Belt Lagging for 12 HD

[Ken Lee]

Thanks Cory , letters from riders are very interesting too , I suppose an early form of a forum but not quite so quick !!!! love the old adds , wonder what they used to make stretchless belts ?? Ken

[c.o.]

Ken! Sounds like the stretchless belts were made from "various hides" With those days being so cutthroat with fear of having ideas ripped off it appears to me that is why we hear vagueness in advertising. I'll keep my eye out for belt advertisements and post them when I find them...

[Rod K]

Hi Ken...Finally got all the pieces fitted together, and I can roll the thing around the basement. My goal this winter is to pull the engine and start the rebuild with the help of a friend. I would like to have the motor done by next summer. Then start to pull the bike back apart and put some paint on the repro sheet metal parts. I'm not going to do a cosmetic restoration. I'm going to paint the new parts grey and leave the original parts in orig. condition. I want to get it running and ride it...... I want to ride it before it's 100 years old or I'm 100 years old. Which ever comes first.
I got to get a move on...thanks for the interest. I'll keep ya posted...............Rod

[Ken Lee]

Belt Lagging for '12 HD

Cory , thanks for the ads , if I find anything , I'll post too , how do you put photo's direct on to the forum ? rather than having to click on a link ?

Rod , yes please keep us informed , I am pleased you are doing a sympathetic restoration and not better than new , it'll look far better and am sure you will enjoy the ride , the old uns are the best , goes for bikes too !!!! Ken

[flyin.mauer]

Any luck here with belt dressing type? Or soaking the lagging in water or dressing?? What is the best method tryed out proving suitable here.... id like to know as im planning to run a timeless machine

[Ken Lee]

Hello , I've just been using neatsfoot oil but only on the outer surface and not on the pulley . I've used adhesive and countersunk head screws on the pulley lagging and therefore not wetted it but it holds ok . I have been in correspondence with a gent on your side of the pond , he makes leather belting for stationary engines and tells me the driving surface should be the outer , or skin side , not the fleshy side !! I have always riden with it the fleshy side driving assuming it is rough and therefor should grip better ! I did try the outer side but have put it back and assume rightly or wrongly that maybe stationary engines might run ok like that due to usually a more steady 'drive' and usually their belts are run much more loose tending to wrap themselves around the pulley more . Whereas motorcycles usually with smaller 'driven' pulleys probably rev a bit higher and accelerate more quickly than the normal stationary engine !??? Maybe ! I have just ordered a bottle of castor oil to try that . I also use a modern spray can of belt anti slip dressing on the inner side of the belt BUT it still slips at times .