Variator Nut

Can anyone tell me how to keep the variator nut from coming loose? I just changed my rollers to Dr. Pulley sliders and yesterday on the way home from work I broke down. Luckily it was just the variator nut came loose. I want to prevent this from happening again. Any suggestions?

76 foot-pounds of torque when you put it back on.

Didn't do the trick. Still came loose

On my little taotao scooter I blew through the specs and hammerd it down with my snap on 1/2 impact gun ! its a 17mm nut and it never came loose, you know how many rpms those little GY6 engines turn on top end, I guess what Im saying is put a little extra on it !

Try some Engineering Adhesive (Loctite) on it. Never heard of one coming loose so soon after being tightened up to the correct torque. What are you holding the variator with?

Cheers,

After torquing it to 76 ft lbs, you should start the bike and let the belt seat. Stop the engine, and re-torque it back down to 76 ft lbs.

I used an aluminum bar with three holes at one end of the bar. The two outer holes are used to insert a four inch bolt into the two holes in the variator, and the middle hole is large enough to insert the socket onto the nut. When you loosen/tighten the variator the bar will extend to the floor/ground and hold the variator from turning.

Don't pinch the belt when tightening the bolt. If you tighten against the belt, that will guarantee it will come loose.

Don't use locktite. You won't get it off later when you need to.

Yes if locktite and it gets hot then cools it will be on there for good

buddy19520 wrote:

76 foot-pounds of torque when you put it back on.

+1

WingMan02 wrote:

After torquing it to 76 ft lbs, you should start the bike and let the belt seat. Stop the engine, and re-torque it back down to 76 ft lbs.

I used an aluminum bar with three holes at one end of the bar. The two outer holes are used to insert a four inch bolt into the two holes in the variator, and the middle hole is large enough to insert the socket onto the nut. When you loosen/tighten the variator the bar will extend to the floor/ground and hold the variator from turning.

+1

jmaslak wrote:

Don't pinch the belt when tightening the bolt. If you tighten against the belt, that will guarantee it will come loose.

Don't use locktite. You won't get it off later when you need to.

+1

Thanks for the input. Already ruled out the locktite

Spin the belt while tighting the nut, it will stay on then

As regards engineering adhesives, there are various grades depending on whether you want a more permanent grip or one that can be undone at a later date.

Cheers,

Just to share my 1st time experience of replacing the variator and installing Dr. Pulley sliders.

My biggest issue was getting the outer half of the variator [drive pulley face] back on the splines before tightening the nut. I followed a suggestion to tighten the nut manually a bit and then rotate the variator by hand to move the belt and keep doing this process a few times. Then used my plywood variator tool and tightened with a torque wrench. Started the scoot and ran the belt up and down a bit and then checked the torque again. I have since had the cover off and the nut still torques out correctly. Followed the manual instructions and lightly oiled the nut threads and seating surface. Have 2k plus since install.

Rick V

I just checked the nut after about 70 miles and she is on there pretty good. Hopefully to stay this time. Lol.

I use a pneumatic gun...............
look this video the my friend
video technique
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=SWCI&aq=f

pippobis2 wrote:

Thanks for the videos. What is he applying to the clutch from the little packets before he adds on the lube?

I don't know.....Sorry.

Two 'O' rings

Cheers,

Freakin nut came loose again. This time in The middle of the sticks and its pitch freakin black out at night. Mosquitos the size of dragon flies. This should be fun. Pushed it half a mile into a development under construction so I am at least off of the highway. And as luck would have it I took all if the tools out from under the seat as the nut was on there I thought to stay. I am afraid to see what the variator front piece will look like not to mention the inside of the cover.

Keep us posted !

Did you tork the variator nut.This the first time that its keeps happening to anyone. The variator spins counter clock to the nut. Are you missing a washer?

All pieces are there. I didn't have torque wrench when fixing on the side of the road tonight but I tightened it as much as I could by hand. Don't know if I will cause damage by over tightening it or not. The aluminum cover was not in great shape when I took it off tonight. The opening around the variator is now a bit larger with the variator now haven broken off quite a bit of it. I plan on installing the original rollers and taking it to the dealer and play dumb.

Are you sure the nut is the OEM one ?A self locking nut must be your next choise.Advise "gently" the dealer to do so.

also in Italy, I've never heard of a case like this.

I think, you have to replace the bolt.

Replace the Variator face plate and nut if there is any damage to it .A unbalance variator can cause the bolt to unscrew it self. It could be a factory defect.

I don't want this happening to me. Did you oil the threads the second time you did this? Did you use a torque wrench to tighten it? I want to know if I need to do something other than the book says.

To me this is a isolated problem,damage could have happen the fist time that the bolt and face plate came un done. It is possible damage could also happen to the spline shaft. Check for any side play on the shaft spline and face plate . The manual might have tolerance clearance to the shaft,for warpage . Using a caulk tape to a stick and slowly touch the side of the face plate will show any sine of any warpage.

Variator has no noticeable wobble to it. All seems fine.

Can anyone tell me if cranking down the bolt as much as I can by hand would cause any damage?

Now this is very subjective.

I used torque wrench when I first changed the sliders . The first break down I didn't have the torque wrench with me so I just tightened it as much as I could by hand with the socket wrench. When I got it home I used the variator holding tool and checked the nut and it was still as tight as I could get it with the socket wrench. That lasted a week until last night when I broke down on the way home. It tore in to the aluminum housing but everything seems fine. I bright the tools to work with me this morning and when I checked the bolt on my lunch break it was as tight as I could get it. I have no clue what is causing it to come loose.

Could it be me drag racing against all of the kids in their little foreign cars?

Be carefull.You're dealing with the crank

If you tighten it too much, you can strip the threads. One would need to tap it out to the next size and buy a specialty bolt somewhere like Fastenal. Hopefully that isn't your problem and it is something else (hopefully the last owner of your scoot didn't strip them - but if he did and then used locktite or something, it might explain this). Damaged threads would let the bolt fall out. If your lucky, only the bolt is damaged.

I am also assuming that everyone talking about the nut is referring to not a typical nut, but really a bolt. If not, then I am confused.

No its the bolt,get your self a tork wrench tork to 76 ft lb,and take the guest work out of it.

Depending on the wrench you're using to snug the bolt it's unlikely you'd damage it from over torquing. 76 ftlbs is a pretty hard pull on a 3/8" drive ratchet or a 10" box end wrench. If you were using a 1/2" breaker bar I'd say reefing down on that could exceed the max torque. It seems to me that there's something other than bolt tension that's causing the problem. Either something is warped or bent or possibly a washer left out. If the hole where the bolt passes through has wowed out oversized it's possible you won't be able to keep the bolt in. What ever is causing the problem I seriously doubt it's bolt tension.