Surprise Surprise! Belt in my primary

[waltcentral]

After breaking the head off on one screw taking the chain inspection cover off and felt inside and could not feel the adjustment shoe and lifting up the chain felt too tight. got a good light and found no chain at all inside my sealed (no open area's) primary. Oh Fuck!
I thought the clutch sounded a little clacky when the lever pulled in. I have to go do taxes and don't feel like pulling primary right now.  I hope it is a BDL and not a retrofit  Sturgis belt setup.

[carioux2008]

What kind of bike? Some came factory with belt primaries. Primary should be vented to help keep the belt cool. Clutch shouldnt be making any noise though, vented or not; you may have a loose bolt, or worn springs, or a bad bearing in there. Im interested to find out what you have in there!

[david lee]

a rattle in the clutch when engaged is normal when running a belt as they run dry

[waltcentral]

Sorry, 1983 4 spd FLH Shovelhead.  I did not know until yesterday that there were enclosed belt drives from BDL and others.  Clutch is not that noisy just doesn't sound like stock. I am waiting until Sunday for time off and 60 degrees. to get a better look.

[Hossamania]

Knew a guy with a '78 1/2 FLH with a 93" motor. He put on an enclosed belt, broke two of them in less than 4000 miles. Lost touch, never knew if he solved the problem.

[Burnout]

There is a reason the MoCo only used belt primaries for a short time.

They suck!   

[david lee]

Knew a guy with a '78 1/2 FLH with a 93" motor. He put on an enclosed belt, broke two of them in less than 4000 miles. Lost touch, never knew if he solved the problem.

.thats a surprise.if running in a hot climate it should be vented.i havent changed my belt for 30 yrs but i will say i dont do a great deal of mileage primo pulleys and belt still look new

[Hossamania]

Knew a guy with a '78 1/2 FLH with a 93" motor. He put on an enclosed belt, broke two of them in less than 4000 miles. Lost touch, never knew if he solved the problem.

.thats a surprise.if running in a hot climate it should be vented.i havent changed my belt for 30 yrs but i will say i dont do a great deal of mileage primo pulleys and belt still look new

I'm pretty sure you didn't beat the hell out of your bike like he did either. After the first one broke, he did vent it.
It was a pretty small belt behind a pretty stout motor. He was definitely a candidate for a 4" belt or a chain.
He did everything with that bike that he was told not to, including buying an old worn out shovelhead to begin with.

[capn]

Walt,I hope that belt works out ok.That is the exact same set up on the 76 FLH I  bought about two mos. ago.Dont have it runnin yet trying to paint tanks . Weather not helping. I know BDL and primo clutches are louder than stock . J&P sells a vented primary cover.Thats whats on mine. 

[a_disalvo]

Got talked into going with a belt drive when my motor was built to 98", lasted 2,000 miles until motor was broke in and S&S said you could get on it! First time WOT and it wiped 1/2 the teeth right off that $108.00 belt. Back to chain the next day!! Frank

[david lee]

Knew a guy with a '78 1/2 FLH with a 93" motor. He put on an enclosed belt, broke two of them in less than 4000 miles. Lost touch, never knew if he solved the problem.

.thats a surprise.if running in a hot climate it should be vented.i havent changed my belt for 30 yrs but i will say i dont do a great deal of mileage primo pulleys and belt still look new

I'm pretty sure you didn't beat the hell out of your bike like he did either. After the first one broke, he did vent it.
It was a pretty small belt behind a pretty stout motor. He was definitely a candidate for a 4" belt or a chain.
He did everything with that bike that he was told not to, including buying an old worn out shovelhead to begin with.

i sometimes think why did i change to belt, if it breaks your stuck. im just a cruiser on a stocker though

[bobrk1]

How  long  you  been  riding  before  finding  the  belt? Known  a few  with  belts , 2 have  gone  25k on  a  belt others  get  2 or 3k , one  said  since  he  vented it helps

[bump]

I have been running enclosed belt on my 78 1/2 Lowrider for 40 years. Belts seem to last a long time. I think I have replaced belt 4 times over the years.

[waltcentral]

bobrk1, new bike for me, still sorting out.

[turboprop]

My black/gold FXR has a Brute III behind a 124" with 12:1 compression. Been running it for five years, to include time on a prepped track. Belt and pulleys look new.

[JW113]

And I converted mine back to chain, after having to push the damn bike home after the belt broke. When's the last time you ever heard of a chain breaking? HD tried belt primary, then went right back to chain. Perhaps there was a reason? (hint: warranty)

-JW

[turboprop]

I think those harley belt drives were cheap and probably used the wrong type of materail/design for the belt. Heck, Primo and BDL proactively built their business around belt drives. I also have bikes with chain primary drives. I broke a belt once but it was because an internal bolt backed out and tore it up, but I have broken a primary chain, but that was because the clutch hub broke in half.

[waltcentral]

Hey capn, wish you well with your bike.
The temp warmed a little today but with snow melt is was very damp. My old joints will pay for it tomorrow. I installed a Dyna S and finally got the static timing set correctly. I was really worried about the bike because it just did not sound right. I know for sure now the the stock ign was not advancing. Idle is right on and it really growls when you give it a little throttle. Can't  wait to see how it runs. Still think there is a good possibility it has a cam.

[capn]

Thanks Walt, Only seen the sun once or twice in the last month. I did get out for a ride yesterday on my 97 FLHT.At least the roads were dry.The guy I got the shovel from replaced the cam but he cant remember what it is.I did get a look at it when I put the oil pump on but couldnt see what it was.I could see that it has longer duration than stock.Not too long I hope.