Upgraded Tensioners with SS plates and Hyundai Bearings

[mello dude]

Finally late summer I changed the factory timing belt and added my SS plates plus Hyundai bearings...
Have maybe 2500 miles on it. Thoughts... seemed at first the bearings were a bit noisy and then esspecially on first spring startup... .wondering if that was just some breaking in the internal bearing grease, it is a sealed bearing after all...
Curious me now, pulled the front belt cover today to take a look... everything is very quiet now...
Anyhoo.... use this thread to report your experience with this mod...-- I think there are around 30 of us...
That is all...

[mello dude]

A question of curiosity... One the right bearing I can grab and while there is some friction from the belt, I can turn by hand.... One the left bearing is much much tougher, really cant turn by hand....

Do you think I should readjust the right bearing tighter?

---While everthing seems to be ok,  I admit I havent reached full comfort with this mod..... yet.

[WintrSol]

Correct me if I'm wrong (it's been a while, and I'm old), but doesn't the spring set the tension, then you tighten the bolts to hold the bracket in place? Assuming the bracket slides freely when the bolts are loosened, that is.

[Joe333x]

Correct me if I'm wrong (it's been a while, and I'm old), but doesn't the spring set the tension, then you tighten the bolts to hold the bracket in place? Assuming the bracket slides freely when the bolts are loosened, that is.

You set the tension with the bolt loose that allows the bearing to move up and down creating tension on the belt. I don’t recall the exact amount off hand but I used a fishing scale to set the tension on mine to the specified amount in the manual. I do not have this bearing mod though, I’m an running the stock ones.

[Jims99]

I bought the bearings, nuts and bolts to do 3 bikes. It’s only been two years and haven’t done any yet. Lol. Belts have all been done in recent past so no reason to go back in yet. Someday (soonish) I’ll give one a try.

[WintrSol]

I copied that page in the manual. What are the springs for?

[mello dude]

Admittedly I tend to overthink everything.... looking in the manual, it has a check of pushing on the belt around the spring and a movemet of 5 to 7mm...

On mine, the right bearing is tighter than that and thats the one I can grab and turn by hand...
Then the left belt is showing probably 10mm movement by the spring area and that's the bearing that is not easy to turn. Seems bassackwards...-- I probably will go do an adjustment on that one anyhoo.

Possibly since the bearing are heavier than OEM, the springs could stand to be stiffer..? ? Dunno...

Then again, the whole deal could be spinning brain cells and wasting riding time..

[WintrSol]

Perhaps that bearing is binding on something other than the belt? Does it spin freely when the belt is not touching it?

[Jims99]

There could be more tension on one pully than the other depending on where it stopped. The cam could be on an open rotation and springs could be putting more or less tension on the belt depending on if they’re opening or closing. Try turning crank a bit and see if it changes.

[98valk]

I've mentioned this before many times.  the OEM pulleys can have some grease added to them.  The Valkyrie, GW1500 and the GL1200 all use the same pulleys.  For the GWs some very low mileage take-offs can be had on ebay. Esp., the 1200 where a few yrs ago I picked up set with 13k miles on them for $20 on ebay. They are like new.

[WintrSol]

I've mentioned this before many times.  the OEM pulleys can have some grease added to them.  The Valkyrie, GW1500 and the GL1200 all use the same pulleys.  For the GWs some very low mileage take-offs can be had on ebay. Esp., the 1200 where a few yrs ago I picked up set with 13k miles on them for $20 on ebay. They are like new.

Got instructions, I hope with photos, of how the grease is added? Asking for a friend ... 

[98valk]

I've mentioned this before many times.  the OEM pulleys can have some grease added to them.  The Valkyrie, GW1500 and the GL1200 all use the same pulleys.  For the GWs some very low mileage take-offs can be had on ebay. Esp., the 1200 where a few yrs ago I picked up set with 13k miles on them for $20 on ebay. They are like new.

Got instructions, I hope with photos, of how the grease is added? Asking for a friend ... 

there are holes in the mounting plate right in line with the bearing seal lip. many times a needle fitting on end of grease gun, allows the needle to get under the seal, to add very little extra grease. some people just drill a small hole in the seal to use the needle. then they spin the bearing so excess grease comes out and then they seal the hole, newer silicone sealants not affected by grease/oils.  plenty of websites talking about this, been a common practice for many decades in industrial plants.