How To: Install your Karata Open Belt Primary [with OBS]

[Gas Man]

So you have a new fancy Karata Belt Drive for your BDM.

More specifically one of these Big Dog BELT DRIVES with INVISIBLE ELECTRIC START from Karata® Enterprises

What a batch of SIIICK HOTNESS! Right?

Hats off Jim at Karata. This is my first hands on expierence with his products. AMAZING! The invisible starter, solid piece backing plate inner primary is an nice chunk of metal. WOW!

So let's get it installed...

Bike and financing of this adventure provided by Trainguy!

His 2008 K9 prior to said HOTNESS.



Drain your primary oil for the last time.


Remove the outer primary



Loosen clutch freeplay on the down tube & pull the clutch rod. Notice I only pulled it far enough to clear the end of the trans input shaft. Barely enough room to do so behind the V&H BR2 pipes.


Pull the side covers to gain access to the starter



Pull the starter





Pull the four 1/2" bolts holding the diaphram spring on


Also, loosen the primary chain tensioner shoe.

Remove the pressure plate (set aside cause you need to reuse the clutch rod cup from the throw out bearing assembly).


Grab your impact and remove the motor/crank nut (standard thread) and the clutch basket nut (left handed thread).


Now slide the entire assembly off the shafts and set aside.


Bend flat the locking tabes on the inner primary mounting bolts (8).


Remove the 8 - 1/2" bolts holding the inner primary to the motor and trans. Also, the 2 allens on the front of the primary to motor. Once these are pulled, remove the inner primary and put away.



The scraps of war


At this point be sure to clean off the threads on the 2 shafts for proper adhesion of the red loctite.

During assembly please take use of your provided Karata instructions. This is not an attempt to circumvent these vital instructions. Just to aid.

Pull all the o-rings on the trans and motor (only 1). This includes the dime sized mounting o-rings, and shaft input o-ring. The motor has 2 more dime sized o-rings and the large black o-ring on the outer ring. These will not be re-used.

Karata says to loosen the trans mounting bolts to ensure proper alignment and fitment. We trial fit the inner primary a few times and once torqued into place checked the mating surface of inner primary to motor & trans with a feel gauge. They need to be perfectly flush.



Be sure to use red loctite and torque these mounting bolts to bdm specs.

Install the provided motor and trans spacers on the shafts.

Motor:


Trans:


Slide the pulleys on the shafts, check pulley alignment with a straight edge. Then we red loctited and torqued the provided motor and trans nuts. Checking pulley alignment once again. This is also covered in the Karata instructions.



Install the clutch plates and pressure plate (with re-installed/re-used bdm cup placed into the pressure plate)


As you can see we chose the medium grade 80 lb green springs.

Slide your belt on the pulleys. Take note that Karate suggests against using any screw driver prying. A rubber mallet and/or your hand will do the trick. This is true. It goes on with ease.

At this point either install your pulley covers or continue and install your OBS bearings and OBS plate.

To install the OBS, its a simple matter of bolting the bearings to the pulleys with the ten 1/4" stainless steel bolts. Sliding the plate onto the bearing supports, which can be tricky but not hard. A little finese.

Top it off with the caps and six 1/4" bolts holding the plate on.


Now if this don't tweak you, then you're dead.



Another great project. What a FANTASTIC mod and a great product!

[KnotSo]

Nice work, and it looks great on that scoot!

[txchopperguy]

Dammit Gas...another awesome how-to!

Good job man!

[narow37]

nice work chris

[T Mack]

so how do you like trainguy??
any problems thus far?
what did you drop on that ? $$$$$$$
Looks sweet I wish I wasnt working that day or I would have been over there to give you guys a hand...

[Trainguy]

KUDOS to the GAS MAN!

If you guys think the " how to's " are good, you ought to see this man work! Thanks to the guys for stoppin' by, drank some beer, ate some pizza, had some laughs, guys got to ride on a 65 and sunny day on Nov. 14 in Michigan that shit just ain't normal.

Oh ya the Primary, FUCK that covers it.

Thanks Chris

Trainguy

[c.c.rider]

A another great How To from GAS MAN thanks. I'll be using this in JUN when my warranty runs out to put one on my bike.

[Chopper Dave]

Originally Posted by Trainguy

KUDOS to the GAS MAN!

If you guys think the " how to's " are good, you ought to see this man work! Thanks to the guys for stoppin' by, drank some beer, ate some pizza, had some laughs, guys got to ride on a 65 and sunny day on Nov. 14 in Michigan that shit just ain't normal.

Oh ya the Primary, FUCK that covers it.

Thanks Chris

Trainguy

Wow! that fucker looks SIICK!! scoot looks good DJ
yeah it was nice to see Gas Man..Uma....Trainguy....Alhall...Nasty....and of course...Cutty!
I got home just as it was getting dark......I met up with Cutty and we rode to Gas Mans ....got there around 2pm...

[InDaDogHouse]

Man, that looks Fuckin Awesome!!!!

[stlmikie]

I the obs the plate that goes on the outside? If so do they make one that isn't as big? If I were to get one I would get one that is as small as I could get and still be effective (the plate on the outside). I like that look of the system before you put the plate on I guess is what Im saying. For my bike. That looks great on your bike though!

[pompey]

What a Great job Gas Man we are all lucky to have you on our forum

[Gas Man]

Thanks guys. Like I say. I just stick around to help.

Originally Posted by T Mack

so how do you like trainguy??
any problems thus far?
what did you drop on that ? $$$$$$$
Looks sweet I wish I wasnt working that day or I would have been over there to give you guys a hand...

That Trainguy is a good guy. He brought half the liquer store with him too. I didn't realize till after it was done that I never even got to do any drinking. But he's stand up for sure. Another great addition to the michigan crew.

Originally Posted by Trainguy

KUDOS to the GAS MAN!

If you guys think the " how to's " are good, you ought to see this man work! Thanks to the guys for stoppin' by, drank some beer, ate some pizza, had some laughs, guys got to ride on a 65 and sunny day on Nov. 14 in Michigan that shit just ain't normal.

Oh ya the Primary, FUCK that covers it.

Thanks Chris

Trainguy

Train... its no problem. It was good to do it. It takes time and some thought but we can get thru about anything.

Originally Posted by stlmikie

I the obs the plate that goes on the outside? If so do they make one that isn't as big? If I were to get one I would get one that is as small as I could get and still be effective (the plate on the outside). I like that look of the system before you put the plate on I guess is what Im saying. For my bike. That looks great on your bike though!

They have all kinds of designs. Check out their website linked above. Everything from simple dog bones to the big and bad like Trains!

[bpernie]

U the man Gas if you weren't so far away i'd have you help me nice how to pics will come in handy when i do mine thanks again and trainguy that is JUST SICK !!!

[LDO]

I hear Gas will travel but you gotta pay mileage and perdiem...

Nice work.

[bdmridgeback]

Originally Posted by stlmikie

I the obs the plate that goes on the outside? If so do they make one that isn't as big? If I were to get one I would get one that is as small as I could get and still be effective (the plate on the outside). I like that look of the system before you put the plate on I guess is what Im saying. For my bike. That looks great on your bike though!

Karata make many different styles of Outer Bearing Support plates that will fit most everyones taste. Here are a few of the more simple designs, and more can be seen at:

Karata Belt Drives for all Harley Davidsons From Karata Enterprises