Drive Belt Wear on my Commando 8

[rmaynard 17,225]

I am getting the Commando ready for the show and remembered that the last time I had it out, there was slapping noise in the drive belt/cover area. Everything works correctly, clutching is fine. So removal of the belt cover revealed this.

 

 

The powder is from the belt. The small wear mark is from the guide hitting the top of the belt guard. The two parallel arced scratches are from the wrong bold being used when I assembled the idler originally. It has since been replaced with the correct bolt.

 

This is the idler pulley arm and guide. Belt shows wear on top.

 

 

When assembled, the belt is constantly rubbing on the guide.

 

When disengaged, no contact.

 

 

With the old belt on, the height of the belt/pulley is 19-5/16" from the floor.

 

 

With the new belt, the height of the belt is 19-5/16", showing that 1/6" of the top of the belt has worn off.

 

My first thought is that the guide on the idler pulley should be trimmed, smoothed, and reshapened. 

Then I should use a new belt that is fractionally shorter to keep the idler guide from hitting against the underside of the belt cover.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

[squonk 46,880]

I'm assuming you're using a  1/2" X 70" belt? I certainly would get that guide off the belt when running. 

[ri702bill 12,246]

If I recall correctly, the belt stop is just squeezed between the bacl of the pulley inner racr and the bracket. Loosen the bolt, move the stop  clockwise about 90 degrees to stop on the other end of the tab....