What Is It?

[SHELLDRAKE]

OK boys : I have been trying to find out where the vibration is coming from in the steering wheel,first was that it could be from the steering, second it could be the a.c. compressor transmitting it throught the belt drive to the steering.The new strong possibility is I think it is the idler(I think that is what it is called because when the engine is running you can see it move.slightly from the engine, what do you think and is it easy to fix.

Cheers Norman

[Rupert Dubreaux]

Hi Norman ,the one with the peg on looks like the belt tensioner idler .

Steve2006 posted the following info about the idler bearings in a post about mice and squeaks a while back,

below are the sizes of the bearings you need from Steves info .

Best to replace both if they have not been replaced before .

Tensioner bearing is 6203 RS 17 x 40 x12

http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1439.l2649

Idler bearing is 6301 2RS 12 x 37 x12

http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1439.l2649

The bearings are cheap and fairly easy to replace ,if you search for Steves post he explains about the removal of the tensioner idler and gives the torque settings for the bolts .

Good luck with yours.

[SHELLDRAKE]

Cheers Rupert: Thank you for the info,I have used the wrong photo,the new one shows a gap behind the wheel and when the engine is on, the pully moves --how do I take all the belts off to get to it?

Cheers.Norman

[Rupert Dubreaux]

Hi Norman ,you need a 14mm socket or spanner on the tensioner bolt to release the belt tension there should be only one belt, turn anti clockwise to release.

Once the belt is out of the way you can undo the bolt holding the tensioner idler ,it is a left hand thread so clockwise to undo the bolt .

There is a tutorial on Lexls about replaceing the belt that shows how to release the tension and gives a belt routing diagram for reassembly.

If you are going to replace the top idler bearing as well the bolt on that is a normal right hand thread type.

I cannot remember the exact torque settings for the bolts I think they were 25lb for the tensioner bolt and 27lb for the top idler .

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/maintenance/drivebelt.html

On my beater I have plenty of room to work at the front of the engine having replaced the boat propeller with an electric fan and removed the shroud from the radiator ,makes life so much easier .

Good luck with your repair.

[SHELLDRAKE]

Cheers Rupert:I have had a look at the tutorial and saved it to my favourites page for further reference now to see if I can fix it.

Norman

[Mybikes a cx500]

Hi Norman ,you need a 14mm socket or spanner on the tensioner bolt to release the belt tension there should be only one belt, turn anti clockwise to release.

Once the belt is out of the way you can undo the bolt holding the tensioner idler ,it is a left hand thread so clockwise to undo the bolt .

There is a tutorial on Lexls about replaceing the belt that shows how to release the tension and gives a belt routing diagram for reassembly.

If you are going to replace the top idler bearing as well the bolt on that is a normal right hand thread type.

I cannot remember the exact torque settings for the bolts I think they were 25lb for the tensioner bolt and 27lb for the top idler .

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/maintenance/drivebelt.html

On my beater I have plenty of room to work at the front of the engine having replaced the boat propeller with an electric fan and removed the shroud from the radiator ,makes life so much easier .

Good luck with your repair.

Did you find replacing the fan with an electric one made much difference?

[Rupert Dubreaux]

Ian hi ,the big difference is the amount of space to work on the front of the engine .From the cooling angle I have not noticed any change in the temp level . On my no3 Mk3 which also has the fan mod I have been to mid Wales and back a trip of over five hundred miles from north Kent with no problems .

[Mybikes a cx500]

Ian hi ,the big difference is the amount of space to work on the front of the engine .From the cooling angle I have not noticed any change in the temp level . On my no3 Mk3 which also has the fan mod I have been to mid Wales and back a trip of over five hundred miles from north Kent with no problems .

Hi Rupert,

So it definitely does the cooling OK. I was wondering how many horses you get back, it must take a fair few to spin that big thing. Maybe even quieter too?

I had an electric fan on a bike once, never came on, in Scotland's climate, whereas a previous model had a mechanical fan which was clearly a complete waste of time and more importantly, effort

[Rupert Dubreaux]

Hi Ian ,not sure how much extra horse power the fan mod gives you ,the fan ,shroud and clutch weigh about 2 kilo's so you get a little weight removed plus as you mentioned the effort from driving the thing .

The fans have been fitted for over nine months on mine with no cooling issues ,I can just about hear them running with the window open and engine idling .

Never seen a fan of any sort on a bike ,the ones I used ride many years ago were all air cooled .

[Mybikes a cx500]

Hi Ian ,not sure how much extra horse power the fan mod gives you ,the fan ,shroud and clutch weigh about 2 kilo's so you get a little weight removed plus as you mentioned the effort from driving the thing .

The fans have been fitted for over nine months on mine with no cooling issues ,I can just about hear them running with the window open and engine idling .

Never seen a fan of any sort on a bike ,the ones I used ride many years ago were all air cooled .

Had a Honda CX650, watercooled, shaft drive V twin, with an electric fan behind the radiator, as opposed to my CX500, which had a mechanical fan driven directly off the camshaft. The electric fan was never on.

If I ever get the time, I wouldn't mind picking up a fan from the scrappies and trying that on the LS