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Rebuild the Timing Belt Tensioner - DIY for about $20-$25

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#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
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[align=center]Rebuild the Timing Belt Tensioner - DIY $20 (Preliminary Version)[/align][align=center](and good for all Gold Wings GL1000, GL1100, GL1200, GL1500)
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[align=center]LINK HERE
[/align][align=center]Information developed on or about March 1, 2008 by sandiegobrass

[/align] It is for use by the Gold Wing community. It may be freely copied or distributed if you include the acknowledgement of the origin.

Summary


You can rebuild your timing belt tensioner for less than $20 with quality parts (the same ones used on automobiles).

New OEM tensioners are available for $60 to $80 each. And this is still a reasonable price considering that it is the complete assembly, so I am not necessarily recommending that anyone abandon the OEM solution when it is still available. However, this part is often in short supply and in many cases backordered, so at least those of you that are somewhat handy with tools may be happy to substitute something different that is equally as good, if not better in “fit and function”. This also might be particularly useful on the road for an emergency repair, or the very “budget minded” who would rather spend some time to save a few bucks.

Below there are more possible methods than you probably want to know. I’ve summarized some of the best choices below with a descriptive title. (This will all be edited later.)

· Quick and Dirty 3/8” Hardware Method
· Quick and Dirty 7/16” Hardware Method
· Quick and Dirty 12mm Stud Method
· My “Editor’s” Choice Custom Hex Bolt Method
· Better 12mm Stud Method
· A Good 10mm Stud Method
· Weld Type Options


Background
After I changed my timing belts last winter, I noticed that the tensioners were a bit looser than I thought they should be. I didn’t change them, but ordered a new set. They were backordered and I was told that it would take about 4 weeks to get them. If I had been “out of a ride” for this 4 weeks during good weather, I would have been a bit miffed, so I immediately determined to find a way to rebuild the old ones. To do that in a sound manner would require some research.

It was determined that GL1000 and GL1100 tensioners are identical. Likewise, GL1200 and GL1500 tensioners are identical but different than 1000/1100 tensioners. Ebay yielded a pair of worn out tensioners off a GL1000 and also a single one off a GL1200 for the project experiments. After receiving them, it was immediately evident that the only difference between the two kinds were the backing plates. The bearings and pulleys are identical for all models of Gold Wings (except of course the GL1800 that has no timing belts). This is to say that any of these methods will work equally well on any Gold Wing. The only exception to that statement would be for the GL1000 when you are fitting back the original heat shields that were later dropped from the 1100.

The first option that was considered was to try to rebuild using exact parts. The GORY DETAILS of the OEM tensioner bearings and pulleys are interesting but not relevant. In short, the bearings and pulleys are specially made for Honda (and maybe others, like Porter-Cable) by NTN and could not be obtained directly from the OEM manufacturer (NTN). In my phone discussion with NTN about the NUMBERS on the bearing, it was explained that the bearing used the shields, cages and balls from that bearing but the inner and outer races were specifically manufactured for the OEM application. It was clear that rebuilding using identical parts was not a viable option.

Design Evolution

The next option considered was to try to find appropriate parts to replace the OEM pulleys and shafts. Again, some research into the availability of bearings lead to the LIST OF REPLACEMENT PULLEYS for automotive use. There are many choices, In fact, from this comprehensive set of choices the selection was reduced to THE FEW COLORED choices that were purchased for further inspection. This was further reduced to TWO BEST choices; the T42015 and T42025.

The choice of an appropriate fastener was also by design. By measurement, the hole in the tensioner plate is precisely 14mm. There are a very large number of automobile wheel studs that are 14 mm at the shoulder, so pressed-in automobile wheel studs seemed to be a good option. Subsequently by searching the DORMAN CATALOG, approximately 20 POSSIBLE CHOICES emerged. The DETAILED MEASUREMENTS of each still leaves many suitable choices. In most of the described cases, a single choice of wheel stud will be stated, but there are many options that will work. There were some favorites but no clear winners. Nuts, washers and shims were purchased as well, and the optimization process was begun.

Ultimately, possible choices were assembled for inspection using a test plates with an appropriate thickness (3/16”) and hole (14mm). There were two clear winners in the idler pulley/bearing department. These were the Gates T42025 and T42015. Both are readily available. The T42025 equivalent is also available by about 5 different manufacturers making it a current popular choice (it is used on many 15 year old and older Toyotos). However, the T42015 is a newer design for late model (2001-2009) automobile application (KIA, and Hyundai). The latter is also usually much cheaper and actually a better match to “fit and function” for this application, although some may object to the typical Korean origin of the T42015 bearings compared to the typical Japanese origin of the 4T2025

After assembly and inspection, a number of possibilities developed that depends on the overall skill and objective of the rebuilder. For example, if only hardware store fasteners are to be used, it would be different choices than if automotive fasteners were to be used. Likewise, the availability of specialized tools like a drill press or welder might influence choice. In the end, there are perhaps tens of not hundreds of combination that would work.


[align=center] COMPLETE DOCUMENT HERE


ONE EXAMPLE METHOD
[/align][align=center](See complete document for many other possibilities)
Quick and Dirty 12mm Stud Method
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EDIT: the PDF document is attached here for the sake of Permanence.
 

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#78 ·
Sorry, wrong word. "chirp" or "high pitched squeal" would be more accurate. Only when hot at idle.

I took the bike apart twice to check belt tension. Both times, it was right.
 
#79 ·
Glad to see the comments...
 
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