Belt Change

[cleanerman]

Ok.  Need some help.  Changing the belt on Scarlette.  Everything went fine except getting the clutch "squeezed" enough to get the belt to drop down enough to wrap around the variator.  I guess I'm getting old and don't have the strength in my hands as I used to. 

Using both hands I can completely open the clutch faces but as soon as I release one hand to push in the belt, the clutch closes.  Short of calling my neighbor, any suggestions on how to open the driven pulley faces and keep them open to get the belt in the correct place.

Thanks from a "seasoned citizen"'

[Iahawk]

Cleanerman, I just did the same thing, replaced my belt.  It is difficult to squeeze the driven pulley enough to get the belt to sit down in it. I think I squeezed enough with both hands to open up the pulley and then used a finger or two from each hand to push the belt down into the pulley. You just have to keep squeezing as hard as you possibly can and keep pushing the belt down in the pulley. Prior to this I took apart my driven pulley and removed all the old grease and cleaned up and re greased everything. That may have made it a little easier to open the pulley?

One thing I realized is that you need to really open that rear, driven pulley in order to get the belt as low in there as possible to have enough slack in the belt to be able to tighten the outer face of the front driven pulley correctly. You don't want to tighten the drive pulley against the belt. You need slack.

Wish I had some better advice for you but that rear pulley is a bear. Maybe just slowly working your way through it..opening it a little bit at a time and slowly moving the belt down into the  pulley?

[Ruffus]

@cleanerman,
I just use a small C-clamp to compress the clutch pulley. Set it around 9 o'clock at the pulley and tighten it against the clutch-bell. Then push the belt forward ad far a possible, enough slack now to mount the front pulley.

[Iahawk]

brilliant idea!

[CROSSBOLT]

Another way puts a balanced force pushing the spring-loaded halves apart is to squeeze the belt down into the V either with a c-clamp or two sticks of wood on top of the belt. The  last one done here just worked it in with fingers until it stopped going in. Then bound the belt sticking out. The goal is lots of slack so the front can be seated properly.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I found that I  must remind myself that it is a "squeeze and a twist" , not just a squeeze - that works best.

Stig

[dan v.]

Yeah, loosing strength in the hands is another thing that sucks about growing old.  I have a small block of oak about 1" wide that I have put between the pulleys on the torque driver near the shaft.  Seems like when I take both hands, squeeze and twist, it opens up and I am able to hold with one hand and place the block with the other.   

Slip the belt between the pulleys on the torque driver, and then work the belt over the variator shaft.  Reinstall the variator parts and you should be good to go. 

[cleanerman]

Well, I finally got the new belt on.  Took some work. I used a carpenters clamp with rubber jaws to help hold it open. 

dan v, I like the idea of the wedge.  I think I will cut a chunk out of the old belt to use as a wedge next time.

Or call my neighbor.  An extra hand would make it much easier.

Thanks for all the input.

[JJJoseph]

Ok.  Need some help.  Changing the belt on Scarlette.  Everything went fine except getting the clutch "squeezed" enough to get the belt to drop down enough to wrap around the variator.  I guess I'm getting old and don't have the strength in my hands as I used to. 

This is an old topic, but I couldn't resist!  Squeezing the clutch faces is dead easy, no need to struggle so much.  It's a "one-hander"! Just lever the belt downward with a piece of wood as shown and it pushes the drive sheaves apart. I've attached a photo.