Belt tension with lighter than stock rider.... Harley Shocks & Harley Chassis Issues Discuss Belt tension with lighter than stock rider.... in the Harley Tech & Harley How-to forums; If I understand you HC you are supporting Frisco. My Softail is lowered 2 inches and I believe the centre of the rear pully is already higher than horizontal plain ...

[03fxst]

If I understand you HC you are supporting Frisco. My Softail is lowered 2 inches and I believe the centre of the rear pully is already higher than horizontal plain with the trans pully so as it lifts into the rear fender with more weight it is arching back toward the trans pully and should be creating slack or at least not getting tighter. That said, glad I verified with the twist test. In this case the Harley tool and the old school method agree.

Caught in the rain at 5:30 am...still beats driving to work.
03FXST

[Gas Man]

Originally Posted by frisco-rigid

Hmmmm

OK, let's see a show of hands---- with how many of you does your belt Tighten Up as you add weight..??

Don't listen to him 03,,, as you already know they loosen as weight is added..

He's real good with Valve stem photos though..

Well perhaps on your and now my new HD but not on any of the choppers I work on. Perhaps the geometry is different from the hidden shock choppers to the HDs. I had to check it once before to figure it out.

That being said... I normally do my adjustment like Steve does, with no rider weight. I always put it to the middle of the range at about 3/8" at 10 lbs delfection (range is 1/4 - 1/2"). It does seem to change enough one way or the other to worry about it.

[frisco-rigid]

03
Good thinking but it's Not the horizontal plane that matters,, it's the Center-Line of axel to mainshaft to the pivot point center, but, you have the right idea..

HC
Lay a straight edge from center of axel to main-shaft center ( you'll have to remove the derby cover),, you will see the pivot point Center is Below the axel to Main shaft C - C line from a wee bit to more..
Suction Cups with no rider is 3/4" below the C - C line..
The Pivot point being below the Center-line of axel to main-shaft will Always allow the distance to shorten as more weight is added or wheel is raised..
A lowered sickle Pivot point will be even Lower cuz the axel will be higher in the fender.. No mind challenge there..

Gas
Please name the Brands of choppers you work on that, as weight is added or the wheel is raised, the belt tightens..

[Tbone]

I'm with Frisco on this one. Even if the pivot point was on the same line of the axle/main center line, moving the axle up would decrease the length of the axle/main center line. O---o---O