This is an absolutely exceptional step-by-step instructional video for anyone wanting to adjust their bike's drive belt ~ and an entertaining few minutes of watching how it's done. Makes me believe that I could even do it myself. Thanks for the excellent video. Aloha, Clayton
I know this video and comments are around nine years old but I had to post a reply in 2022, as you Sir have saved me a huge hill of pain and £££. I bought a 2016 CanAm Spyder Limited Edition RT about a year ago and recently decided to repaint what I thought were swinging arm end caps as they had become oxidised. In trying to remove them I realised (only too late) that I was messing with the belt tension and alignment! And sure enough after a week or so's riding the belt was hanging 3mm off the drive sprocket. Anyhow - thanks to this video and my friend next door who has a fully equipped workshop, we followed your instructions. It took about four attempts to get it right as, as you rightly say, if you alter the drive belt tension that this throws off the alignment. But with a little patience everything is back to where it should be and you have saved me an expensive trip to my (not so) local dealer and a huge pile of wonga too. Thanks a million buddy!
I noticed in the comments some guys stated that the tension should be set on the ground. I'm reading my 2020 Can-Am RT Limited maintenance manual and it states "drive belt tension..rear end lifted...1050N. " So, the tension wil lbe higher when on the ground. So, check your maintenance manual. Also, the Operater's Manual state that the belt should not be touching the Front Sprocket flanges. Hope that is helpful. Great video explaining the procedure.
Used this video last year on both my RT's to replace rear tires and work out the tension /alignment on the belts...I used the Kritkat and measured tension on both raised up and on the ground ...I used the on ground tension to measure in the final part. About 180 lbs on mine. The alignment I had to monkey with while the back tire was running . then took a drive around the neighborhood and in reverse, still had some adjustment but all ended well. I did notice that the idiot lights needed reset when I first started up but these resolved themselves with the first movements...Thanks for the video!!
I’m years late with this but thanks heaps for the clear advice on both tension and alignment. Only wish the dealership did it correctly in the first place. 25k Up now and I’m on a second belt after they changed my rear wheel after a flat.. costly experience it has been. Thanks again
Mshrader211 is right! and yes it will change, see my comment below. the difference is where you jack the rear wheel up at. the main frame or the swing arm. if you jack it at the frame (forward of the swing arm) the rear shock will allow the wheel to swing down slightly allowing the belt to loosen a bit. here's a hint If you change the rear tire, or the brake pads anything requiring removing the rear axel, you can remove the bottom bolt on the rear shock and the swing arm will swing down (if you jack from the frame) enough to loosen the belt completely for removal. this allows you to replace every thing and not have to realign the belt or adjust the tension.....Tension may need slight touch up....
Thanks so much for sharing this info. You make it look pretty easy. I have an F3. Do you or anyone know of any differences in this procedure for my bike?
Thanks Adrian, great step by step video for belt adjustment. I was wandering how long to run the Spyder before the belt would need to be replaced? Mike.
ATTENTION: The only error I see is if you jack the Spyder up from in front of the swing arm, it will release some tension from the belt. if you jack the rear up by jacking the swing arm up it WILL NOT..... be careful with this don't over tension the belt. Always check the tension after the rear wheel is back on the ground. I'm betting this guys belt is over tensioned by the fact that he made and checked the tension with the wheel jacked by the frame, which will increase the tension when the rear wheel is lowered to the floor again ! I hope this helps
Good job, Adrian. I'm not intimately familiar with the Spyder, but on every vehicle with a swingarm I've ever owned, torque of the axle nut has been important enough that it's prominently specified in the Service Manual and even in the Owner's Manual. Using a spanner sawed in half is an interesting idea, and you've proven that it works, but I'm surprised that you can break that nut loose using such a short spanner, if it's torqued to spec. I didn't see you use a torque wrench to tighten the nut after you were finished adjusting the tension, so is axle nut torque simply not that important on the Spyder?
I would like to know where you got your seat cover I like that type of cover and I bought you have on your shocks on the front to be able to hook up if you need to be towed
Question: Does the belt tension differ from it being jacked up off the ground vs it being fully on the ground? I guess I'm mostly wondering if you have to have the swing arm all the way down/extended (rear wheel off the ground) in order to correctly check the belt tension...
Coy Hilton is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, If you read anything on the internet about removing the belt on a Spyder it will tell you to jack up the bike to decrease the belt tension making it easier to remove the belt. Sorry mate but be it that your down under I can't agree with your method at all. Belt tension NEEDS to be measured ONLY when the bike is on the ground ONLY !
Nice but not enough clarity on the fact that there are 2 Krikits, one for lighter and the other, used here, the heavier. Not knowing (I know it's my fault) I got the lighter one. My bad, but a note that there were two would have been nice. Amazon has them for $15 so I will have both! not a bad deal. The one on eBay is an off brand. If you can, go with Amazon.
