“My bike squeaks”
There are a number of different reasons why the belt or tensioner can squeak. It depends on the riding conditions, wet vs dry, the soil types the system has encountered and on maintenance and wear of the tensioner. We suggest trying the following steps one by one to identify and resolve the squeak
1. The belt itself - over time a static charge can build up the belt and attract fine dust particles. These can accumulate on the belt and make it squeak - a spray of water will provide temporary relief but the squeak will come back. A good wash of the belt with warm soapy water will break the static bond, remove the dust and provide a more permanent solution. You can also try silicone spray on the belt. We recommend trying the clean and wash with soap first then if that only provides temporary relief, try silicone. Clean a dry the belt then apply liberal silicone allow to dry then ride. Usually, an application of silicone will last 2-3 months
2. The bearings in the tensioner wheel - if these are running rough or seized the wheel can rotate on the surface between wheel and bearing, rather than on the bearing itself. this can cause squeaks. Suggest checking the bearings - if they are seized or noisy - replace them ( we can send you some or can provide the bearing codes). If bearings are ok but loose (ie they fall out of the wheel rather than press out ) then secure them in with a shim in the space between bearing outer and bore (the finger of a latex glove can work). Or super glue them in. You can also try a slice of inner tube (or rubber band) over the tensioner pulley wheel to encourage the belt to turn the wheel rather than slide on it
3. Other bearings - check the bearings in the pivot areas of the tensioner - if these aren't moving freely replace them. If the pivots aren't moving freely this can also cause low belt tension which can lead to derailments
4. Sticky piston and cylinder inside spring - this can get worn and sticky - this can create squeaks and will also lead to low tension on the belt. grease inside of the cylinder (dont fill completely with grease or it will limit the full range of movement) also grease outside of cylinder and spring area - Note we have a video on our support page that takes you through tensioner modifications and maintenance - see here
5.Rear guide - If belt tension has been low the belt can rub and wear on the rear guide and can wear a channel in it. If the belt then rubs on this channel it can cause squeaks - try removing the plastic arm (temporarily ) - we don't recommend riding without it long-term but it's a good elimination step. - if this fixes things we can send you a new plastic arm
6. Bushing - Older tensioners had a very tight bushing at the pulley wheel end of the spring which limited movement and could cause low belt tension - check out 2:15 of our "Older belt tensioner maintenance video here
7. Belt alignment - If the belt line is not straight it can cause a squeak as the belt readjusts slightly to line up with the centre track on the cogs on each Powerstroke. Poor belt alignment can also cause premature wear on the system - please check out our alignment document here
Other - We now recommend against covering the spring with an inner tube as we have found this often just retains mud and water and makes it harder inside the tube and makes it harder to keep clean
“My belt comes off”
There are a couple of things to check. The first is the tensioner. The tensioner can sometimes get sticky, particularly in muddy or very dusty conditions. I have a couple of mods that can help it to work a lot better. Head over to the “Guide and Videos” pages under Support to find a video explaining all the tensioner modifcations. This will allow the tensioner to move in a much freer curve without getting stuck or sticking. When that happens it leaves no tension on the belt and can cause it to come off.
The next is making sure that the belt cog on the rear is set up correctly. The belt alignment is very particular and if it is slightly off it can cause derailment, noise or even weaken the belt. You need to have the centre of the belt cog 18.5mm from the edge of the hub. You will also be able to find a PDF link on the “Guide and Videos” page to help explain this.
“I cant remove my lower pivot axle”
What has happened in the face of the bearings is seizing on the face of the pivot bolt. If you use a metal punch and metal hammer and hit the drive-side of the pivot bolt, (make sure all bolts and nuts are removed before you do this) it should help to break the seal between the two surfaces and push the pivot bolt out.