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Author Message   Dasxb9s Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 01:27 am:        First off... I checked the knowledge vault... nada! 5645 miles on the odometer, second time rear tire has been off. First time for bearing upgrade quite a bit back (by dealer), then this time to replace tire (by me). Flat tire, pulled everything according to service manual & belt service bulletin. Paranoid about belt damage worked VERY carefully. Reassembled, off lift, rolled backwards about 20 feet in shop to air compressor to check tire pressure. Rubbing noise coming from area of front pulley. Seem to remember some noise rolling backwards in the past... but not this much. Rolled forward... no noise... roll backwards... noise returns. Cuss like a drunken sailor... roll forward... jacked up rear. Roll tire forward no noise, roll backward... noise from under front pulley cover. My first thought was the sheet metal shield on inboard side of belt held in place by rear pulley cover bolt was misaligned and was the offending part. Removed front pulley cover. Discovered the problem was not as thought. As the tire rolls backwards, the belt drifts outboard off center of idler pulley, and edge of belt drifts off center (outboard) on the front pulley and it is rubbing against the outboard edge of the front pulley, studdering and making noise as it goes. No doubt, if the machine was rode at speed BACKWARDS, VERY bad for belt, as it rubs and mildly starts to try to climb off the front pulley! HOWEVER... since my XB does not have reverse... that ain't gonna happen. AND... the belt centers properly on the front pulley, rear pulley, and idler when rolling forward... no apparent problem in the go fast direction. SO... is this just the way things go running such a belt system in reverse, as it is pushing past and over the idler because of the long distance from the rear pulley and the idler? OR... are there other issues with the belt system I am missing, that is the problemo? THOUGHTS... IDEAS... EXPERIENCES... anyone... anyone... Bueller!! Yo... anonymous... I bet you have a wealth of info I should know to "splain" this to me. Thanks guys!!   R1DynaSquid Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 05:46 am:        They all do it. HD's & Buells make the noise when pushed backwards. Dont worry about it.   Dasxb9s Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 09:40 am:        R1... I had noticed it before, it is just now it seems much more pronounced than ever before. I was sure I followed the service manual to the letter, but needed some second opinions. I was gonna scrub the new tire and check and see if it became less prevalent afterward... kinda settling the belt back to normal after being off the rear pulley. It was late and rain factored in, so that didn't happen. Thanks!!!   Lpowel02 Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 09:50 am:        i've noticed this noise occasionally with my 9R...same deal, makes the noise slightly when I roll back, but not forward I've taken my pulley off before to swap out the muffler...whoever was driving the Buell bus when they decided you should have to take the pulley off to get the muffler off should have his license revoked......flipped those straps around pronto...but I digress...put everything back on per the manual. The belt centers fine going forward and I've checked it many times for wear and found nothing so I'm not letting it bother me...too much...   Freyke Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 09:58 am:        absolutly normal...   Jerseyguy Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:44 pm:        Das - Thanks for the post. I recently noticed the same noise and was ready to pull the cover off to see what was up and fix it if necessary. Now I guess I'll just forget about it.   Flick Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:46 pm:        That noise happens to me every time I maneuver the bike into the garage. Only when backing up though. Thought it had something to do with the heat of the belt against the front pulley (?). Das,I like your explanation better though.   Fullpower Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:57 pm:        das.. backing up belt noise is par for sportsters and xb's. Lpowel... pulley does NOT have to come off to access the muffler mounting straps on the xb. just use 1/4 inch drive socket with u-joint, quick and easy.   Lpowel02 Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 01:16 pm:        Fullpower...thanks for the tip...I'm lacking a socket/ratchet that small so I guess that's a good reason to get one...flipping the straps around so they can be accessed from the other side worked for me tho... Funny that the SM tells you to take the pulley off...you'd think they'd be able to come up with the workaround too...   Blake Posted on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 02:05 am:        Suggest you avoid rolling backwards at high speeds.

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