FL Belt Adjustment

[djl]

Does everyone find the cam axle adjustors to be as much of a PITA as I do?  Every time I have to make that adjustment, it takes 30 minutes.  When I start to torque the cone nut, the frikking cam adjustor on the cone nut side rotates past my alignment mark.  I frak around with it, loosening, retightening, setting my mark on the cam adjustor a few degrees above my mark on the swing arm so that when it moves, it will be aligned.  Of course, the other side turns some but easier to deal with than the cone nut side.  After several attempts, the torque wrench clicks at 100ft.lbs and both sides are lined up but what an ordeal.   I must be doing something wrong; there has got to be a trick.

The adjustors on my Deuce are so easy.  What's the secret?  I know you more experienced hands don't go through the drill I do!

[glens]

It's much simpler to do correctly than (evidently) you're doing it.

A little lubricant between the nut and its eccentric adjuster.  Initially torque the nut to ~25 lb-ft with the belt loose.  Tighten the axle to take up the tension.  Hold the axle and finish tightening the nut.  The axle should stay right where it is, even if the nut-side eccentric washer moves any in the process.

[harleyjt]

I've never had any trouble doing it.  Snug the nut, tighten the cam from the left side, then torque on the right side.  Never been an issue for me.
jt

[WVULTRA]

djl:

Jim's tool #970 on page 180 of their 2009 catalog will eliminate your issues:

http://www.jimsusa.com/online_catalogs.php

[glen]

I've just been holding a wrench on the left side, while I use the torque wench on the right and had no problems since then.

[klammer76]

I've just been holding a wrench on the left side, while I use the torque wench on the right and had no problems since then.

Exactly. No issue here either.

[RatchetAtHawgShop]

Just as others have said, tighten the axle a little, adjust for correct belt tension, mark with greese pencil, tighten axle to torque spec while holding the other side and viewing the mark. Check mark at end to make sure nothing moved.
Ratchet

[Ken R]

Easy as everyone says . . . . if you have two people.   

[Don D]

Check for wear in the flats of the removable cam. Cheap to get new plus the others advice here

[surf]

The bottom of the cam is even with the bottom of my swingarm so I put a C clamp on there and it can't rotate any further. Before that I've shared your struggles. Never tried the oil under the nut, that probably would keep things in place. I agree it's hard to hold one side while tightenibg the other by yourself.

[dtubolino]

What is the final torque of the cone nut? And also what is the belt defection on 09 Ultra Classic.

[WVULTRA]

Deflection?

M-1284, first on the list:

http://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index.php/topic,11177.0.html

[djl]

The bottom of the cam is even with the bottom of my swingarm so I put a C clamp on there and it can't rotate any further. Before that I've shared your struggles. Never tried the oil under the nut, that probably would keep things in place. I agree it's hard to hold one side while tightenibg the other by yourself.

I thought about a small C-clamp but have didn't have one small enough.  Tried the oil under the cam adjustor, no love there.  I use the procedure everyone else has pointed to but the problem is not the axle rotating; the cam adustor behind the cone nut rotates with the cone nut and the axle holds. The wheel is still centered but there is not contact between the adustor and the boss on the swingarm which will allow the wheel to shift once in service.

The fact that Jiim's makes a tool to facilitate this operation tells me that others have problems with this adjustment.

I always get it done, it just takes a while.  The cam adjustors are antique and should be updated.

[Don D]

The adjuster is worn

[djl]

The adjuster is worn.

Didn't know they could wear out; I will replace.

[Don D]

It's only a few bucks, don't think it is wear but soft metal distorts during adjustment.

[hotroadking]

The adjuster is worn.

Didn't know they could wear out; I will replace.

I think he was talking about you LOL...

The one on my 09 is not a problem, but the one on my buddies older RK is a PIA,
you have to really get at it or it will loosen up when riding.. 

One of the cams is welded to the axle so wouldnt' you have to replace the whole encheeelada?

[djl]

The adjuster is worn.

Didn't know they could wear out; I will replace.

I think he was talking about you LOL...
The one on my 09 is not a problem, but the one on my buddies older RK is a PIA,
you have to really get at it or it will loosen up when riding.
One of the cams is welded to the axle so wouldnt' you have to replace the whole encheeelada?

Yeah, Don could have been poking fun; I pestered the "Potty mouth" out of him when I built my 107 and had some problems but he always responded like the standup guy that he is and for that, he can poke fun at me anytimg he want.

No need to replace the whole encheeelada; the welded axle cam is not the problem.  The axle cam on the cone nut side rotates when I apply final torque to the cone nut; the axle holds.  I will try replacing it, they are less than $5 but if that doesn't work, I will just be mentally prepared the next time I have to do it.

[glens]

What do you envision happening if the eccentric washer ain't tight against the swingarm boss with full torque on the axle?  What torque value are you using, btw?

I usually use a dab of grease as the lubricant.  I've seen anti-seize, too.  Oil might be too quick to bottom out.

[djl]

What do you envision happening if the eccentric washer ain't tight against the swingarm boss with full torque on the axle?  What torque value are you using, btw?

I usually use a dab of grease as the lubricant.  I've seen anti-seize, too.  Oil might be too quick to bottom out.

Seems to me that if the axle cam is not tight against the boss, once in service the wheel can move out of alignment and belt tension change; it doesn't take much.  Torque spec is 90-105.

[glens]

I'm aware it's not apples-to-apples, but does heavy rear-wheel braking ever make the axle move away from the bosses?  100 ft-lb with an 8:1 advantage (or whatever the thread pitch is) will put a healthy stretch on a piece of steel.

I don't recall much of a problem with the eccentric washer so I haven't investigated anything in this regard.  I'd think the axle would stay put.

Maybe you're not putting enough initial torque prior to adjusting the axle.  What do you use for that?

[Rags722]

If you are really having that much trouble, here is what I would suggest. Pull the wheel and check the location of the rubber bumper in the brake caliper.  If you knocked it out of place and then try to follow any procedures you are doomed to failure.  If you really knock it out of place, every time you push the wheel all the way forward, you will see the cam on the right side of the won't stay seated against the nub when you start to tighten things down.  That is your first clue you have the rubber knocked out of place (yup, I'm an expert).  If you managed to tighten everything down good and snug, you may have even cut the end of the bumper off so you can't see it's in the wrong place, but backing the cam off nub by itself is a pretty good clue.

[djl]

I'm aware it's not apples-to-apples, but does heavy rear-wheel braking ever make the axle move away from the bosses?  100 ft-lb with an 8:1 advantage (or whatever the thread pitch is) will put a healthy stretch on a piece of steel.

I don't recall much of a problem with the eccentric washer so I haven't investigated anything in this regard.  I'd think the axle would stay put.

Maybe you're not putting enough initial torque prior to adjusting the axle.  What do you use for that?

I don't, I just pull down to get good and snug; guessing about 25#.

I don't know if the axle will stay put or not; that's not the point.  The axle cam should be tight against the boss and my problem is completing the adjustment and maintaining the axle cam in that position.  Apparently me and one other guy are the only ones on the forum that have ever had this problem.

Pull the wheel and check the location of the rubber bumper in the brake caliper.  If you knocked it out of place and then try to follow any procedures you are doomed to failure.  If you really knock it out of place, every time you push the wheel all the way forward, you will see the cam on the right side of the won't stay seated against the nub when you start to tighten things down.  That is your first clue you have the rubber knocked out of place (yup, I'm an expert).  If you managed to tighten everything down good and snug, you may have even cut the end of the bumper off so you can't see it's in the wrong place, but backing the cam off nub by itself is a pretty good clue.

Not sure I understand the logic but will check the bumper position.

[Don D]

I'm aware it's not apples-to-apples, but does heavy rear-wheel braking ever make the axle move away  from the bosses?  100 ft-lb with an 8:1 advantage (or whatever the thread pitch is) will put a healthy stretch on a piece of steel.

Not sure I see the logic stream here Glen
There is no torque between the caliper, rotor and the wheel hub tied to the axel and the adjusters. The two assemblies are divorced.

[Rags722]

Pull the wheel and check the location of the rubber bumper in the brake caliper.  If you knocked it out of place and then try to follow any procedures you are doomed to failure.  If you really knock it out of place, every time you push the wheel all the way forward, you will see the cam on the right side of the won't stay seated against the nub when you start to tighten things down.  That is your first clue you have the rubber knocked out of place (yup, I'm an expert).  If you managed to tighten everything down good and snug, you may have even cut the end of the bumper off so you can't see it's in the wrong place, but backing the cam off nub by itself is a pretty good clue.

Not sure I understand the logic but will check the bumper position.

DJL  check item 11 in this parts breakdown:  http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche.com/ronnies//hdm_oem/hdmc.asp?Type=13&A=355&B=27

Don't ask how I managed to do it, but while changing the rear tire, I managed to knock the bumper out of position.  The ONLY clue I had that something was wrong ( and this was the first time I had done a wheel with the cam/nub setup) was that as soon as I pushed the wheel all the way foreward and let go, the right side of the wheel would push itself back about an 1/8 of an inch.  Probably isn't your problem, but since no one ever mentions the bumper getting installed out of position, and I KNOW it can happen, I figured I'd mention it just in case it is what you are fighting.