of the bolt head marked. After adjusting belt tension I check to make sure rear wheel is alligned. Crazy thing is, when I re-adjust the belt to be tighter or in spec, the rear axle adjusting
bolts end right back where they were B4? Good at first then loses some tension.

Is this normal? Wouldjust riding & going over bumps and such cause this? I have looked at older models of Heritage Softails and they all have a much wider rear belt than the 07's, could the smaller belt be more prone to loosing tension?

Thanks For Any Input,
Dan

 

Check the final tension with someone sitting on the bike. The belt is tighter with a riders weight. Maybe the belt is to tight with a load on the bike and this causes it to be streached when you ride over bumps etc

 

Gotta admit I'm stumped here. Are you using a torque wrench on the rear axle bolt? Just reachin really, but I'm interested in seeing how this one turns out.
-clutch-

 

Yes I am using a torque wrench on the rear axle bolt, 65 ft.lbs.

Later,
Dan

 

I'd like to resurrect this thread because the same thing is happening to me and I cant find an explanation. Broke a drive belt 12 months ago. 10 months ago the rear end was aligned and belt tension set. Today, the marks on the rear axle cam bolt have not moved but belt was loose enough to chirp on decel.

 

check your swing arm bearings .

 

use some white out to place a witness mark on each side of the axle in line with the swing arm. Then you can see if and how much its moving.