hi

About to take rear wheel off... this is my first belt drive bike... When reading up on it, they say you should use the belt gauge tool to set the tension... how critical is this?

I can buy one from the usa for around $40 delivered... shops are closed today but does anyone know how much they are locally?

Anyone in Brisbane want to lend me one?

Mike

dont need it mate... just go by feel. Also, some of the belt guards have the markings on them to tell you how much flex they should have.

good luck.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Belt-Tension-Gauge-/170763495590

I brought this one for $30

Item location: Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Before i got the proper tool i used kitchen scales

Apply from under the belt

Read lbs or kgs and use the scale on the belt guard

wat oz rodder said and when ya do wheel alignment go off ya swing arm pivot not the silly marks on swingarm

thank you for the replies...
I was checking out a Harley owned by a work colleague.. he just spent a fortune getting it customised. It's a Heritage Softail underneath and the belt was a lot looser than my sporty.
With my sporty, I can deflect the belt maybe only a few mm... it is that tight.
Guess I will have a crack at it this weekend.

Cheers.

There is no substitute for setting adjustments by manufacturer’s specifications as the buck stops with them on warranty claims, and they have seen it all and heard it all.
All belt drive Harley Davidson’s have their deflection measured with 10 lb force applied to the middle underside of the belt, the amount of deflection is model specific, keep the belt guards and deflectors, some think they don’t look cool but they do a very good job of protecting the belt .The actual adjustment procedure is simple and worth checking at oil change intervals as it also gives you an opportunity to inspect all the running gear and fasteners at the same time.
A belt failure close to home is very rare.