C5ALIVE Forum

C5 Help => C5 Support => Topic started by: jordan02 on 10, August, 2011 - 19:48:26

Title: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 10, August, 2011 - 19:48:26
Hi, ever since I bought my C5 in February, it has had problems with the drive belt. Before, I had to pedal up to a fast walking speed and then turn on the motor, otherwise it would slip. Recently however, it has got VERY bad, so I decided to buy a replacement. The new belt seems to slip even more than the old one. I tried putting pieces of card under the motor to increase the tension, but this hardly improved it. Please can anyone recommend anything that I need to do to sort this problem out?
Thanks
Jordan :)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Lancealot on 10, August, 2011 - 20:01:40
Hi Jordan two things that mainly cause this problem.
1) http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1181.0 (http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1181.0)
2) The motor with its housing is oliptical in its shape, have you tried turning it around by upto 90 deg. to tension the belt.
Hope this helps
Lance
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 10, August, 2011 - 20:34:09
Thanks Lance, rotating the motor has definitely improved the tension, but it is still slipping very badly so I am going to see if I can find some cable ties
Jordan :)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: C5 ENTHUSIAST + RESTORER on 11, August, 2011 - 07:41:37
Hi there Jordan what condition are the teeth in ..Any chance of some photos ...Bye Chas
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 11, August, 2011 - 15:17:26
Some pictures:  :)
(http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x443/jordan0220/photo.jpg)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 11, August, 2011 - 15:19:14
(http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x443/jordan0220/photo-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Lancealot on 11, August, 2011 - 16:02:12
Hi Jordan,

The first things I can see is that the gearbox (cream - later model) and the cog is an 18mm wide version which is good. The bad thing is that the wheel drive cog looks like it could do with replacing. It may be the angle of the photo but do the two cogs line up as the spacers may be in the incorrect position.

Lance
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: PLOD11 on 11, August, 2011 - 17:03:06
Doesn't look like the gear box is sitting on the plastic shelf, looks like its down behind it, that looks like the problem ...  :-\

Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 12, August, 2011 - 12:11:12
I have just had a look and the cogs appear to line up... Please could you tell me where the plastic shelf is? ???
Jordan :)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: PLOD11 on 12, August, 2011 - 15:58:19
Hi

Dont know if thats the tech term for it  ???, its where the arrow is pointing, as much of the edge of the gearbox as possible needs to be resting on there, the cable tie will pull that under the gear box when pulled tight. and stop it slipping off.

Hope this makes sense...

(http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy186/PLOD11/photo-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Karl on 12, August, 2011 - 16:23:09
..cured with a cable tie  ;D
http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1181.0
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 12, August, 2011 - 20:00:57
Thanks... I just fitted the cable tie, it has helped, but I am still having to pedal up to a fair speed downhill to stop the drive belt slipping  ???    >:(
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Karl on 12, August, 2011 - 21:13:44
Quote from: jordan02 on  12, August, 2011  - 20:00:57
Thanks... I just fitted the cable tie, it has helped, but I am still having to pedal up to a fair speed downhill to stop the drive belt slipping  ???    >:(

..not having a dig, but it can only really be one of two things : either the drive belt is worn out (from all the previous slipping) or it hasn't been set up correctly. Start with the motor rotated so that the heat sensor is at the lowest point and make sure you have a new belt with the correct tension. Be sure that you have that "wall" pulled back under the edge of the gearbox.  There isn't much else it can be.

Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Karl on 13, August, 2011 - 06:37:41
..I've just had a thought - are both the rubber bungs in place that sit between the body shell and the Y shape of the metal chassis ? Oddly enough I have seen that cause some problems with the drive belt tension ,maybe because when they're missing the chassis legs flex too much ?
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 15, August, 2011 - 21:06:25
Both rubber bungs are in place, and I rotated and tightened the motor some more, and it has improved the tension a lot. I no longer have to pedal up to a running speed anymore; I now only have to pedal up to a fast walking pace. Is this normal, I.e. Do you have to get it moving first?
Thanks :)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Karl on 15, August, 2011 - 21:38:36
Quote from: jordan02 on  15, August, 2011  - 21:06:25
Both rubber bungs are in place, and I rotated and tightened the motor some more, and it has improved the tension a lot. I no longer have to pedal up to a running speed anymore; I now only have to pedal up to a fast walking pace. Is this normal, I.e. Do you have to get it moving first?
Thanks :)

Certainly do  :) Pedalling from a standing start is a must. Always try to avoid starting off using the electric motor as this does strain the drivebelt. The other golden rule is never push a c5 backwards any faster than a slow walking pace as the motor acts as a generator and this upsets the electrics  :o.
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 16, August, 2011 - 18:51:39
How fast do you have to pedal up to to get the C5 going before you can engage the motor?
Cheers :)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Karl on 16, August, 2011 - 22:00:18
About walking pace should do it, at the very least you need to get some forward momentum going with enough to take the strain off the drivebelt and gearbox.
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 18, August, 2011 - 21:41:56
Thanks, judging by what you said, one problem down, 4 or 5 more to go  ;D
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: Karl on 19, August, 2011 - 07:08:56
Quote from: jordan02 on  18, August, 2011  - 21:41:56
Thanks, judging by what you said, one problem down, 4 or 5 more to go  ;D

..and then something else will crop up  :D

"fun and frustration in equal measure"  sums up c5 ownership  8)

But they are worth it  ;)
Title: Re: Slipping Drive Belt
Post by: jordan02 on 19, August, 2011 - 08:53:41
The joy of owning a C5  ;D