Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

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jed
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Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#1

Post by jed »

Hi, this is a Primo 47 tooth belt drive clutch basket. Is the inner bearing race suppose to be loose as shown here? Are these originally pressed in and suppose to be solid to the basket? That would make more sense than having the basket being able to turn separate from the race and the bearings. I have the 51 (or 52) long roller bearings and a Ram Jett retainer, and have used this set up previously, but now I'm noticing this condition....IS IT NORMAL ? If not can anybody suggest a fix? or should I just get a new belt drive and consider this one FUBAR? Thanks.
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RUBONE
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#2

Post by RUBONE »

The race should NOT move but should be pressed tightly into the drum. There are possible ways to fix it but I would check into a new drum.
jed
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#3

Post by jed »

Yes. A new one is the direction I'm headed but just needed confirmation on my suspicions....Thank you.
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#4

Post by Panacea »

I don't know how old your shell is, but it's obviously a defect. If Premo sold it to you, perhaps they would like to fix it...
Little Stan
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#5

Post by Little Stan »

Jed:

If you can, return it to Primo as the race should not be "free" inside the drum. If they won't take it back take both the race and the drum to a machine shop and have them "knurl" the inside of the drum and press the race back in. You might be able to get away with some red loctite on both surfaces.

I could knurl the drum for you fairly cheaply on my lathe but I live in Houston, Texas and shipping would have to be considered.

I'm running the same setup on my '58 Pan, long rollers, clutch tamer and ram jett retainer and really like it!

-'lil stan
jed
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#6

Post by jed »

Knowing the history of the bike, this thing is at least 30 years old, but not a lot of miles on the belt drive...no more than 10 or 12k...so returning it is out of the question.
Stan, I may take you up on your offer to attempt to fix it...but I'm going to try your suggestion of red Loctite first because it's really not got a lot of play in it, and that may do the trick for a while. I'd really like to get a new one, but I'm anxious to get this machine back on the road and have other things I need to do. Hopefully I can at least get it running and then address the issue later on this year....when I can afford it more readily. I'm so close and other things are somewhat expensive too. So I'll try to fix it first if I can. A good cleaning of both surfaces and a generous application of Loctite just may do the trick....for a while. I know it will allow me to get the clutch adjusted and running at any rate....even in the condition it's in. I just can't run it like this forever...I am well aware. Thanks.
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#7

Post by Little Stan »

Jed:

A poor mans - throw down - knurl job would be to take a punch and hammer a bunch of indentations in the clutch drum! Get everything real clean and put a bunch of red loctite on it and I doubt it will give any trouble.

-'lil stan
jed
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#8

Post by jed »

I've let the Loctite set for over 24 hours now. I can't budge it. It will be fine. Thanks for that idea Lil' Stan..
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#9

Post by 58flh »

LL STAN-----Knurling has its place in certain applications.But on the Drum /with loc-tite///Im afraid the fix would be SHORT LIVED. After all your just forcing about .010-.015 of matieral out with the knuling tool.Under the spring pressures & heat /that will fall back quickly as if it wasent there.I have knurled skirts on pistons that were .0009 in the red which is nothing!.But on a VW aorcooled motor ,it did quiet the slight slap it was getting at start-up!//Probably lasted long enuff for the owner to sell the bug!.As Stan mentioned Knurling will take-up room for a tight fit/but for the clutch-shell it probably would flatten upon pressing in.The Loc-Tite would be what actually holds it in place for a few.Im in no-way saying that Stan is wrong!/Just that Knurling does have its uses & the Bering on the Primo wont hold.Just speaking from exp. gathered over the yrs.----Respectfully---Richie
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#10

Post by jed »

I believe it's a temporary fix. However, you have to take in consideration that it is not an extremely critical union under extreme torque. The race is more like an idler and only works when the clutch is pulled in. It needs to be still in the drum, granted, but the race and the drum only need to slip freely over the bearings...again, only when the clutch is pulled in.
If it were any more critical than that, I believe the original design would have called for a more robust approach, such as pinning it in somehow, instead of merely a press fit. I cannot budge it with just a coat of Loctite, and I believe it's enough to hold it for a while even without knurling it. Time will tell, and I will be keeping an eye on it after I run it for a while and on into this years riding season. A new BDL set up can be had for $250...but I'm willing to wait.
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#11

Post by Little Stan »

Jed:

I feel that you now have it fixed! Like an earlier post said, the clutch drum bearings are only an "idler" when the clutch is disengaged. It should never get hot enough to melt that loctite.

I only use red loctite on stuff that keeps falling apart, I use blue loctite on other applications. I have drilled out my share of disc rotor and pulley bolts that were red loctited into aluminum! Got a front hub in my shop right now where all of the bolts won't come out with an impact hammer!

-'lil stan
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#12

Post by Panacea »

Jed, try a little heat on red locktite, It lets go...
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Re: Primo Belt Drive Clutch Basket Bearing Race

#13

Post by jed »

That may be entirely true Panacea. By the same token heat also causes metal to expand...especially aluminum; thereby potentially causing the wee little clearance there is between the two surfaces to get even tighter. That would be a good thing in this case. That said, if it did get melted and cooled there would still be a little play when cold? I don't know. It will be an experiment of sorts and I'm not going to lose sleep over it....and likely replace the entire belt drive in the future anyways.
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