Polini Variator/Belt Second-Gear Start Issue
Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 10:26 am
Greetings:
Recently obtained Polini Vario and Polini Kevlar belt, size nominally 655x16. Once underway, the Polini ramp profile is flawless, putting Flash's Prodigious Contessa smack-dab in the middle of its peak power anc keeping it there.
It's the getting underway part that's the problem. The belt felt a bit tight on installation. Comparison with the stocker revealed lengths too close to call - no shorter, but also no longer. It's not terribly wide - certainly less than the 16mm label - maybe 15.1? - but I didn't re-measure to be sure and that's from memory. Still, it was wider than my well-used stock belt. How are these things measured, anyway? The circle will be longer around the top than down along the teeth...
Anyway my issue seems to lie up front. With the variator installed, the pulley doesn't seem to open as wide as the stocker . I tried inverting the 3 ramp guides - one side's thicker - but they wouldn't go on that way. Consequently the belt rides a bit above fully-bottomed in the front, and therefore about 3/16 from the rim of the driven pulley. That makes for a slow grind up to about 15 mph, above which performance is as described.
Evidently I need a narrower, longer belt. I contacted the vendor to see what my options are. Obviously they sent a belt that doesn't work as advertised on the intended scooter. However I did install and put some miles on their pricey belt. No response so far.
Recently obtained Polini Vario and Polini Kevlar belt, size nominally 655x16. Once underway, the Polini ramp profile is flawless, putting Flash's Prodigious Contessa smack-dab in the middle of its peak power anc keeping it there.
It's the getting underway part that's the problem. The belt felt a bit tight on installation. Comparison with the stocker revealed lengths too close to call - no shorter, but also no longer. It's not terribly wide - certainly less than the 16mm label - maybe 15.1? - but I didn't re-measure to be sure and that's from memory. Still, it was wider than my well-used stock belt. How are these things measured, anyway? The circle will be longer around the top than down along the teeth...
Anyway my issue seems to lie up front. With the variator installed, the pulley doesn't seem to open as wide as the stocker . I tried inverting the 3 ramp guides - one side's thicker - but they wouldn't go on that way. Consequently the belt rides a bit above fully-bottomed in the front, and therefore about 3/16 from the rim of the driven pulley. That makes for a slow grind up to about 15 mph, above which performance is as described.
Evidently I need a narrower, longer belt. I contacted the vendor to see what my options are. Obviously they sent a belt that doesn't work as advertised on the intended scooter. However I did install and put some miles on their pricey belt. No response so far.