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chain drive conversion on a 2010 ultra limited

I like the idea of a chain drive instead of a belt. Sooner or later, the belt is just going to fail. It is just the nature of the material. With chain you can always carry a spare chain, or links. Not only that if you are on the road and the belt breaks. Guess what. YOUR STUCK. :small3d031:
 
tlyoungb said:
I like the idea of a chain drive instead of a belt. Sooner or later, the belt is just going to fail. It is just the nature of the material. With chain you can always carry a spare chain, or links. Not only that if you are on the road and the belt breaks. Guess what. YOUR STUCK. :small3d031:
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Although I have gotten 130,00 miles on a harley drive belt, if your worried about being stuck with a broken one Harley sells an emergency belt kit for about the cost of a chain.
Part # 40112-97 Touring
40109-86 Softail
40100-85 FXR
 
tlyoungb said:
I like the idea of a chain drive instead of a belt. Sooner or later, the belt is just going to fail. It is just the nature of the material. With chain you can always carry a spare chain, or links. Not only that if you are on the road and the belt breaks. Guess what. YOUR STUCK. :small3d031:
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Chains demand alot more attention and are hard on sprockets and messy IMO Belts if adjusted properly and do not get rocks or other foreign objects in them will last 100,000 miles as Don said IMO
 
smitty901 said:
Each is free to do as they wish I have never had a belt leave me stranded I have had chain do it many times even with spare links and the damage they can do when they go.
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I completly forgot about the damage Smitty. And if you put a new chain on old sprockets the chain wears twice as fast.
 
smitty901 said:
HDDON I have often said:
Unless it is a blast from the past to own just to have it I hope I never have a bike with
1. chain drive
2. drum brakes
3. spoke wheels
Again in my life, we got by with them but the new way is better.
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I'm with you Smitty, with the exception of the twisted stainless spokes I have on my '94FLSTC. I did the respoking myself and have never had a problem with loose spokes. But I will take the new over the old anyday, with the exception of my wife.
 
smitty901 said:
And if you think the sprockets on a belt drive wear.
The teeth on a cog and sprocket go a lot faster.
On a high power bike or one rode hard the will pull or bend in the direct the chain is going.
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Ever have a primary chain snap? Talk about damage:(
 
I think it would be interesting to see the Motor Company come out with some sort of shaft drive system. I wonder what that would do and look like. What would be the odds of that every taking place.:taunt
 
It has been a wee while since i had my main bike with chain drive but as i remember between 10 and 20 k miles was the normal life depending on the quality of the parts and how the bike was ridden and maintained and when it was done the sprockets needed replaced also
Not a big job if the front sprocket is easily accessible but having to pull the primary off at about every tyre change to also replace the sprockets and chain would be a wee bit of a pest

Brian
 
If the bike is snapping belts and we all know that this means something is amiss. Unless you just want a chain drive then I say go with the chain, no need to to mention pros and cons as everyone else has already done this.
What needs to be done is find out what is causing the belts to break to begin with:
1) is tranny and rear wheel in alignment
2) If so, then start checking swing arm alignment.
3) If swing arm alignment is correct then the difficult part starts.

You will need a way to apply torque to the rear wheel while measuring the movement of the swing arm both static and while running. I would start with the swing arm bearings and bushings and adding a frame alignment kit to boot. The alighnment process can be done on a Dyno machine with a couple of lasers. We used to do this in our kart racing days.
Needless to say you have a lot of work ahead of you... or you can just find a reliable mech to handle this and throw money at the problem. I am a firm believer in rolling up the sleeves and digging in.
Whatever you decide I wish you good luck with the problem and remember all your friends here on the forum are here to help you.
 
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