Or, you could cut your losses and sell the piece of scrap to me for say.........£2k so that I can use it as a spares bike.
I looked at the pulleys, there's no evidence of anything unusual. Ok, so....not done a 1098 but can I use a Facom tensioner like I have used for doing my 916 belts? I assume it is basically the same process?
I've never seen a groove like that, looks like it's been done during use (piece of grit or other foreign body in there?) personally I wouldn't be happy running it, just it in case it may have damaged the integrity of the belt? That said it may be fine as the belts are very strong but I couldn't relax if I knew mine were like that. The red coloured stuff inside the belt is multi-strand, glass-fibre, rubber coated cord and is what holds the belt together, rubber alone would be about as much use as an elastic band. The reason you can see it at the edge of some belts more than others is that the belt is made in large widths with a single length of cord 'spiralling' through the construction, it is then cut into belt-width strips meaning that in some areas the cut goes through the cord and in others in between two strips of it.
Went for a spin (30miles of Sunday drivers)....didn't snap... That's the last ride before fitting new ones. Personally, I reckon the groove hasn't caused any significant damage but I just can't risk it and I would never be happy riding it so...time for new ones. Thanks for all the help. R
Richard If you would like any moral support whilst changing your belts I would be happy to assist. Could also show you how to use the Sonic belt tensioning method and can bring the equipment with me as the software is already on my laptop and I have a microphone.
Ooh...that sounds like an offer I would like to take up....how about free food in exchange?? Will PM you. R
Stripped the bodywork and tank off and belt covers ready for changing the belts. Question: the "nut" that is used to turn/hold the tensioning pulley appears to be around 25mm across flats. The gap between the nut flats and pulley looks very tight - is it possible to get a spanner in there to hold the pulley still while tightening the retaining nut? Advice please would be, as always, much appreciated. Thanks, R
I don't know if it's the same on a 1098 but on my 916 I ground away the edges of a 22 ring spanner for this purpose, that way I can hold it still whilst tightening the (10mm) locknut inside the ring spanner - can't get a torque wrench onto the vertical cylinder pulley though as the frame is in the way. I have seen people jam a large screwdriver blade into the gap to hold it whilst tightening though...
Not the same as a 916 as I have a 22mm offset spanner just for that when I did mine. This is deffo 26mm but basically the same issue - no clearance around the outside of the nut so the spanner needs to be very thin. Also, frame in the way for vertical cylinder so no way of getting a torque wrench in there without a "crows foot" adaptor. All part of the fun and games....!
Update: @CRYSTALJOHN came round this afternoon and we had a zen time installing the new belts. All went well apart from two items which made things a bit slower than expected..... Massive thanks to John for helping and giving me moral support, thanks to @Exige for the superior quality belts, thanks to @nelly for the words of wisdom and thanks to everyone who provided comments and advice. Cheers, R
A close up picture of the mark /gouge would be good if you still have them was there any sign of debris in the end or did the channel look smooth as though formed during manufacture?
unless you are talking about an area that 'dropped out' in service, no-one* would have fitted that belt if visible from new.. * maybe with the exception of the odd Lotus Exige owner * m
