Instructions/Guidance on Changing Drive Belt on Trailmaster XRX Mid

[rosner]

Hi All - Sorry for the novice question but i need to install a new drive belt on my TrailMaster 200cc XRX Mid and don't want to mess it up. I assume the belt doesn't flex enough for me to fit it over the 2 pulleys and i need to remove one of them?

Also - we've probably rode new go kart maybe 20 hours total. There is a lot of black 'powder' at the bottom of the chain protector and it looks like the belt litterally shredded itself. The little i know about these types of clutches is that this means it wasn't installed properly. So it makes me wonder if i need to make any other adjustments while i'm at it so i'm not replacing this belt again in another 20 hours.

Last question - anyone know the spec/size of this belt so i can get it from alternative places then a TrailMaster dealer.

THanks for the help!

Best,

Dave

[2SlickNick]

*****************
Great for parts and answers.
It might be that the kart is over loaded or steep hills?

[rosner]

Hi - Thanks for the pointer to ***************** - got the belt i needed and some good general information. Belt came today and i removed the front clutch (the half that attaches to the engine). However, for the life of me i can't get the belt over the shaft. When these belts come new do they need a little pre-stretching to losen them up - or am i missing some trick here?

Also - if anyone knows for my TrailMaster - should i need to do any adjustments with the position of the clutch pieces or engine itself when i do this - or is it as simple as just replacing the belt?

[x-bird]

easiest method with both pulleys on (helps to have a helper) Is to spread the clutch pulley halves as far as you can get them, then get the belt in deep at the rear of the clutch pulley. the pulley halves will then pinch down on the belt and it'll keep the halves spread out. at that poing you should have enough slack in the belt to get it around the variator. don't try to "walk" it over the pulleys with them in the "closed" position.

[Miamieddie]

Put the belt on the clutch pulley first than with ur left hand apply pressure on the variator so it dont come loose theres weights inside there keep it in place. With a screwdriver put it between the belt and the vaiator shaft. Go turning the variator counter clockwise at the same time roll ur belt on to the shaft with screwdriver and it will slip right on to shaft. Put the other half of variator on and the washer and nut and impact it on with impact gun... done.

[Miamieddie]

Me and xbird posted at same time.

[rosner]

Thanks for the reply and i'm going to apologize in advance as i'm new to the world of small engines and trying to learn by doing....

So i believe what you are recommending is that i force open the two sheaves of the driven unit - using a screw driver or crowbar or something. This way the belt will sink lower which will give me a bit more slack so i can get the front part of the belt over the brass washer on the driver unit.

Am i reading this all correctly? Any suggestions for spreading the driven pulley sheaves out without doing any damage? The CVT unit is whatever came with the Trailmaster from the factory and I assume its not the highest quality and therefore may not withstand too much - or can i go to town in order to get them apart and not risk any damange?

Thanks again for the help..

[rosner]

Ok - so i didn't wait for clarification and this was quite straightforward. Basically I used a blunt object and a hammer and 'pushed/hammered' the belt deep into driven unit which gave me the slack i needed to get it over the engine shaft (variator shaft?).

So much appreciated for the help and tip on this!

[Miamieddie]

The screw driver is to help belt roll on to the shaft not to open the clutch pulley. You can damage it. Me and xbird explained two defferant ways of doing this and you got confused and combined both stradegies together. Thats a no no ..... next time its one or the other.

[x-bird]

yep, typically i just grab the outer clutch pulley half with both hands, squeeze/pull it out and hold it (gotta have strong hand-clamps) while sticking the belt in with my teeth and nose. ;~) (that's where you may want a helper ...) that methed you then do not have to apply any additional prying or force on the belt to get it over the variator.

[ckau]

Make a wedge from a wooden block. Tap in between the clutch pulley halve in the 9 o-clock position (directly pointing at the variator) to separate the halves. Remove the outer pulley half of the variator. Place belt in the clutch pulley and over the bare shaft and sleeve at the variator. Replace variator outer pulley and thread down the holding nut. Remove wedge and rotate the belt a few times while final tightening the variator nut.
Takes less than a minute to perform the whole install.
Hardest part is getting the variator nut broke loose the first time. you'll most likely need air impact to get it loose. You don't need to ever tighten it back with impact power. It's only done that way at the factory because it's fast and efficient! Hand tightening will hold fine. Continual impact tightening will eventually destroy the crank threads and nut. If your ever in need of field replacement you'll want to get that nut off by hand, you don't want to be in the position of needing impact power in the woods!

[Miamieddie]

Continuous use of impact will damage threads on shaft.. so true never thought of that.