Sportster Models 883, 883 Custom, 1200 Custom, 883L, 1200L, 1200S, 1200 Roadster, XR1200, and the Nightster.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

belt noise / loose pulley

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 12:21 PM
  #1  
redrum's Avatar
redrum
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Default belt noise / loose pulley

My bike is a 1997 Sportster 883, in the process of chasing down a noise I discovered that the belt was loose on the pulley at the transmission. I took the cover off and was able to take that HUGE nut off with my fingers. I tightened is tight as I could with a pair of channel lock pliers and then put everything back together. The noise stopped for a little while is starting to creep back now. What can I do? What is the solution to keep this from happening? I put the lock nut back on so it shouldn't be loosening. Is there possibly and alignment problem or maybe a bad bearing of some type?

Any help will be greatly appreciated..
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 12:32 PM
  #2  
Sporthawg1200's Avatar
Sporthawg1200
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Garland,Tx
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

I had the same problem. What I did was buy the socket and 1" driver for it. I can't remember off the top of my head what size the socket is. I took off the sprocket, cleaned out the fine savings in it, put back onand put thread lock on the threads use #222 threadlock, it stays put but it won't give you hell if you want to take it off at a later time. Tightened it up put the lock nut on and used the same threadlock for those bolts too. It's been a year now and I haven't had ANY problems with it. Hope that helps.
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 12:33 PM
  #3  
Sporthawg1200's Avatar
Sporthawg1200
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Garland,Tx
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

By the way, I have a '95 xl 1200.
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 12:36 PM
  #4  
cHarley's Avatar
cHarley
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

That nut requires the use of RED Locktite and the nut needs to be torqued to 50 ft. lbs. I believe that is also a left hand thread, counter clockwise to tighten.
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 01:20 PM
  #5  
Sporthawg1200's Avatar
Sporthawg1200
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Garland,Tx
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

Mine works great w/ #222. You can use what you want. Like i said, no probs in a year, I ride at least 5 days a week. (100 miles or more a day.)

Good Luck
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 02:32 PM
  #6  
cHarley's Avatar
cHarley
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

ORIGINAL: Sporthawg1200

Mine works great w/ #222. You can use what you want. Like i said, no probs in a year, I ride at least 5 days a week. (100 miles or more a day.)

Good Luck
If it works cool. I was just quoting the service manual. I wasn't disagreeing with you, I was typing my post while you posted yours.
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 02:45 PM
  #7  
Sporthawg1200's Avatar
Sporthawg1200
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Garland,Tx
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

Cool, I'm w/ ya bro.
 
Reply
Old Oct 14, 2007 | 06:23 PM
  #8  
redrum's Avatar
redrum
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

Well I pulled the cover again and low and behold I removed the nut with my fingers. I noticed that the nut has a groove worn at each corner where it has been rocking inside the lockplate. I tightened it back up with some locktite this time. I also have ordered a new nut and lockplate, so once they get here I'll put them on with the locktite. Thanks guys.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Oct 14, 2007 | 08:23 PM
  #9  
drum412's Avatar
drum412
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 656
Likes: 2
From:
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

My manual list's the sprocket nut to be torqeud to 150 ft-lbls along with locktite, and 10-12 ft-lbs on the lockplate screws. If available, i recomend using a good impact wrench to torque the sprocket nut down, that is what I did when I put my 30 tooth sprocket on. Also in case you didn't get a socket for it yet. it's a 1-7/8" socket you'll need. If your still trying to torque it down with a channel grips, DON"T, you won't even come close to having it torqued down properly, so make sure you get a socket on there, and crank it down with either an impact wrench, or at the very least a decent size breaker bar, atleast 3 ft long, preferably longer. Also try to align the nut with the lockplate so it just fits right with the edges of the nut resting on the lockplate so it absolutely can't back out any..............hopefully i explained that right.
 
Reply
Old May 17, 2008 | 03:48 PM
  #10  
redrum's Avatar
redrum
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Default RE: belt noise / loose pulley

Problem solved... Finally.

Initially I thought the only problem was that the nut was loose and rocking inside the locker plate. Well after replacing the nut and lockplate with a new one the noise was still there. So I pulled the sprocket off and come to find that the teeth from the sprocket were ground down to almost nothing. The only thing that was holding the bike when pulling was the locknut and plate!!! I got a new sprocket, which had nice deep teeth and put it on yesterday along with the new nut and lockplate. I also got a 1 7/8 socket and torqued the nut along with a little loctite, so no more noise

 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:01 PM.

story-0
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE