Harley belt fitment....

[Sideshow Bob]

Hi All.... Just in the process of a conversion for my ' 96 FLHT and would like to know if I can fit the newer, stronger narrow belt to my older, wider pulley or do I need to replace the pulley as well..? Which belt is the preferred choice : Harley or one of the aftermarket brands..? Finally what is the adjustment play..? Any different from the two wheel adjustment specs..? Thanks... Sideshow Bob

[1550vt]

I would think that you will have to change both pulleys if you go to a narrow belt. The narrow belt will "hunt" on the wider pulleys. I think you're asking for trouble if you don't match the pulley to the belt.

Lehman specifies (in their kit instructions) that the drive belt is adjusted to the two-wheel factory specs., but I have had a discussion with a guy that was building another brand of kit and he said his instructions called for something like 2-inches of slack, which we both decided was way too loose.

Maybe....contact your kit vendor if it is not spelled-out in the instructions, or if you don't have the instructions. In any event, the same dynamics apply to the two-wheeler and the three-wheeler. The suspension is going to react the same way. Maybe less travel on the rear of the trike depending on how you set it up and load it.

My default is the factory spec. for the 2-wheeler....maybe a fuzz looser unless otherwise specified. If you run any belt too loose on either one, you stand a chance of stripping teeth. Believe me...you are talking to a man that has had that experience before. You want to keep the teeth "down in" the pulleys.

As for belt quality, as far as I know Gates has been and is still making the Harley belts. I would not stray from the Gates.

[Gorilla]

Pull HAS to be replaced if you go with the narrow belt. If you do not you will be putting to much pressure in the area where the narrow belt would ride. Also it gives the opportunity for the belt to move sideways and possibly climb out of the rear pulley.

[Sideshow Bob]

I would think that you will have to change both pulleys if you go to a narrow belt. The narrow belt will "hunt" on the wider pulleys. I think you're asking for trouble if you don't match the pulley to the belt.

Lehman specifies (in their kit instructions) that the drive belt is adjusted to the two-wheel factory specs., but I have had a discussion with a guy that was building another brand of kit and he said his instructions called for something like 2-inches of slack, which we both decided was way too loose.

Maybe....contact your kit vendor if it is not spelled-out in the instructions, or if you don't have the instructions. In any event, the same dynamics apply to the two-wheeler and the three-wheeler. The suspension is going to react the same way. Maybe less travel on the rear of the trike depending on how you set it up and load it.

My default is the factory spec. for the 2-wheeler....maybe a fuzz looser unless otherwise specified. If you run any belt too loose on either one, you stand a chance of stripping teeth. Believe me...you are talking to a man that has had that experience before. You want to keep the teeth "down in" the pulleys.

As for belt quality, as far as I know Gates has been and is still making the Harley belts. I would not stray from the Gates.

Thank you sir. I figured as much but it's always good to get a few learned opinions. Ride safe....

[Sideshow Bob]

Pull HAS to be replaced if you go with the narrow belt. If you do not you will be putting to much pressure in the area where the narrow belt would ride. Also it gives the opportunity for the belt to move sideways and possibly climb out of the rear pulley.

Thanks for the advice. My intentions were to replace the pulleys along with the belt but as I have both a new front and rear wide pulley sitting on the shelf I thought I'd clarify the point.... Cheers..!!

[Papa Zook]

You only have to replace the rear pulley to run the new narrower belt, not the front and rear. Or just go with the stock pulleys and the old style wide belt. It is more than adequate. If you want a stronger than stock belt Gates makes a good one that is much stronger in both wide and narrow.

Zook

[1550vt]

Zook is right and I want to correct what I said above. One does not have the opportunity often to get under there and look....but if you did, you would see the front pulley is already wider than the large belt. So....it has some "room to run" anyway if it had to. All a matter of alignment with the rear pulley.

Zook....this is why you are a highly paid consultant and I am just a garage-jockey.

[tfdeputydawg]

What prompts the comment "newer, stronger narrower belt"?
Harley changed to a narrower belt so they could put on larger tire.
Don't believe the narrower belt is stronger than the older wider belts that have the steel belting in them. IMHO.