drive belt again!!!!!!!!

Is the belt dirty? Mine sometimes screeches after I drive on a dirt/dusty road. Hosing it off resolves the issue.

ear plugs

Hmm...is it possible to have someone follow beside you, to see if they can hear where the noise is, and when it happens?

Things that I have learned:

Sometimes I need to take a scrub brush and soap/water to it to make the belt quiet down.

After cleaning, It has been belt tension that has made the most difference with the sound of our rear drive.

The warmer our rear drive, the quieter it becomes, (in other words, the colder the ambient temp the possibility of a noisy belt increases.)

(Also keep in mind that the warmer the belt the tighter it becomes.)

Belt location on our SlingShot is only critical if the belt is riding on the extreme inner or outer location, any place in between it appears content.

Make only one adjustment at a time.

I am constantly double checking asking if I am I turning the pivot shaft in the correct direction?

I have had no success in adjusting the belt position by rotating the tire by hand, I have had to adjust, (1/8th turn, I know, the book says 1/4 turn), drive, pull over, check position, adjust.................

Just turning the pivot shaft does not move our belt, I also need to re-tighten the lock nut then drive.

When you drive the SlingShot in reverse the belt position will change.

But, the #1 thing that I have learned about adjusting the drive belt....................................patience!

Bill

Oh, and one other thing that I failed to mention above where I have noticed is that the looser the belt, the more it tends to ride on the outside............

Bill

This last Friday I took a ride with my brother and we got into some heavy dust and I started getting a loud screeching/squeaking from the belt when accelerating that sounded like the sound of a slipping power steering belt back in the day. Because I had heard of dust causing this to happen I didnt really worry about it and as I expected when I got home I washed the belt off and scrubbed it with a brush and the sound went away just as I hoped it would

So now my question - does anyone actually know why dust can make it squeal? Unless the dust is actually getting under the belt and lifting up to the point where it can slip in the drive pulley I dont understand whats happening that makes this sound. Like I said above it sounds just like a slipping power steering belt back on my 73 ford

I believe that you answered you own question.........................

..........also the belt will squeal if it rides up against either lip on the rear pulley.

Bill

Quote from wjfyfe

I believe that you answered you own question.........................

..........also the belt will squeal if it rides up against either lip on the rear pulley.

Bill

so you think it could be allowing it to slip by lifting the belt out of the teeth?

Eliminating the belt Squeal.....Will void your warrantee....

Quote from edwardaneal

so you think it could be allowing it to slip by lifting the belt out of the teeth?

You'll hear and feel pretty big thumps if the belt slips. Almost as bad as a chain jumping teeth.

Quote from BryanL

You'll hear and feel pretty big thumps if the belt slips. Almost as bad as a chain jumping teeth.

I would think so, thats why I am trying to figure out what exactly causes the squealing. Rubbing on the side of the pulley seems like the only point that could make this noise, but why only when it gets dusty?

Its not that it really matters, it does go away when you clean it, and in over 15,000 miles this last weekend was the only time I have experienced it, but still I am curious

I don'i think the belt gets dusty, It's more likely the belt gets a glaze on it, Similar to a glazed leather belt on a old sewing machines pulley...

Quote from hunter

I don'i think the belt gets dusty, It's more likely the belt gets a glaze on it, Similar to a glazed leather belt on a old sewing machines pulley...

It seems to happen when things get dirty and goes away after you clean it. So a glazed belt seems unlikely. Washing wouldn’t fix a glaze

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Quote from edwardaneal

It seems to happen when things get dirty and goes away after you clean it. So a glazed belt seems unlikely. Washing wouldn’t fix a glaze

Sent from my iPhone using Polaris Slingshot Forum mobile app

Here’s my theory. The dirt/sand will cause the belt to ride to the outside. As it contacts the pulley it begins to ride up the pulley changing the belt tension and setting up a vibration in the belt. Our rear body panned act like a sound board or acoustic guitar body and the vibrations are transmitted thru the body making that high pitched cat dying sound. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.

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well, so long as it goes away when I get rid of the dust then it is not a big deal, but I still would like to know the cause

Quote from frehleycomet

Well I adjusted the drive belt location. Mine was closer to the right side of the back wheel pulley. Now it's at the far left and the belt tension is tightened within 5/16 with 10 pounds of upward pressure. This was done using samowens44 DIY video. Screeching is gone and my SS purrs like a kitten lol

When I adjusted my belt to 1/2 inch of play the belt went off to the right side of the pulley. I left it there and a few thousands miles down the road no problems.