SuzukiSavage.com - Rock in the Belt

Routy

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Rock in the Belt
08/24/10 at 21:38:34

If you have never had a rock get in the belt,...or pulley as in my case this morning, you could be in for a somewhat frightening experience.
This was a small rock, maybe a 1/4", but how it can make that much noise and vibration on the whole frame is beyond me ! I thought sure I lost the tranny,.....or worse. I'm glad I was doing only about 20 mph when it happened. And it wasn't the easiest thing to find either.
You have been warned ! Shocked

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Rich
'07 S40 Blvd stocker, except drilled OEM exhaust and white spacer mod...1/2 (.055)

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jabman Senior Member Offline Posts: 411 England Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #1 - 08/24/10 at 23:35:39 yer rocks in the belt arnt a very nice experience, i guess its just one of those drawbacks a belt drive.
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Routy

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Re: Rock in the Belt
Reply #2 - 08/25/10 at 04:47:01

Let me not be misunderstood, I in no way was putting any bad mouth on the belt drive. The belt drive IMO is the best thing that ever happened to a motorcycle. Till 1.5 yrs ago, I hadn't rode in 35 yrs, but I still remember those PITA chain drives !

jabman wrote on 08/24/10 at 23:35:39:

yer rocks in the belt arnt a very nice experience, i guess its just one of those drawbacks a belt drive.

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Rich
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nathanhooper Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Seriously... Posts: 70 NorthWest Arkansas Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #3 - 08/25/10 at 04:55:08 So does the rock not come out on its own? Was it in the front or rear pulley?
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Routy

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Re: Rock in the Belt
Reply #4 - 08/25/10 at 05:22:27

Once found, (in the rear cogged pulley) it was not stuck tight at all.

If I had been going faster, big chances are it would not have stayed in in the first place. And had I just got going faster after it happened, I believe centrifugal force could have thrown it out. But I could never have done that. Just idling in first gear it was a bad knockin....frame vibrating....teeth grinding experience.

Now that I know what a rock sounds like, I know that I had a rock go thru the belt once before when (at 50 mph) there was a terrible "bang" that shook the whole frame,....scart me to death,....but thats all there was.
I will add, both times I was on a road where repaving was being done nearby. And this little rock was kinda black lookin.

So I would say, if you're around repaving, BEWARE !

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Rich
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jabman

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Re: Rock in the Belt
Reply #5 - 08/25/10 at 08:24:57

Routy wrote on 08/25/10 at 04:47:01:

Let me not be misunderstood, I in no way was putting any bad mouth on the belt drive. The belt drive IMO is the best thing that ever happened to a motorcycle. Till 1.5 yrs ago, I hadn't rode in 35 yrs, but I still remember those PITA chain drives !

jabman wrote on 08/24/10 at 23:35:39:

yer rocks in the belt arnt a very nice experience, i guess its just one of those drawbacks a belt drive.

oh yer that's what i ment. I didn't appreciate my belt drive until I had to pay for new sprockets and a chain for my other bike Shocked

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93" savage, 177.5 main, 52.5 w/holes 3 turns out , middle circlip, 6" k&n round filter, Dyna muffler, TKAT brace

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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28644 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #6 - 08/25/10 at 12:18:04 Geez!,... something else to worry about.... ... and I don't have a beltguard!... ...
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Routy

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Re: Rock in the Belt
Reply #7 - 08/25/10 at 13:11:04

My big worry was the rear wheel locking up,.....but now knowing that would be very unlikley, it wouldn't worry me much if it happened again. But I would think the more guards, the better.

Thinking about a thread or 2 about rocks wearing a hole thru a belt if left in, I don't see how anyone could stand to leave a rock in a pulley. It ain't like you're not going to know its in there Shocked

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Rich
'07 S40 Blvd stocker, except drilled OEM exhaust and white spacer mod...1/2 (.055)

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thumperclone Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline PGR rider riding with respect Posts: 6056 Grand Junction Colorado Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #8 - 08/25/10 at 14:29:15 no visiable damage??
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Digger Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Ya gotta be tough to ride singles! Posts: 1604 Colorado Springs, CO Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #9 - 08/25/10 at 21:44:45 Routy wrote on 08/25/10 at 13:11:04: My big worry was the rear wheel locking up,.....but now knowing that would be very unlikley..... It can happen, though......I've had it happen on two different occasions now: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1218766842/9#9
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Routy

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Re: Rock in the Belt
Reply #10 - 08/25/10 at 22:00:59

I agree, that was a stupid statement by me ! If the rock is big enough, one of 2 things will happen, if the belt doesn't break, the wheel WILL stop turning. I'd hate to think that there really is a disadvantage to a belt drive.

Digger wrote on 08/25/10 at 21:44:45:

Routy wrote on 08/25/10 at 13:11:04:

My big worry was the rear wheel locking up,.....but now knowing that would be very unlikley.....

It can happen, though......I've had it happen on two different occasions now:

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1218766842/9#9

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Rich
'07 S40 Blvd stocker, except drilled OEM exhaust and white spacer mod...1/2 (.055)

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Routy

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Re: Rock in the Belt
Reply #11 - 08/25/10 at 23:27:48

I just been looking at it,.....I don't see where it would be hard to add a guard,.....a pc of belting anchored off the swing arm, just barely touching the bottom of the belt just before it enters the rear pulley. This could stop 90% of potential rocks that could be sucked into there.

I would be surprised if someone doesn't already make a bolt on guard kit for this.

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Rich
'07 S40 Blvd stocker, except drilled OEM exhaust and white spacer mod...1/2 (.055)

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Routy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2280 Winston Oregon Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #12 - 08/26/10 at 07:11:35 Lower belt rock guard,....found one on ebay,... standard on at least one bike. Then you have these guy taking them off cuz their ugly..... http://badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/73809.html?1094602682
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mornhm - FSO Serious Thumper Offline HMMM Posts: 1105 Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #13 - 08/26/10 at 10:50:35 Two words: SHAFT DRIVE Actually I haven't had problems with chains, belts or shaft drive. However they are listed in order of decreasing maintenance.
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Routy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2280 Winston Oregon Gender:	Re: Rock in the Belt Reply #14 - 08/26/10 at 18:22:50 Really ? Wow, I didn't know SD was optional on a Savage 40. Maybe I'll trade for one. mornhm - FSO wrote on 08/26/10 at 10:50:35: Two words: SHAFT DRIVE
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