[mjpliv]

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I have decided toreplace the timing belts on my 'wing before the first ride of the year. I am having visions of bent valves or a cracked head because I cannot findout if they have ever been changed and I am crowding 90,000 KM on the odometer.

My local bike shop is quoting me $80.00 for the OEM belts (relax - thats Canadian funds - about $55 -$60 US). Is there a less expensive product I could use that does not compromise the integrity of the engine in any way? I would gladly pay the higher price if the other belt types don't last as long or fit as well as the OEM product.

 

[Dave Campbell]

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Will they kiss you with that intimate encounter? Buy Gates T - 070 from an industrial supply house. Youll get Gates original, not someones copy. I was buying them for half of Hondasprice in 1994.yes, definitely change them, the horror stories are real.

 

[GWEddie]

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You may as well buy the Gates. Honda don't make their own timing belts. Apparently all the timing belts in the world are made by a handful (less than 10) manufacturers. The manufacturers just buy them in and call them OEM and sell them to us at double the price we can get them from source.

 

[mjpliv]

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Dave Campbell wrote:

Will they kiss you with that intimate encounter?

I would expect at least dinner and a movie!:?

 

[mjpliv]

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I priced a NAPA belt to match the Gates T-070 and it was just as expensive as the dealer's price. Ijust sent an email to the Gates Canadian distributor asking for alocal source for their products.

 

[Dave Campbell]

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Id avoid "NAPAS" ( I curse under my breath when passing a NAPA dealer due to being burned too many times on their poor quality goods). They might have belts with "Gates" printed on them, but knowing the games companies play in cutting parts specs for profit, I wouldnt trust them.

Belt handling is critical and having fewer hands handle them means fewer hands to damage them.

Just installed a set of NAPA "Gates" belts, they were old stock. Backings starting to craze from age.

 

[dean_3326]

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Dave,

I think I need to change the timing belts on my 1200 also, I doubt they have ever been changed just the age alone is enough to bother me.......I have not looked into it very far, is it a complicated job? From what I have looked at it seems fairly simple to do....any no no's? other than getting quality belts?

Dean

 

[Dave Campbell]

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Read teh page on my website on timing belts, I extracted the info from Gates engineering data and applied it to Goldwings. Tension is critical. Mechanically its not that hard. Drain radiator, pull it loose on bottom, yank the covers and there they are.

 

[chief43]

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Sable has a tool to remove belt covers with out removing rad, is it a gimmick or will it really work, seems cheap enough $10.00 just wondering if I should buy or not. Honda dealer wants allmost $500.00 to do the job, which seems like a rip off to me.

 

[Dave Campbell]

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It takes 2-3 hours the first time because you wont be familiar with the installation, but its nothing you cant do "slow and careful". No tool is required, un bolt the coolant fitting at the bottom of the engine and pull the radiator out (dont remove it). The cover bolts can be removed with an Allen wrench. I just billed out 1 1/2 hours to do a belt change (not including belts.) Much labor is spent removing parts that dont need to come off.

 

[Silicon Sam]

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I went ahead and pulled the radiator, as I wanted to replace the hoses anyway. They were just as old and rotten as the timing belts were, so may as well...

Raymond

 

[englishted]

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chief43 wrote:

Sable has a tool to remove belt covers with out removing rad, is it a gimmick or will it really work, seems cheap enough $10.00 just wondering if I should buy or not. Honda dealer wants allmost $500.00 to do the job, which seems like a rip off to me.

It's a gimmick. Takes forever to get the bolts out that way, and that's assuming they are not seized in place. The fun starts when trying to get the bolts started when installing again. It's actually faster to remove the rad.

 

[Steveie1]

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I changed mine last week not as bad a job as I feared I put Q/H QTB142 belts on bike's done 46000 still had the original belts on which were going a bit slack I did not take the rad off just the bottom hose and lower mountings and swung it out of the way.