Author Topic: drive belt removal and replacement  (Read 7976 times)

raider

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drive belt removal and replacement
« on: April 25, 2004, 08:20:57 PM »
Just bought an '85 Odyssey FL350.  I also have the complete Honda service manual and cant get the drive belt removed.  I am basically removing all the engine components for thorough cleaning and repair as necessary.  I like to know where I am starting from.  After all this, I can not get he belt off.  There has to be an easier and obvious trick.  Please help.
Thanks,
Dan :?:

Moskito

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2004, 09:39:46 PM »
You work it off the driven (back) pulley.  Fold it over the edge of the pulley and then start rotating the pulley - it will pop right off.
Moskito - Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming \'WOW-What a Ride!\'

Odyknuck

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2004, 11:15:14 AM »
Rotate the driven pully movable face so the belt drops towards the center. Install a small wooden wedge between the faces (near the center were the belt does not ride). Then the belt will be easy to remove.

redrider

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How I would explain getting the belt off.
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2004, 12:00:20 PM »
Make sure belt is seated as good a possible against the drive clutch shaft (as much slack as possible toward driven clutch).  Make sure the buggy is OUT of gear.  The reduction case needs to be disengaged so that the driven clutch will rotate as the belt comes off.  Get the belt started coming off the driven clutch (top, bottom, doesn't matter to me much, whichever is easier for you to deal with) and just start turning the driven clutch and letting the belt ride off of it like a chain jumping a sprocket.  Don't get your fingers caught in between!  :)  
Hope that helps.  Some belts seem to be more tight than others but I don't know that I've ever had to take more drastic measures to get a belt off.  The stock belts are a bit thicker and end up being more of a pain to get on.

mudbogger

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2004, 12:05:06 PM »
Quote from: "Odyknuck"
Rotate the driven pully movable face so the belt drops towards the center. Install a small wooden wedge between the faces (near the center were the belt does not ride). Then the belt will be easy to remove.
You may sometimes have to remove the battery box, if you do this the driven pulley is easily accessable and you can then do the above methods to remove it,also make sure the bracket for the battery box isnt bent,if it is the belt is going to be a real pain to remove,I would recommend trying to bent it back but be careful, it will break off easily.Have you tryed just pulling the clutch of the crank?I see your checking out your new toy, check the clutch for looseness, if it is loose then just remove it, the belt will come off in a flash.Alot of time the clutches have loosened over time, I would recommend again that you check it as well.While your there, check the air pulse hose thats behind the stock clutch-those clamps sometimes loosen over time and that will provide you with an unwanted air leak-jetting will be a mess if that hose is leaking along with fuel system problems as well.

raider

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2004, 09:05:18 PM »
You guys have got to be kidding.  I have tried every which way to get belt off without removing clutch.  My belt is so tight, there is no way that I can see for it to come off that way, like starting/removing a bike chain.

As for "looseness" in the clutch.  What exactly does that mean?  It is stock clutch and I do not know what to compare too.  I haven't reviewed the service manual yet, but can I remove the outer two plates gaining access to the belt by simply removing the single center bolt?  I have read that there is a special tool for removing clutch assembly.  Do I need it yet?
Please advise.
Dan

PilotHawK

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2004, 10:20:48 PM »
Look in the service manual. There should be a way to seperate the faces of the rear or driven clutch. In a pilot there is a threaded hole near the center bolt hole. The trick is getting the driven clutch faces spread apart.

mudbogger

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2004, 05:49:38 PM »
Quote from: "raider"
You guys have got to be kidding.  I have tried every which way to get belt off without removing clutch.  My belt is so tight, there is no way that I can see for it to come off that way, like starting/removing a bike chain.

As for "looseness" in the clutch.  What exactly does that mean?  It is stock clutch and I do not know what to compare too.  I haven't reviewed the service manual yet, but can I remove the outer two plates gaining access to the belt by simply removing the single center bolt?  I have read that there is a special tool for removing clutch assembly.  Do I need it yet?
Please advise.
Dan
Is the belt you have on your 350 the right size?You have no play in the belt at all or am I missunderstanding you?You should have some type of looseness in the belt, this may be a problem right of the bat, check the numbers if you can on it, then do a search here, the stock belt sizes are listed here in some back postings, you may just need to cut that old belt off with a knife and install the new correct size belt as per the instructions posted here.

raider

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2004, 10:36:39 PM »
It is not completely tight.  There is some slack, but not enough to work belt of the back clutch.  It has a new Salsbury 704148 belt.  Seems to be right belt.  I was able to twist/spin the two discs on trans side by hand today.  However, while holding them in position, I needed another hand to force the inside disc against the spring and spread plates apart to create slack in belt.

This is getting incredibly aggravating.  I am determined to get the belt off somehow without removing drive clutch or driven clutch.  
Dan

dhjunkie

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2004, 12:00:30 AM »
I feel your pain, I remember my first belt removal.  I thought for sure it was impossible to take it off by the pry and rotate method.  I also thought I was going to lose a finger or two doing it.  You have one bonus over me on your first time, your tranny has a nuetral selector (fl350)  mine was the fl250.  I had to battle jackstands and such to keep the car stationary.
  What I used to take the belt off was some wooden wedges that I used a tire irons.  I would place a wedge between the belt and outer clutch face while rotating the clutch,  then I would place another wedge deeper between the belt and clutch face.  This would start to make the engine turn (removal of spark plug make it a little easier), dont worry this wont hurt anything.  At this time I was cursing like a sailor and sweating profusely over something that should be so simple. Tighter than a crabs ass comes to mind.  Once you get the belt half way around the driven, it will literally jump off, this is where you really need to be careful and NOT punch any tubing when it sudennly freewheels.  If the belt is trashed just cut it off, But installing will prolly be just as fun.  Dont worry about thinking you will over stretch the belt, that will not happen.  The only thing to take caution with the belt is to NOT gouge it,cut it, or damage the clutch faces when installing.  Wear a good pair of leather work gloves, the cluche sheeves do have some sharp spots that like to slice flesh

mudbogger

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #10 on: May 03, 2004, 05:36:55 PM »
Tighter than a crabs ass, classic dh lmao.

boogieonmyfinger

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2004, 08:25:07 AM »
I've changed the belt on my 350 lately, and I ended up using a breaker bar and socket to hold the one side of the clutch discs and twist the clutch faces apart.  After much pain, I was able to twist them far enough and the belt slipped of really easily.  The hard part is having the 3rd hand.

Joe Odyssey Rider

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2004, 11:24:50 AM »
Raider, did you ever accomplish your belt swap?

One thing that came across my mind was that perhaps your stock clutch is "hung up" and not fully opening.  If that happens, it would indeed be really hard to get the belt off.

I generally pull my clutch to change my belt.  It's my philosophy that if the belt is ready to change, then the clutch probably needs some attention too.  Yes, you do need a special puller to remove the clutch, and the first time you do this it is a bear.  Buy the puller, you'll be glad you did somewhere along the way.  You can get them from Randy at Odyssey Salvage or other such vendors.

raider

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2004, 09:33:30 PM »
When I had the thing torn down after purchasing, I tried every which way to remove belt without removing either clutches.  No success.  I could actually twist the two disks on the trans side clutch, but it would not spread open freely.  You need to perform some world class yoga move with 3-4 hands to pull this off.

When I bought the odyssey, it had a new or fairly new belt.  I questioned if it was actually too tight.  When engine is idling, the belt tension actually is spinning the transmission clutch.  I think this is why the trans grinds when shifting into gear.  When engine was not running, there was enough slack to spin the belt by hand.  Otherwise, pretty tight.  I was so anxious to put everything back together for my first run that I just quit messing with belt.

Before doing too much work, I wanted to run the odyssey to see how it was performing (engine, transmission, suspension, etc).  Well, I can tell you I must have gotten lucky.  This thing really runs strong.  I am an abusive tough rider, not to mention weighing 220 lbs.  The engine and transmission ran strong.  

The only potential problem I was having was fouling plugs.  I need to investigate this some more.

To make a long story short, I still have not been able to remove the da** belt.  I am certainly interested in any other suggestions.
Thanks,
Dan

Joe Odyssey Rider

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drive belt removal and replacement
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2004, 11:54:16 AM »
I still think you may have a partially hung up clutch.  But, if you can move it some when not running, maybe not.  A little grinding when putting it in gear is normal (note: a little bit ... if you really have to jam it in and it wants to launch, then that's a bit too much).  Otherwise, if it's not a big deal, then I wouldn't worry about it.  An alternate fix to that is to ground the neutral switch in the back ... a dangerous alternative in that since it would then start in gear (your problem solved somewhat) it can start up and run over you if you start it up while standing alongside (new problem, maybe more serious  :shock: ).

Fouling plugs not good, but maybe liveable.  I'd run it pretty good for a bit and see if that goes away, it may have been sitting for awhile and just needs to run a bit.  If not, then some jetting may be in order.  To check the jetting, after sufficient warming up, run it wide open and hit the kill switch while holding the throttle wide open.  Check the plug ... you want to see pancake colored plug.  I run mine a bit on the rich side (dark brown) just to be safe, but I don't foul plugs.

Well, that's a beginning.  Are these things a blast to ride?  Good luck!