Well looks like something is off alignment by a little. During my trip home from TN (about 300 miles from home) I stopped to get gas and while filling it up all kinds of fuel started pooring out till it reached below the leak point. After further investigation, it looks like the top of my belt rubbed against the fuel tank cutting a nice crease across it. I was able to fill the tank to 1/2 without it leaking at all, I just had to stop every 40 - 50 miles for fuel (since I didnt know when the next gas stop on the highay might be) to get it home .....

Goes to the dealer first thing Monday morning to find out what the hell happened since they are the last ones to have touched anything to do with the rear-end (swingarm, belt, pulley).

Will update with more info after monday.

Well looks like something is off alignment by a little. During my trip home from TN (about 300 miles from home) I stopped to get gas and while filling it up all kinds of fuel started pooring out till it reached below the leak point. After further investigation, it looks like the top of my belt rubbed against the fuel tank cutting a nice crease across it. I was able to fill the tank to 1/2 without it leaking at all, I just had to stop every 40 - 50 miles for fuel (since I didnt know when the next gas stop on the highay might be) to get it home .....

Goes to the dealer first thing Monday morning to find out what the hell happened since they are the last ones to have touched anything to do with the rear-end (swingarm, belt, pulley).

Will update with more info after monday.
DAM That Sucks!What wheels do you have?

Pro-One wheels

After reading this I looked at by bike. The clearance between the belt and tank is not very much to start with. I can see where you would have to be very careful when you change anything out on the rear.

As a new V-Rod owner I have a lot to learn but that situation sounds like it could have been possible that the friction of the belt cutting the tank could have caused an explosion and disaster.
Am I wrong? In any event, glad you made it home safely.

Had the same thing happen about a year ago. I wil pm you
ride safe
tom

Please let us all know the results of the dealer's inspections. VRODTOM, what happened w/ yours?

Believe me I will. I hope they get to it this week, going thru rider withdrawals.

It would seem like a good idea for someone to fab a guard to cover the tank where the belt lines up, anyone know someone good that can come up with something for us ?
I know a good fabricator but he is always too busy to mess with my v-rod (i think he is scared of messing it up)

too much flex in the alum. pulley. I changed it to a harley steel, no problem.
ride safe
tom

too much flex in the alum. pulley. I changed it to a harley steel, no problem.
ride safe
tom
COME ON TOM!There's No FU(KING WAY That belt will flex the Pulley unless you installed something wrong!I love ya Bro ,but that Just don't FLY! :spank:

I had it installed by our famous las vegas dealer! Steve from v-mod told me that it has happened to a few others. I installed the steel one myself. Really don't like going to the stealer anymore.
tom

I agree with Kaz on that, and until I know for sure from the shop I will not say it was the pulley.... there should be no reason the pulley flexed unless the belt was way too tight. I could understand it wearing prematurely before I could believe it flexing... That grade of aluminum is used in to many applications ....

I had it installed by our famous las vegas dealer! Steve from v-mod told me that it has happened to a few others. I installed the steel one myself. Really don't like going to the stealer anymore.
tom
Then They FU(KED Something up!Regardless if it's Steve or Sam's Pullies that should Not Happen! :2cents:

Most likely the stealer must have bent it when installing it. I think sam's products are 100% and I just had a bad install. That's what is so good about this forum. Information!!!!
(see you tonight)
tom

Most likely the stealer must have bent it when installing it. I think sam's products are 100% and I just had a bad install. That's what is so good about this forum. Information!!!!
(see you tonight)
tom
I had a Special Client. :kiss: Sorry I missed ya! :notworth:


P.S I owed my Girl Dinner and a Movie! :surrender

Quick update on tank..... Took a week but the parts have finally arrived. I hope to have bike back by Wed., will get explanation from techs on what caused this then...... hopefully.... I have them doing my 15k maint and install of PM rear brake caliper since they have the wheel out anyway.

Well additional update. It seems the TT pulley is the problem, not sure how yet excpet that when installed it allows the belt to rub against the gas tank. I am going to deliver my original HD 28T tonight to them and see if that makes any difference.

Kaz if you are following this, I did some investigation and the difference between ChopperSteve's pulley and Sam's is Steve uses 7075 T6 alum while Sam uses 6061 T6 (this is according to both the web info for their perspective pulleys). 6061 is a little softer because it contains more aluminum in the alloy than 7075.

Well additional update. It seems the TT pulley is the problem, not sure how yet excpet that when installed it allows the belt to rub against the gas tank. I am going to deliver my original HD 28T tonight to them and see if that makes any difference.

Kaz if you are following this, I did some investigation and the difference between ChopperSteve's pulley and Sam's is Steve uses 7075 T6 alum while Sam uses 6061 T6 (this is according to both the web info for their perspective pulleys). 6061 is a little softer because it contains more aluminum in the alloy than 7075.
Just spoke with Sam.He said to Please give him a Call 1-602-242-6099 to discuss your Problem!

I told you I had the same problem!

Kaz thanks for calling Sam. I was going to call him when I got it back and talk to him anyway and ship the pulley to him.
I called Sam and let him know I woudl be sending it as soon as I get the bike back so he could do whatever measurements on it.

Tom, mine doesnt look like it is bent/warped like you described yours was, the situation is the pulley is allowing the belt to walk towards the frame/motor as you spin the tire. Instead the belt should walk the other direction towards the outside.

Whatever the case is, I will send it to Sam so he can see what may be the problem. I still like his products and will replace it with another one of his when he has it figured out, until then I will be running with my stock HD 28T.

That just what mine did!

Tom did you ever take the time to contact Sam to see if there was a problem and /or send him the old one back so he could look at it....

My other thing would be with the number he has sold, I would think more would have the same problem if it was a true flaw in the design and not just a machining problem that occured at the time. If it was because the alum he uses is too soft then everyone would have cut tanks. I dont think that is it. Like I said, I will send it back at let him look into it.

No, I never told sam, but when i spoke to steve he said that he did have some early ones that had that same problem. Mine was walking into the gas tank, and cut into it. I replaced it with the steel harley and no more problems.
I'll send mine to sam to check out.
tom

Tom, not quite sure why you never brought this to Sam's attention. Oh well.
I dont have anything against Steve's products either, but I do think it is in the best interest of the manufacturer and the buyer/future-buyer when someone lets a manufacturer know there may be a problem with his/her product. If a manufacturer then decides to not do anything about it there is nothing anyone can do except forewarn others, but at least give the company a chance to correct it.

I dont think mine was an early production being that it was purchsed during the group buy on here(unless it had been sitting on the shelf for a while).

Brent,

You mentioned that you put your stock 28T back on???? Is your's an '04 or did you put the pulley and flange back on?

I'm asking because neither Sam or Steve's pulleys are designed to work on '04's or converted '02 - '03 bikes. The flange on the HD 28T has a smaller "fingers". The fingers on the flange are designed to keep the pulley centered. The bolts will not keep it properly centered or support the load of the belt tension. It will flex in all kinds of unnatural ways if you install it on the wrong flange.

My HD 28T is being installed with correct flange being I still had it along with the pulley. I switched my 30T to the HD 28T kit before obtaining the TT pulley. I went to the TT because I like the idea of less weight..... I know what you are thinking but the alum 28T was just a mod I wanted after the fact.

Ok, so you put the 30T flange back on when you installed the TT pulley :thumb:

I just went out and checked my TT 28t puilley.I have about 1/4 inch clearance between the tank and belt.And my belt on the rear sprocket is more towards the outside.
How many miles do you have or had on your pulleys?

Please if anyone has had a Problem contact Sam.He's Very cool and will do what ever he can to correct the Problem.Like stated there are Hundred of these out there so these are small isolated incidents that need to be investigated! :thumb:

Now that this thread has worried me a bit, I just checked my TT pulley and belt. It all looks good, belt is running against the pulleys outside flange and is the same on rear pulley too, maximising the clearance.
I have noticed the front lower engine mount has an adjustable tie bar, could this allow the engine to be fitted slightly out line. just a thought.

I have 8k miles on my rear pulley and probably 4k on the 28T TT pulley. Let me
re-iterate that this thread was not to put down Sam's product.

But more to the fact that there isnt much clearance between the belt and the gas tank and if the belt walks the wrong direction(towards the frame) for whatever reason it will contact the tank. There is nothing to protect the tank from it being damaged it that happens. If the tank was steel I could understand HD not put a plate between the belt and tank, but being that it is polimer I am surprised they didnt protect it better.

Makes me wonder why when the shop ordered my replacement tank it was backordered from the factory.... Is HD having a problem with this tank situation they arent identifying?

If the wheel wasn't running true in the swing arm, would this cause the belt to walk?What was the last thing that you or the dealer changed on the rear end before you had this problem?.........Maybe I'm thinking tooooo much....Greg

I dont remember if the last thing changed was the 28T pulley or the swingarm(the number of things changed in the last 6 months has been hard to keep up with, would have to dig out the receipts to see the order) .... but if installing the HD steel 28T corrects it, I know the problem is in the TT pulley somehow.

Maybe when they changed the pulley to the HD one, the back wheel was set to run true this time?? They would have had to have retensioned it again.
Maybe it was running out of line when they installed the TT pulley.

If the pulley was at fault it would have shown it's self long before 4000 miles, my question is (and I'm not trying to start a fight) but what changed,change wheels,swing arm, belt adjustment ect... Thanks Greg

Thats the thing nothing had changed since the 10 or 11k mark. The cut in the fuel tank became evident on the way home during my 2k trip from FL to TN and back. I was 300 miles from home when it finally cut thru and started leaking gas when filling past the half way mark. If it truly turns out to be the TT pulley (will know this when they re-mount my steel HD 28T) then the only thing I can guess at is after enough wear on MY particular pulley the aluminum wore enough to cause this......

I am done speculating until I get my bike back and am able to ship my TT pulley back to Sam.

Hey Brent ... just trying to help.... eouugh said.

Well we are narrowing the problem down, still doesnt make sense but getting closer to what it is.

The tech installed HD pulley and belt is still tracking wrong. Well that says that the TT pulley was not the culprit after all. He then went ahead and mounted a stock rim and pulley (and everyhting tracks fine)..... So this tells me its not the swingarm either but something with either the PRO-ONE rear wheel and or pulley (The weird thing is I have had my custom wheels on since bike week 6k miles ago.)....

Going to stop in tonight to discuss what we are going to do to get it going..... Obvioulsy I will have to get them to contact Pro-one to describe the problem, probably end up shipping rear wheel, sprocket and rotor all back to Pro-one.

I wonder if the bearings in my pro-one wheels are going bad that has caused this.....hmmmm thinking out loud, I will see if they have checked that before we go to the time and expense of having to send the wheels back.

This is really beginning to suck......

Well we are narrowing the problem down, still doesnt make sense but getting closer to what it is.

The tech installed HD pulley and belt is still tracking wrong. Well that says that the TT pulley was not the culprit after all. He then went ahead and mounted a stock rim and pulley (and everyhting tracks fine)..... So this tells me its not the swingarm either but something with either the PRO-ONE rear wheel and or pulley (The weird thing is I have had my custom wheels on since bike week 6k miles ago.)....

Going to stop in tonight to discuss what we are going to do to get it going..... Obvioulsy I will have to get them to contact Pro-one to describe the problem, probably end up shipping rear wheel, sprocket and rotor all back to Pro-one.

This is really beginning to suck......
PLEASE Call Sam and Tell him.Now I wonder about VrodTom's?LVHD has been a Bit SPOTTY on their Servise Dept so I would Not Put anything Past them. :tmbsdow:

Yep called him and let him know.

I hate problems that you cant find the specific cause. I am quite sure this one is going to cost me dearly in that their will be no way to pinpoint what caused it, just the end result....... this truly sucks.

In any case, They checked the bearings, swingarm and that isnt it. When they showed me both the TT front pulley and my Pro-One rear pulley, both show abnormal wear for the side that would be considered closest to the bike. Where as, it should show the wear towards the outside, if any (the correct direction for the belt to track within the pulleys.)
Did one pulley cause the other to wear, were both off enough to eventually cause this or is it really something else that just hasnt shown its head yet....... Not quite sure the world will ever know.

With the HD 28T back on and using a stock oem rear wheel and pulley everything tracks correctly. With the HD 28T pulley and my Pro-One setup, tracking is still off.

So, the dealer is going to contact Pro-one, let them know what they have found, what they have tried and go from there. Although I didnt go thru my dealer to get the Pro-ones, I figured they could give them all the info they have(what they see, have tried and what they verified) and answer any additional questions the Pro-one people might throw at them. I suspect they will be shipping the whole wheel assembly back to them (guess we'll see). Until the Pro_one situation is resolved somehow, they are going to install my old oem factory wheel with my 180 tire for now (still had it sitting around).

At least I will have something to ride and my saddle bags will help coverup the rear.

I already talked to Sam about the TT pulley and let him know I would be sending it to him anyway, just so he can at least see the wear on it for future reference and or maybe see a problem. I also spoke to him about the chain conversion, all it would take is getting the Pro-One bolt pattern specs for the rear. Using the chain setup I would never have to worry about this again, being the chain doesnt walk like a belt can(I dont think).

A real bummer..... but at least it is fixable.
:mad: :mad: :mad: :banghead: :banghead:

I wonder if not having the cush drive could have contributed?

Unable to say that it couldnt, but it seems awful strange that would be it being there are quite a few wheels on vrods out there that dont have the cush-drive.

Brent,
You could be entirely on the wrong track.
This only happened AFTER you rode you bike in Tennessee! Right?
Better stick to Florida riding, I think.
All your problems will be solved.
:whack:
See you back on the road soon, I hope. Jim

Jim, that is one way of looking at it :rofl:

The real sad part is I think I am going to have to look for a new shop to do work on my bike. It seems my regular mechanic left Jim's while I was in TN( I am quite sure that he would have been able to figure this out).

I am going thru serious biking withdrawals not having my ride.

We can talk about the rental of my V-Rod...
not as fast as yours, bro. But the BELT ISN'T RUBBING!

Good luck on your research and repairs. Keep us informed and let me know when you're back on the road again.

Jim,
Now thats an offer thats hard to refuse..... But I couldnt as the possibility of putting a scratch in that great Paint job from DH would result in my death..... hehehe

I was thinking, once I get my beast back on the road a nice ride down to the Keys may be in order.... what ya think?

I'm going to Key West on July 11th for a week.
I'm driving my air-conditioned Cadillac.
I'm staying in an air-conditioned house.
If I go outside, it will be to jump in the water or into an air-conditioned bar.
I ain't going to ride in this HEAT 'cause I'm a whimp.
But, heading North to the forests up around Ocala -- that may be in the cards.

We'll have to plan an Ocala ride when I get it back. Maybe it will have cooled off more by then.....

Brent, what did you finally end up doing to make your belt track straight? My belt is not tracking all that well which is causing a very annoying squeeking sound against the side of my pulley (rear). Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

I had a shop cut custom spacers the amount I thought would line it up better. Depending on which way the belt is tracking, you may need to shift your setup left or right by shortening the left side spacer a small amount(100th's of an inch) or getting it cut a little longer.

I had the same problem with Steve's and Sam's pulley.

Steve's was squeeling so severly I took it off.

Sam's was a little better, still noisy though.

The belt would track all over on it as well. Just wouldn't run straight. You can see the cuts in the frame and tank from it wandering all over.

After less than 5000 miles the pulley had worn severely, less than 1/3 of the tooth left and making the most horrible noise.

I replaced it with a new belt and HD pulley and all the problems went away.

I have just installed the Breathless Performace Alumimunm 28 tooth pulley, am I next in line for this problem? Should I skip the frustration and get the HD steel one?

I had a shop cut custom spacers the amount I thought would line it up better. Depending on which way the belt is tracking, you may need to shift your setup left or right by shortening the left side spacer a small amount(100th's of an inch) or getting it cut a little longer.

Thanks Brent, I'll give it a try. :cheers:

I have just installed the Breathless Performace Alumimunm 28 tooth pulley, am I next in line for this problem? Should I skip the frustration and get the HD steel one?

Keep an eye on it but be prepared to switch if you see any abnormal wear or ANY marks on the tank or frame. I don't think we have enough data on the hardened pulleys yet to come to a conclusion.

Keep an eye on it but be prepared to switch if you see any abnormal wear or ANY marks on the tank or frame. I don't think we have enough data on the hardened pulleys yet to come to a conclusion.
Mine is showing signs of wear.And I have it set to 10mm at 10lbs like the supplier told me to do.

How many miles? Has it been noisy like trick rod described above? Should these pulleys simply be considered a perishable wear item?

And I guess I'm also wondering is there a noticable performance improvement with the alumimum over steel? Mark

Had the alum. and went to steel. No difference!

Had the TT and noise from the get-go.. frame paint gone (Upper and lower) but thankfully no tank damage... had to go with the steel HD 28 tooth pulley and flange...
Mike