Need a little advice BDM family

[PZNIVYCHOPPER]

2005 BD chopper, Bike is running great. But if i align the rear wheel exactly.The belt is riding off the front pulley.So I now have the wheel alignment off just to keep the belt from riding off the front pulley. less than an !/8Th of an inch of teeth on front pulley showing. I have aligned the rear wheel at least 10 times. Measured alignment using every tool available ,including making ones that I saw in the forum. Belt tension is correct.
But I can not stop the belt from riding to the outside edge of front pulley,Granted , I am not a brain surgeon but What the hell am I doing wrong. Pulleys look good,belt looks good. But cant maintain alignment of belt. Not worried about the rear pulley,But I am worried about the front and the belt slipping off.I have exhausted myself. It just seems like I am missing something. It is driving me crazy. My last resort is taking it somewhere. Sorry the post is long. Just frustrated ,It cant be that hard. Have a great weekend. Will try anything !!!By the Way 11K MILES:flag:

 

[Daddycool]

is it possible to shim the front pulley out 1/8th inch? Someone will chime in. Good luck!

 

[PZNIVYCHOPPER]

I am not sure what to do,Can you do that ?

 

[Daddycool]

can he? I don't know either. Anyone?

 

[Big B Jeffers]

Check your motor mounts, make sure the motor and tranny are both tight and straight. If that's all good, I know you said the belt is good, but make sure that it's perfectly straight and none of the cords have been shifted or broken from the belt coming off over the lip of the pulley (It will have a bow shape if it is really bad). I had the same problem with a blower belt on one of my race cars before, so inspect it VERY well, it can fool you if you aren't thorough. If your wheel is straight those things are about all you have left. Good luck.

 

[dog989]

someone will chime in ,You cant be the only one this happened to.Good luck

 

[PZNIVYCHOPPER]

the tranny has an adjustment??I see 4 bolts and they are all tight

 

[PZNIVYCHOPPER]

I had a typo, my bike is a 2006 chopper,Sorry

 

[V]

Have you had the rear wheel off for any reason before this started ?

 

[reloaderbmg]

to check drive belt, swap it end for end! if it goes off now in the inside [belt is bad!]has bike been hit in the ass end? [ rear swing arm
alignment]
check trans. frame bolts first,

 

[Big B Jeffers]

No, not really adjustment, but if loosened it can move slightly, therefore, misalignment possible.

 

[BroadBand]

Alignment

From the horses mouth......











:flag:

 

[PZNIVYCHOPPER]

as usual some great answers, heading out now to work on it again. wheel has never been off I definitely have the Axel over torqued. I will start from scratch and try everybody's answers, TIRED but will give it another shot. Thank you everyone that responded ,I will get back to you later after I try a few things. Sucks working alone.But peaceful. Have a Happy memorial day!!!
SEMPER FI
David

 

[Nomad2day]

I loosen the rear tire axle just enough so the adjuster can move the tire assembly in and out. I typically measure from the 2 swing arm bolts to the center of the rear tire adjusters. I put a Allen head socket in the swing arm bolts just to get them square with the swing arm for distance out. Mine being a 07 Bulldog, I drop the shocks and loosen the transmission mounting bolts. I rotate the tire watching the belt run on the front pulley both forward and reverse. If the belt runs off in one direction I tap the transmission with a rubber mallet to move it in the direction I need it. Keep doing this until it runs true in both directions. Sounds to me the transmission is not square with the swing arm. The times I have done this I had the exhaust off and the clutch actuator pulley cover off so I could tap on the trans with the mallet or the pulley gear. Leave the trans somewhat snug so it will hold in place when you tap itI have always be able to align everything in like this.... After it is align, I tighten the trans down double check the belt and then set the tension and tighten the rear axle and put my shocks back on.
Neil

 

[PZNIVYCHOPPER]

Thank you to everyone that replied. I think I have it now. Raining so wont know for a day or two. But thanks again !

 

[bigdogtech01]

Alignment of the transmission/motor in frame...

It is a lengthy process and takes some patience. First you will need to get to both ends or your main shaft of the transmission. So you will have to remove your pulley cover from the right side and your Primary cover/ Primary drive on the left. It is easier to just remove the whole primary assy. Clutch, chain and drive sprocket. You will also need to loosen up all the bolts that hold the transmission and motor to the frame ( only if it needs to be aligned, so do this last after you check the first time ) you will be taking measurements between the main shaft of transmission to the pivot shaft of frame on bike ( Pivot shaft is where your swingarm pivots up and down in the frame ) You will base these measurements center to center. To find center of your transmission MS, I found a steel dowel that would fit somewhat snug inside the shaft. Does not need to be so tight you have to hammer it in and can't get it back out. Just slightly snug. I used to use center punches. Can pic a set up at Harbor Freight for less than $10. Also get a pair of 12" or larger vernier calipers. I found those as well at Harbor Freight, digital for less than $35. With these you will be able to get the alignment within a few thousands. I was able to get most within .005" from one side to the next.
Once you have all the tools needed, measure from one side to the next. If it is out by more than .050", I would go ahead and loosen all you mounting bolts and move the trans. and motor in the frame till you get closer to the .005" mark. I would say as long as you are within .015" from one side to the next, it should be good. Let me know if you understand what to do. Good luck.

 

[PZNIVYCHOPPER]

Thats some good info right there !!!!! Thanks Andrew

 

[Moespeeds]

Not to step on anyone's toes but the last thing you ever want to do is get the transmission out of square with the motor plate, or put any kind of twisting load there. To align the entire drivetrain, loosen axle, transmission bolts, and motor plate bolts. Engine can stay tight, alignment starts at the front. Hand tighten transmission to motor plate, then motor plate to engine. Check transmission shim with feeler gauges and shim as necessary. Now hand tighten transmission to frame. As a test, motor plate should slide on and off easily and you should have no measurable gaps between engine/motor plate and trans/motor plate. If you are satisfied this is all tight, torque everything always using a criss cross pattern. Now align the belt by measuring to a common point such as the swingarm pivot to the axle. Get it as close as possible, then jack up the back of the bike and spin the wheel as if you were moving forward. Watch the belt, if it tracks up to one side, adjust the wheel out of square until it just comes off the lip on the pulley. It does not need to be centered in the pulley but you don't want it riding on the edge. Now spin it the other way and see what it does. If everything is straight and the belt and pulley are good, the belt orientation should not move much. Double check tension while sitting on the bike.

 

[bigdogtech01]

Not to step on anyone's toes but the last thing you ever want to do is get the transmission out of square with the motor plate, or put any kind of twisting load there. To align the entire drivetrain, loosen axle, transmission bolts, and motor plate bolts. Engine can stay tight, alignment starts at the front. Hand tighten transmission to motor plate, then motor plate to engine. Check transmission shim with feeler gauges and shim as necessary. Now hand tighten transmission to frame. As a test, motor plate should slide on and off easily and you should have no measurable gaps between engine/motor plate and trans/motor plate. If you are satisfied this is all tight, torque everything always using a criss cross pattern. Now align the belt by measuring to a common point such as the swingarm pivot to the axle. Get it as close as possible, then jack up the back of the bike and spin the wheel as if you were moving forward. Watch the belt, if it tracks up to one side, adjust the wheel out of square until it just comes off the lip on the pulley. It does not need to be centered in the pulley but you don't want it riding on the edge. Now spin it the other way and see what it does. If everything is straight and the belt and pulley are good, the belt orientation should not move much. Double check tension while sitting on the bike.

I have aligned probably close to a hundred bikes and have always used this technique. Loosening all the bolts as I stated ( motor and transmission ) motor top and bottom bolts ( Don't forget the top motor mt bolt ). This will not put any pressure on anything. With it all loose you will be able to move the motor and transmission with no problem. Alignment is off your transmission to pivot shaft, not motor to frame. Do this and your bike will travel down the road straighter than it ever has.

 

[Moespeeds]

I'm talking about someone saying to tap on the transmission while it's tight to the motor plate. I see no issue with the way you're doing it BDTech, just seems like overkill IMO. It's critical that the motor plate is tight and square to both the engine and the transmission, and the trans is shimmed properly so when you torque it to the frame it doesn't pull on the motor plate. If not, down the road you can have all kinds of issues such as cracking, blown seals and bearings, vibration, leaking primary, etc. The transmission should never be adjusted independant of the motor plate and motor.