Adjusting Belt on a new Motor trike Gladiator

[White Knight 04]

I just returned from Daytona and put 993.2 mi. om my trike I noticed when I arrived home the belt had about 1 1/2 inch of deflection in it... I am very happy with the kit but must say very disappointed with the literature I received on the kit such as adjustments ect.. It came with nothing at least Harley sends you a book that tells you how to adjust the belt and any preventive maint. for it.... In this respect I am very dissatisfed with the kit.. The ride is great and handles wonderful but they do not do not give any specs out for the kit .. I have owned Harleys for most of my life and always had some kind of book to help me along with P.M. but this kit comes bare naked... NO INFO..... Does anyone know where I might get a book on motor trike I called them they sent me a riders manual that tells you basically nothing....

[White Knight 04]

Thanks Zook, I sent them a email today stating how disappointed I was with the input I received from them and very curious as to there answer... Something tells me they are afraid that someone may copy there design like Harley did with champion.... I would just like a little info and guidance from them I'm not asking for there first born !!!

[mcdonaldroadcapt]

The belt is fairly easy to ajust but you need small arms and hands since there is little working room. You will need to loosen the two lock nuts at the ends of the short helm joint shaft in the middle of the two major shaft braces. In adjusting you will need to turn the actual rod in one direction or the other but I can't remember which. I used long handle pliers to turn the cylinder. By making the shaft longer it actually rocks the entire axle assembly back at the top thus tightening the belt. I did mine 5,000 miles ago and all is still in tolerance. A little study prior to doing the job by looking under your trike and feeling the parts will help. Good Luck.

[Papa Zook]

The belt is fairly easy to ajust but you need small arms and hands since there is little working room. You will need to loosen the two lock nuts at the ends of the short helm joint shaft in the middle of the two major shaft braces. In adjusting you will need to turn the actual rod in one direction or the other but I can't remember which. I used long handle pliers to turn the cylinder. By making the shaft longer it actually rocks the entire axle assembly back at the top thus tightening the belt. I did mine 5,000 miles ago and all is still in tolerance. A little study prior to doing the job by looking under your trike and feeling the parts will help. Good Luck.

Are these instructions for the Gladiator Kit? The Gladiator is the new modular IRS kit. I cant advise him on it as I have done numerous solid axle kits but not a Gladiator IRS.

[White Knight 04]

From what Richard has told me there are eccentric locks on the new kit so as soon as I don't have to do anything else I'm going to look in to it.....He said they were 3/4 and when you adjust one it moves the other...He also said that it was fairly easy...

[Dwight]

My first thought would be to take it back to the dealer and have them do it. It's gonna be tuff to do without some kind of lift. I'm not familiar with this kit, call Motor Trike and talk to one of the tech support guys, I've had pretty good luck doing that.

Dwight

[mcdonaldroadcapt]

Sorry, getting old! Did not pick up on the fact that it was not the Trog with straight axle.

[sandrooney]

The belt is fairly easy to ajust but you need small arms and hands since there is little working room. You will need to loosen the two lock nuts at the ends of the short helm joint shaft in the middle of the two major shaft braces. In adjusting you will need to turn the actual rod in one direction or the other but I can't remember which. I used long handle pliers to turn the cylinder. By making the shaft longer it actually rocks the entire axle assembly back at the top thus tightening the belt. I did mine 5,000 miles ago and all is still in tolerance. A little study prior to doing the job by looking under your trike and feeling the parts will help. Good Luck.

Are the two lock nuts all you have to loosen ?????
SR

[mcdonaldroadcapt]

Yes, that is correct. One at each end of short stabilizer located between the two longer ones.

[sandrooney]

Thanks

[tudor29]

just to let people know i have a gladiator kit and i talked to the owner of motortrike and he got me the assy ,manual so i could adjust the belt also there is more than two bolts to loosen to adjust the belt . one of the 3/4 bolts will be a bear to get to without removing the body. but there might be a trick that the dealer knows and will call to see what it is .

[White Knight 04]

You are right Tudor the one is a bear but if you work at it you can get it...I adjusted mine finally and it took about 1 1/2 hrs to get it correct.. The bars that the guy's referred to on the old system are for adjusting the belt!! With the new INDEPENDENT system those bars only adjust the camber of the rear end...Do not adjust this as they are pre adjusted from the dealer.... There are 4 3/4 bolts and nuts that have to loosened and there is a eccentric to move to adjust tension on your drive belt.... If you have the new Gladiator kit do not adjust the bars as people are telling us in the other posts this will screw up the angle of the rear end as the independent is completely different than the earlier models...They sent me a manual but it was very vague and did not tell you much or give any instructions what so ever on belt adjustment !!! Motor trike doesn't seem to want us to know much about this system... I really can't figure out why as they have all the patent's on it and I am sure no one could steal the design !!! Just adjusting the belt should be no safety issue as most of the guy's I ride with do all there own maint. as I am sure most us here do....But Richard was very helpful and explained how to do this so I guess there is no problem there other than no real good info like Harley puts in there hand book....Hope this helps any other people with the new system... Jerry

[tudor29]

after messing with the 3/4 bolts and nuts i found if you use a good 3/4 " rachet wrench. doing a belt ajustment is really easy and yes take the seat off then you can see or at least feel all the bolts (4 ) 3/4 ( 2 ) 9/16

[White Knight 04]

Tudor, fun huh but dooable !!!

[tudor29]

when ajusting set belt tension at factory spec. my 09 road king is 3/8 to 7/16 " hope this helps. check out attached files (pictures posted in wrong order )

[tudor29]

the bolts that say 9/16 are the bolts that hold the cam adjuster total of 6 bolts that need to be loose 4 3/4 2 9/16 with a 3/4 12 point rachet wrench easy job. its to close for a socket and rachet