Belt to chain final drive conversion information

[Sauerkraut]

Looking for information on how to convert final drive from belt to chain on a 81 cowpie,

I have purchased appropriate sprockets and a bearing brace. The brace doesn’t fit properly I’m going to assume because of the longer shaft.

Anyone have information on how to do this properly? Is a shaft swap the only way?

If it’s too much work for now, is there a brace to buy to run with an open primary and final belt drive?

Thanks!

[JBinNC]

I'm assuming you mean the outboard bearing support. I have run into several of them that won't fit because the bolt holes are in the wrong place. I've had them in hand where some holes were half a hole off. Quality control really sucks these days. This is a simple part, no excuse for making parts that don't fit, but here we are. A mainshaft change will not help your problem.

Jim

[Tattooo]

Looking for information on how to convert final drive from belt to chain on a 81 cowpie,

Thanks!

Just curious????? What bike do you have to have a rear belt on an 81??????? A FLT???????

[JBinNC]

Just curious????? What bike do you have to have a rear belt on an 81??????? A FLT???????

That would be a Sturgis, mostly.

Jim

[Sauerkraut]

Thanks for the reply Jim, I did indeed have to drill the holes out to fit over the studs but the problem is the area that meets the tranny is not long enough, the brace contacts the nut before it can mate to the tranny. I put some spacers on the studs to help it mate but I’m not happy with that solution.

Tattoo, it is indeed a sturgis model! It’s a chopper in a starke manufacturing frame but the PO kept the belt drive.

[JBinNC]

With a stock sprocket and stock thin nut with lock plate beneath, you should have clearance. (The stock sprocket & nut assembly does not stand proud of the main drive gear end.)

Jim

[Sauerkraut]

I will grab some pictures this afternoon, maybe I got an incorrect tranny sprocket, there is no indent for the nut to sit inside of on this one

[JBinNC]

'80 and up sprocket is flat on both sides, no undercut.

Jim

[Sauerkraut]

'80 and up sprocket is flat on both sides, no undercut.

Jim

Here are some pics, the nut is about 5mm away from touching the brace, and the brace is about 10mm away from touching the tranny. Wrong nut maybe? It’s a James. I’ve got the lock washer with folding tabs behind it.

[JBinNC]

"Supernut", with seal. Yeah, you can't use that with the bearing support. You need the -36 nut. Also, when replacing a pulley with a sprocket, you need a spacer behind the sprocket that is .06 thick.

Jim

[Sauerkraut]

Awesome, thanks for the info Jim I really appreciate it, that should fix my problem.

[Tattooo]

That would be a Sturgis, mostly.

Jim

Awesome, That's good to know........ Didn't a FLT come with a belt in 80 or was that later???? I could go look but you might know............

[JBinNC]

Awesome, That's good to know........ Didn't a FLT come with a belt in 80 or was that later???? I could go look but you might know............

I think the FLT chassis had the enclosed chain with the rubber bellows between the inner primary and the chaincase on the swingarm.

Jim

[Tattooo]

I think the FLT chassis had the enclosed chain with the rubber bellows between the inner primary and the chaincase on the swingarm.

Jim

I remembered something was odd about them........

[JBinNC]

I remembered something was odd about them........

God, they were a pain in the ass to work on.

Jim