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Message started by Dave on 11/30/16 at 03:49:38

Title: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by Dave on 11/30/16 at 03:49:38

My 2007 (and most bikes I have been around) allow the rear pulley to wobble.  When the bike (and hub bearing) are new, the wobble is very slight.  As the miles build up the wobble increases, and the result is that the belt tension can pull the pulley forward, and this takes it out of alignment with the rear wheel and belt.  The belt will move to the outside and rub on the outside of the pulley, unless you use the axle adjusters to center the belt again....which results in the rear tire being out of alignment.  My 2007 only had about 3,800 miles on it when I first noticed the wobble.

(To test your pulley - sit on the ground on the pulley side of the bike, and place your left hand on the front of the pulley and your right hand on the back side of the pulley, and pull with one hand as you push with the other....then reverse your pushing/pulling hands and see of the pulley wobbles.  Don't worry about the rotational movement....that is supposed to happen).

My first attempt at correcting this was the simplest/easiest/cheapest method, and it involves cutting a rubber floor mat to function as a shim.
http://i44.tinypic.com/ra7t4l.jpg

Stewmills has written up a Tech Article on how to do the rubber floor mat shim - the floor mat is available at Home Depot and Lowe's.....it is a carpet runner. (It appears one of his photos has been hijacked and replaced with an advertisement).
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1446828836/0

Youzguys has also had a pulley hub bearing failure.
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1462902794

Later on I decided that the rear pulley hub was not machined properly, and the hub should really have an tighter fit where the pulley hub inserts into the rear wheel hub.  I machined the pulley hub and installed a brass bushing that was a bit larger OD and more closely matched the ID of the wheel hub.

I first bought a piece of brass tube 2" OD x 1.75" ID from Online Metals.
http://i57.tinypic.com/2q0oqr6.jpg

I then put the pulley hub in my lathe and machined the stub so the brass tube was a tight fit.
http://i60.tinypic.com/350jwr6.jpg

I then machined the brass to be a slip fit into the wheel hub recess shown in the first photo.
http://i60.tinypic.com/29axgzt.jpg

Now I no longer have any pulley wobble.  The outer bearing stays in good condition as the entire load of the belt is not putting an eccentric load on the bearing.  The outer bearing spins on the axle with the wheel....the bushing only moves as the rubber cushions allow some radial movement between the pulley hub and the wheel hub.

It has been working great, and I had a feeling that Suzuki should have done that in the first place.....the fit between the pulley hub wheel hub is just too large to fit properly.  A couple weeks ago I bought a rear wheel from a 1995 Savage from a forum member, and it included the entire rear wheel assembly including the axles, adjusters, spacers, brake and pulley hub.  When I took the wheel apart I first noticed that there was not any wobble of the pulley....and I was amazed to see that the pulley hub fit together just like the one I had made with a bushing.  It was obvious the fit was much tighter than my 2007 bike was:

http://i65.tinypic.com/2nhnuxy.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/2rruivl.jpg


After seeing this I made some measurements:

ID of wheel hub:                     1.850"
OD of Brass bushing I made:  1.848"  (0.002" clearance)
OD of 1995 Pulley hub:         1.845"   (0.005" clearance)
OD of other pulley hubs:   1.805", 1.806", 1.806", 1.807" (0.044" clearance)

So it appears that in 1995 the pulley hub was machined to have a much closer fit than later years had....and the later years allow the pulley to wobble.  If your bike has a pulley that wobbles, you might be able to find an older hub to correct the poor fit provided on the later bikes.

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/30/16 at 06:30:45

Interesting stuff,Dave. I'm convinced that the 02 model is just a better machine than the 05. Certainly the rear brakes are much better and the valve adjustment bits aren't mushrooming out on the 02,,

Blasted belt squeak,, aaarrrggghhh.. I hoped when I put the tire on and loosened it it would shaddup... nope..
I'm thinking about talcum powder, or maybe soapstone / mortar and pestle,
Unless there is a dry lube to spray on .
I really don't wanna go back to the Gulf canning wax..It's messy.
Maybe I used too much..

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by Dave on 11/30/16 at 06:54:33

JOG:  Check your rear pulley....the belt could be rubbing on the side if the pulley does not keep the belt centered.

You  might also try BOT's method of putting a little taper on the side of the belt.

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by Kenny G on 11/30/16 at 07:02:14

Dave & Justin,

My S40 is a 2013 model.

I just went out to the garage and checked for wobble in the rear wheel pulley. I cannot feel any wobble at all.

I did insert the floor mat mod that I obtained from Stew Mills at about 6000 miles.

I don't know if I have a belt chirp or not, but the belt appears to be tracking correctly. However, when I decelerate I have a sewing machine like sound that I can hear.

Kenny G

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/30/16 at 08:09:14

The belt won't silently engage the pulley,

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by Serowbot on 11/30/16 at 08:50:45

I've done Dave's pulley wobble mod too... (just the pads part)...

Apologies for the off-topic drift,... :-?

That running floor mat material is also the stuff I used for the stripe and knee pads on my tank...
Very handy stuff... 8-)
http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt82/serowbot/DSC00169_zpsfvwfeipc.jpg

Heavier stuff can be used for mudflaps...
http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt82/serowbot/DSC00172_zpsuewl9axz.jpg

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by Dave on 11/30/16 at 11:20:15


3422352830252833470 wrote:
That running floor mat material is also the stuff I used for the stripe and knee pads on my tank...
Very handy stuff... 8-)


Some people even use it on their floors! :-?

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by Serowbot on 11/30/16 at 12:14:12


417A7760717D66607B737E61120 wrote:
[quote author=3422352830252833470 link=1480506578/0#5 date=1480524645]That running floor mat material is also the stuff I used for the stripe and knee pads on my tank...
Very handy stuff... 8-)


Some people even use it on their floors! :-?[/quote]
For real?... :-?

Title: Re: Rear Pulley Wobble
Post by Steve H on 12/03/16 at 04:14:42

I can't believe people would just walk on something so useful.  :)

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