Belt drive and gravel roads

[Jd1a]

I've been looking at moving to the country and couple miles of gravel roads to get to the place. I'm concerned rocks will kill the belt drive. Anyone else riding gravel roads?

 

[Downtown Cowtown]

I posted a pic of my belt on one of my Harley trikes, looks like it was shot in the middle with a 22 or bigger, no prob yet, 3yrs later. Belt guard is our friend. Dont overthink it, jus ride.

 

[rhino 2]

I've been looking at moving to the country and couple miles of gravel roads to get to the place. I'm concerned rocks will kill the belt drive. Anyone else riding gravel roads?

I ride on gravel/dirt roads a lot. Been doing it for many years now, Never had a problem, That said just because i haven't that doesn't necessarily mean that someone else did have a problem....So get ready for those horror stories...:Shrug:........

My philosophy is if i have to drive in gravel i'll do it...Other wise i'll get a jeep for those occasions......

 

[ultrafxr]

I've ridden on gravel many times - not by choice but when no other alternative was available. Longest was several years ago in Yellowstone when they were doing road construction - maybe ten miles or so. Anyway I've never had any problem getting a rock caught between the belt and the sprocket but a friend who rides a Softtail did and he'd not been on any gravel that he could remember. So it can happen anywhere, anytime. But of course consistently riding on gravel would definitely increase the odds of it happening imo.

 

[Jack Klarich]

I think it is luck of the draw, like getting a flat tire

Some get it some don't. I have not had a rock in any of my belt drives, tho I have had my share of flats

 

[DK Custom Products]

I think it is luck of the draw, like getting a flat tire

Some get it some don't. I have not had a rock in any of my belt drives, tho I have had my share of flats

What Jack said...luck of the draw.

We've ridden the Yukon, the Haul Road up to the Arctic Circle, my longish driveway is gravel. Probably have thousands of miles on gravel. I prefer to avoid it, but sometimes it is not possible. Knock on wood, we've never had a belt problem.

That said, gravel roads are much more likely to result in chips in the paint. We've NOT avoided that. :xzqxz:

Kevin

 

[PosseRider]

All the miles I have ridden on gravel, only got a stone in the belt. one time on the 2 wheeler. Felt it right away,, vibration. Stopped right away > Wife got on her knees to watch the belt as I slowly moved it. She saw the rock, I removed it & no problems.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I am the exception

On my 15 Tri I had a rock pierce the belt



This was under warranty ... so Harley removed the rock and said Harley says if it's not in the outer third on either side of the belt, just remove the rock and it will repair it's self ... yea right ... I made them call Harley and they replaced the belt under warranty.

My dealer said this was the first rock piercing of a belt they have ever seen ... in my neck of the desert, we got lots of gravel/dirt roads ... I think the odds are small ... LOL ... but .. I do carry a spare belt when I leave town. I may not be able to change it along side the road, but, if I get to a town with a mechanic auto or bike ... I have a belt he can install.

By the way, it's a fairly big job, requires removing the body and parts of the rear axle ... then re aligning everything. 15 hours of labor ... I used to have a copy of the warranty invoice .. but ... can't find it ... no, it's not in the garage.

 

[Gold Nugget]

Are you "SURE'' its not in the garage??????????????????

Sorry could not let that one pass...............................................................:Coffee:

Ride Safe............................................

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Are you "SURE'' its not in the garage??????????????????

Sorry could not let that one pass...............................................................:Coffee:

Ride Safe............................................

I suppose it could be :Shrug: ... but not much out there is digital.

Ha ... found my post about it ... see post #36

https://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/27391-Bad-Drive-Belt/page4

 

[LadyonaMission]

The second time I rode my 2003 Road King the belt broke. It only had 1,643 miles on it when I bought it so the dealer fixed it. When I attempted to shift from first to second it felt like I had hit neutral, no warning signs. The guy behind me saw it fall off so he picked it up. No one ever figured out what happened but the dealer did tell me he was asked to return it so it could be inspected. It wasn't frayed, it had a clean looking cut, very straight across.

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

My FXLR picked up a couple rocks in the belt,but luckily they were in the center.Put 45,000 miles before i replaced the belt,not because it failed had to replace shifter shaft seal so while there.Put about 25,000 miles on belt after i found the rock holes so they are pretty tough.But with that said i broke the belt on my 01 Road Glide just like mentioned above,going from first to second.Clean break no holes.:Shrug:

 

[Sunman]

The second time I rode my 2003 Road King the belt broke. It only had 1,643 miles on it when I bought it so the dealer fixed it. When I attempted to shift from first to second it felt like I had hit neutral, no warning signs. The guy behind me saw it fall off so he picked it up. No one ever figured out what happened but the dealer did tell me he was asked to return it so it could be inspected. It wasn't frayed, it had a clean looking cut, very straight across.

I have a couple of friends that have had belts break like that. No warning they just broke. Couldn't see any apparent reason. Fortunately I have never had a belt break but I did find a rock in the belt on my 2001 Road King. It was a small rock but had made a hole right in the middle of the belt; fortunately not near the edge. I rode that bike another 15,000 miles with that hole in the belt and it never broke. Have ridden a lot of gravel roads when I had to but I try to avoid them if I can. I check my belt about once a month for any damage or wear.

Sunman

 

[hogcowboy]

I suppose it could be :Shrug: ... but not much out there is digital.

Ha ... found my post about it ... see post #36

https://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/27391-Bad-Drive-Belt/page4

View attachment 70846

I don't have a Harley now but do ride my Indian down the same gravel roads I did with my Harley and that estimated labor is in the same ballpark for the Indian and is in fact a suggested replacement at 30k miles. Most people really don't have to but riding gravel roads makes the belt riding on sand paper sorta. Without a doubt, never remove any belt guards like I've seen some do thinking it looks better. Those guards are really need if you have to ride gravel roads. Pure luck if you don't get a rock or rock chip in the belt though. I really wish there was a drive shaft conversion but I'll continue as is with fingers crossed.

 

[Jd1a]

I considered changing my 2011 Electra Glide to chain, but traded it for the trike. Sounds like luck with the rocks.

 

[rhino 2]

I considered changing my 2011 Electra Glide to chain, but traded it for the trike. Sounds like luck with the rocks.

Luck apply's to everything in life, You either have it or you don't have it.. :Shrug:...

 

[MDF48]

mE tOO.

Long story short, I had to have a belt replaced on my 16 TGU about a year and a half ago. I DO NOT ride on gravel roads. However, all this area around Birmingham is full of rocks where the road departments put them down on the road side and especially around the right turn areas where people end up knocking them out in the road.

After a ride I was checking the trike before putting it up. I noticed a 1/4 inch gouge all the way around the belt in the middle of the belt. It did not penetrate the belt and the gouge was about 1/8 inch deep. HD shop said it wasn't Harley's fault and there was no rock down in the nest area in the rear. So unless something around the front sprocket area came loose, it had to be a road hazard.

My insurance ended up paying it under my Comprehensive policy. The final price was $1,448.00. The LABOR was listed as 12 Hours! I don't know if there is any way to change the belt without taking the body off and having to do some realignment????? However, I could not tell by looking at all the bolts etc, that anything had been moved. Not saying they did or didn't.

As far as I know it still handles good. The new rear belt is a little closer to the inside of the sprocket than it is on the outside (not much difference) Looking at the side of the belt it doesn't seem to be "rubbing against the side of the sprocket...IE not obvious rubbing on the side of the belt.

 

[Jd1a]

WOW, $1450.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

My insurance ended up paying it under my Comprehensive policy. The final price was $1,448.00. The LABOR was listed as 12 Hours! I don't know if there is any way to change the belt without taking the body off and having to do some realignment????? However, I could not tell by looking at all the bolts etc, that anything had been moved. Not saying they did or didn't.

.

I don't think you can do the belt with the body on ... It has to go around the axle ... not sure you can do that without taking the body off.

Your bill was inline what Harley gave me.

 

[rhino 2]

I don't think you can do the belt with the body on ... It has to go around the axle ... not sure you can do that without taking the body off.

Your bill was inline what Harley gave me.

Yep body comes off......I watch my dealer take the body off a Tri... ,Body Off ' Belt put on' Body back on and everything alined...Three hours tops.....They have no trouble beating the ''Book Hours''