Drive Belts
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Joined: May 2008
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From: Dallas
Drive Belts
I have seen a rash of Drive Belt failures lately.....anyone know what the expected life of the drive belt is?? I have seen one fail as low as 5,000 miles...(and no, the rider was not one who is hard on the machine)...
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 80
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From: Dallas
The ones I have seen fail....are less than half the 100,000 mile mark...and most of these drivers are not Hard drivers... Who knows....with every item there is an exception...these may be those cases.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 8
From: south
I have always heard around 50,000 miles, but there are a lot of variables.
How hard you ride, alignment, proper adjustment.
I have around 50 thousand on my 99 FatBoy and the belt still looks good, but I am an easy rider and I stay up with the adjustments.
How hard you ride, alignment, proper adjustment.
I have around 50 thousand on my 99 FatBoy and the belt still looks good, but I am an easy rider and I stay up with the adjustments.
Road Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 20
From: Greater St Louis, MO
Some of the things that can cause them to fail is rocks going through them especially on the edge, they do not handle bending or twisting well either. Make sure they are properly adjusted and not too tight.
I am not sure but I think 50,000 is the suggested replacement. I change the one on my 89 at about that because it had a rock hole in it and I was getting ready for a cross country trip and didn't want any problems. I know guys that have never replaced them.
I am not sure but I think 50,000 is the suggested replacement. I change the one on my 89 at about that because it had a rock hole in it and I was getting ready for a cross country trip and didn't want any problems. I know guys that have never replaced them.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,051
Likes: 50
From: Florence, MT (Bitterroot Valley)
On my current ride I got 55K out of the first one and had to replace it because I had a rock in the sprocket and it was grinding a whole through the belt. Already about 3/4 of the way through when I noticed it. The second went exactly 3 months. It just snapped. I was so pizzed cause I was way the heck out in the middle of no where. Dealer had NO SYMPATHY. Said they were guaranteed 30 days and that was it! Still going at almost 70K with the 3rd. Parts guy said he'd had 2-3 come back recently, must have been a bad batch. That was last year. He did give me a break on a few parts I bought later, but the dealer held fast on no replacement and no pro-rating for the belt. Those things are expensive! And they're a pain to put on....
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,900
Likes: 4
From: way down upon the Suwannee River
Put 80,000 on my old Dyna.Still looked good. If my 08 last that long I'll change it around there.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,150
Likes: 1
From: Tallahassee, Fl
Most will never change one during the lifetime that they own the bike. These belts are pretty durable and as others have stated most failures are caused by foreign objects getting in the sprocket and tearing the belt.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,878
Likes: 17
From: The Desert SouthWest
I changed mine at 82,000 only because the shifter arm on my transmission shaft needed to be replaced (would not stay tight and wobbled around on the end of the Trans shaft). The same labor is involved in accessing and changing that trans arm as is needed to change a belt so for an extra $180 it seemed wise to replace the belt while the primary housing was all off.
The belt looked fine at 82,000 so I'd say 100k is definitely possible.
The belt looked fine at 82,000 so I'd say 100k is definitely possible.
