Alternator belt question

spm0912

spm0912

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Messages
918
Reaction score
45
Location
Biggin Hill
Doing a big service on my bike this weekend. After attending Mikeyboys service day and watching JVB's video it's been plain sailing except for changing the bloody alternator belt:mad:

Got the old one off easy enough but the new one will just not go on. It's not a genuine BMW one, got it from Motorworks and now I come to look at them together the new one looks ever so slightly smaller. So my question is are all the 1200 belts the same? Maybe they sent me the wrong one (they're closed today and I need the bike back together for Monday) or maybe the old ones stretched slightly? I even undid the alternator bolts to try and make it easier to get on but no luck.

What do the ilumini think?

Thanks
 
They aren't all the same but the new one should be slightly shorter due to stretch.
Take it you have tried the coke bottle plastic trick to get new one on?
 
Come on then - enlighten us with the coke bottle trick ???
 
Use the thin plastic as a shim to slide/wind the belt on. When in place turn the engine to retrieve the plastic from under the belt. It is still a bit of a job but I have found it impossible without it. Not my idea I have to say. I think there is an expensive bmw tool that does pretty much the same job.
 
Theres a JVB video on doing this (do a Google search) he does it in 10 secs
I recently done mine and it took yep you've guessed it 10 secs using Jim's YouTube vid
 
Well in the end it did take about 10 secs.........but only when I bit the bullet and went down to my local dealer with the original belt and got a new OEM one from there. When I ordered mine from motor works I did check it was for a 2012 GSA but clearly there are different sizes out there. To rub salt in the wounds it was also cheaper from the dealer:blast
 
Instead of a coke bottle I used a 4 pint plastic milk bottle, cut into plastic sheets. Two sheets between the belt and pulley and rotate the engine to release the belt, putting the new one on is the reverse but can be a fiddle as they are stretch belts with no tensioner.

I also borrowed Wappings belt tool once which made it a 30 second job to fit a new belt, but at £100 a pop for the tool I will stick to cutting up milk bottles for the odd belt change.
 
Pukmeister said:
Instead of a coke bottle I used a 4 pint plastic milk bottle, cut into plastic sheets. Two sheets between the belt and pulley and rotate the engine to release the belt, putting the new one on is the reverse but can be a fiddle as they are stretch belts with no tensioner.

I also borrowed Wappings belt tool once which made it a 30 second job to fit a new belt, but at £100 a pop for the tool I will stick to cutting up milk bottles for the odd belt change.
Click to expand...


I used a screwdriver. Did the job :nenau


Val.
 
I fitted belt over alternator pulley then put a socket and ratchet on the bottom pulley. Used this to turn the engine. The belt simply wound into place. You'll have to be sure it starts in the correct ribs but it rolled on easily.
The Continental part numbers were the same and the old one was on the bike when I bought it so no reason to believe I used the wrong part.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Flipfly
F’in alternator belt
Replies
4
Views
569
Pukmeister
Pukmeister
Changing the alternator R1200GS 2009
Replies
11
Views
778
iainhwilson
MikeO
  • Locked
For Sale Alternator belt cover - 1150GS and others
Replies
1
Views
167
MikeO
MikeO
Alternator compatibility
Replies
2
Views
353
Pale Rider
Buckingham
Alternator belt fitting
2
Replies
33
Views
3,793
Deleted account 240901001


Back
Top Bottom