Belt suddenly too tight.

[aghead]

Please help and advise:
Suddenly last week my 2010 gas CC belt got too tight.
Really strain to start in gear. Jacked up, engine off, belt will not idle on drive clutch but is tight.

I can pull the belt and get slack from the driven clutch as it spreads open some and stays that way, which makes all perfect, untill you start it, revv the clutches, stop the motor, then the same tight issue.

I put a new drive clutch on it today, old one was rattling anyway. No help.

Mods:
It has a nice lift kit from one of the sponsors here (Installed for 4 yrs now)
...NO issues ever

Bigger tires (been on for 4 years) ...NO issues ever.

The guy on this site (sponsor) machined my driven clutch and it has a yellow spring. (also 4 years back, never an issue)

On the driven clutch, its as if the pulleys are too tight together, the belt rides an 1/8th " above them.
As I stated, I pull the belt, get the slack needed because the rear clutch open up and stays that way.

I took it off, didn't see issues (might be though). I sprayed WD where it slides , (not on pulleys, but shaft , and not the drive shaft with the keyway,)

I've not tried adjusting tension because it got tighte suddenly w/o reason.
I didn't measure clutches distance for the same reason.

Should the rear pulleys stay apart some?

What's up?

[aghead]

I posted this issue. Now I've read most all I searched for on the sight a maybe I can add a little more info.
The buttons on driven look great.
After running belt and at stopped or closed position...the buttons aren't touching the ramps, but in between.
Pulling the (hard to pull) belt , the sheaves open a bit and stay there.

When on the bench, I did not see broken spring but I really thought the spring keeps the sheaves tight together so I eliminated it. I could not open the sheaves by hand and I figgured that was from the heavier yellow spring that was installed by the man here who machined it.

Honestly...I've maybe 2 tanks of gas through the CC in 4 years. Very little use.
(I add gas about a gallon at a time with treatment is why the gas doesn't go bad, FYI)

The cart sits in the dry under the carportyear around so there are temp changes.

The driven clutch pulleys seem too tight as if they need a spacer in between them?

I'm leaning toward a issue with the shaft on driven clutch not sliding easily and needs dissassmbled shined up some, maybe an ever very lite lube.

Would the above idea be causing it to stay too tight and also park with the rampd not touching buttons? (maybe they shouldn't touch when parked)

Thx in advance, sorry if too thorough with LONG posts.
Ag

[sthreatt]

All of your focus is on the DRIVEN clutch but I haven't seen you mention the DRIVE clutch. Is it falling open when you stop so that the belt is in the VERY BOTTOM of the DRIVE pulley, or is the drive pulley sticking closed and the belt riding HIGH in the drive pulley ? You may have a stuck drive pulley. Driven pulley seems to be acting normally. In driving, it REACTS to the centrifugal closing of the DRIVE pulley.

[slonomo]

The clutch buttons should always touch, that's the contact point between the two clutch parts. The two parts of the clutch should slide smoothly apart and together with no sticking or catching. If the buttons don't touch under load then I'd say you have an issue causing the clutch to bind.

I have heard of clutch issues when using the "power spring". I would switch that spring back to stock and see what happens. The power springs do put a higher amount of force against the sheaves and has been known to cause issues like you're describing. Some power springs are better than others. I have also seen sheaves crack and break due to the high force of the power springs.

While it's apart, take a good look around for wear marks, shavings, gouges, any kind of imperfections in there. You might even find a broken spring. Lightly lube the moving parts, very lightly, check the service manual for type and locations.

Also, what width belt are you using? Is it wider than stock? If it's wider it will ride higher in the sheaves and make it feel tighter. You could also look at installing a slightly longer belt, I've done that many times. Just 1" longer might give you the room you need. Some belts, even though they are listed as the "correct" belt, are just smaller and tighter than they need to be.

[aghead]

Originally Posted by sthreatt

All of your focus is on the DRIVEN clutch but I haven't seen you mention the DRIVE clutch. Is it falling open when you stop so that the belt is in the VERY BOTTOM of the DRIVE pulley, or is the drive pulley sticking closed and the belt riding HIGH in the drive pulley ? You may have a stuck drive pulley. Driven pulley seems to be acting normally. In driving, it REACTS to the centrifugal closing of the DRIVE pulley.

The drive clutch is just out of box new and it did not change anything.
Belt is at the bottom, all the way. The slack I get when pulling by hand out on the belt is the rear driven clutch opening some, then staying open some, enough to slacken the belt..
The driven pulley is issue and it just started suddenly.

[aghead]

Originally Posted by slonomo

The clutch buttons should always touch, that's the contact point between the two clutch parts. The two parts of the clutch should slide smoothly apart and together with no sticking or catching. If the buttons don't touch under load then I'd say you have an issue causing the clutch to bind.

I have heard of clutch issues when using the "power spring". I would switch that spring back to stock and see what happens. The power springs do put a higher amount of force against the sheaves and has been known to cause issues like you're describing. Some power springs are better than others. I have also seen sheaves crack and break due to the high force of the power springs.

While it's apart, take a good look around for wear marks, shavings, gouges, any kind of imperfections in there. You might even find a broken spring. Lightly lube the moving parts, very lightly, check the service manual for type and locations.

Also, what width belt are you using? Is it wider than stock? If it's wider it will ride higher in the sheaves and make it feel tighter. You could also look at installing a slightly longer belt, I've done that many times. Just 1" longer might give you the room you need. Some belts, even though they are listed as the "correct" belt, are just smaller and tighter than they need to be.

The belt was sent to me I think with the man here who machined the clutch for lower pulling pwr.
It has always been good till last week. If anything, it would wear and be more slack?

I'm guessing 40 hours on cart since mod was done (4 yrs ago)

All was good till now.

the buttons touch when spinning but may stop 1/2 way between ramps.

The spring was installed my the machinest reccommended on this site, a sponsor then, IDK now, can't remember his name

Maybe spring is issue, seems like it just jams sheaves together too much.

I'll pull off again and reinspect it better.

It just seems the rear pullys are suddenly too close...as if a spacer would help..........
I AM not saying I want a spacer or need one, just a way to try to say the issue is.

On the bench, should I be able to spread it by hand, or maybe the belt wrapped on it pulling down, as the belt should do.

If so, it should not stick open, right?

[Fairtax4me]

The sheaves on the driven clutch should be all the way together when it is stopped.
Machining the clutch removed material from the faces that touch each other, so the clutch sheaves actually sit closer to each other, and the belt rides higher between them.
On a normal setup the top of the belt should sit about 1/16" above the outer edge of the driven clutch. With the clutch machined, that may be bumped up to as much as 3/16".

The Drive clutch sheaves should be apart, and should not be tight against the belt when the engine is off. There should be about 1/16" of wiggle room. If your drive clutch sheaves are tight against the belt then there could be an issue with the drive clutch not opening all the way, or the belt you have may be too wide.
You said the person who machined the clutch sent you the belt, is there a name or part number on it somewhere?

Last thought for now, Measure from center to center of each clutch bolt. It should be something like 9-5/8".
There are spacers on the back of the engine that set the distance between the engine and transmission. They are usually close to 3/8" thick, but can be removed and ground down or replaced with washers if needed to change the distance. Never have heard of someone needing to change those, but it wont hurt to check that measurement.

Why this would suddenly become an issue I'm not sure. Clutches can wear with age and use, but it seems like your cart has hardly moved in the time you've had these parts installed.

[CP241]

Maybe just a shot in the dark but maybe over the last 4 years the rubber in the belt has hardened and lost elasticity, making it stiffer? If you got a belt with the machines clutch it may be slightly undersized to begin with, this can help with torque.

I’d try a new oem club car drive belt and see if it helps. Stay away from the Amazon junk, they aren’t very good.

[aghead]

Originally Posted by Fairtax4me

The sheaves on the driven clutch should be all the way together when it is stopped.
Machining the clutch removed material from the faces that touch each other, so the clutch sheaves actually sit closer to each other, and the belt rides higher between them.
On a normal setup the top of the belt should sit about 1/16" above the outer edge of the driven clutch. With the clutch machined, that may be bumped up to as much as 3/16".

It is 1/8" above rear pulleys.

The Drive clutch sheaves should be apart, and should not be tight against the belt when the engine is off. There should be about 1/16" of wiggle room. If your drive clutch sheaves are tight against the belt then there could be an issue with the drive clutch not opening all the way, or the belt you have may be too wide.
You said the person who machined the clutch sent you the belt, is there a name or part number on it somewhere?
The guy is who everyone reccomended around 4 yrs ago.

IDK on Part#, will look

Last thought for now, Measure from center to center of each clutch bolt. It should be something like 9-5/8".
There are spacers on the back of the engine that set the distance between the engine and transmission. They are usually close to 3/8" thick, but can be removed and ground down or replaced with washers if needed to change the distance. Never have heard of someone needing to change those, but it wont hurt to check that measurement.

Measure is the 9 5/8", I'll check adj. area but I'd think it would loosen the belt if something changed. ?

Why this would suddenly become an issue I'm not sure. Clutches can wear with age and use, but it seems like your cart has hardly moved in the time you've had these parts installed.

It has very little hours on the mods, which were never problematic.
Mom and me were on it...All fine, 15 minutes later it started with the hard start. It was immedieatly obvious once I looked,...belt too tight.
Again...once I pull belt by hand, rear sheaves spread a tad and the belt is perfect in slack. Pulleys (rear) STAY that way and do not tighten back untill started.
Once stopped, same issue. Also, the buttons do not touch ramps then.

It is as if the driven clutch (rear) is not sliding freely.
I will take it off. Should I be able to open pulleys while its on the bench?

THANK you for your help, very much.
ag

[aghead]

https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/atta...1&d=1623029210

My issue:

#1 (left to rt) buttons not on ramps when stopped, belt is too tight

#2 belt about 1/8" high in rear driven as soon as stopped, belt too tight.

#3, hand pull pretty hard on belt, rear sheaves ONLY spread a bit, belt dropps a tad, excellent slack, ...buttons still not touching.

FYI: The rear sheaves do NOT retighten against belt. (What is holding them apart? Friction or are they supposed to?)

Engine starts perfectly, clutches perform as designed.
Once stopped, belt too tight again, very hard start...starter may even squeek belt a little occasionally (It is NOT starter belt, the issue causes that)

I will call the guy who did the machine work (who is the man once recommended here to do it? (I removed it, sent it to him, he shipped it back)

I will get a new belt.... but FIRST want to speak with him...if I knew who he is/was ?