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[DonTom]

For those how are in the same case, of a snapping belt on a FXS2020, you have since yesterday evening a new member of the club. Mine has also broken on a tooth, and I'm 100% sure tension wasn't the cause as a had verified it with a krikit last weekend.

How many miles (or km) were on that belt? Was alignment also checked?

-Don-  Reno, NV

[TEV]

Some interesting information:

"Effects of Corrosion
Corrosion will attack the sprocket grooves, building up rust
deposits. The corrosion will increase over time, building up
in the sprocket grooves and non-driving surfaces (flanges,
sprocket faces, bushing face).
Sprockets with corrosion in the grooves will rapidly wear
the belt’s teeth. Sprockets with corroded grooves will wear
through the abrasion resistant tooth fabric, resulting in
tooth shear and premature belt failure.

Preventing Corrosion
Sprocket corrosion can be prevented by using Gates
stainless steel Poly Chain® GT®2 sprockets and bushings.
Sprockets can also be electroless nickel plated. Both
solutions will eliminate corrosion as a cause of failure on
belt drives.
Tensile Break:
 1. Excessive shock load
2. Subminimal diameter
3. Improper belt handling and
storage prior to installation
(crimping)
4. Debris or foreign object in drive
5. Extreme sprocket run-out

 Tooth Shear:
1. Excessive shock loads
2. Less than 6 teeth-in-mesh
3. Extreme sprocket run-out
4. Worn sprocket
5. Backside idler
6. Incorrect belt profile for the
sprocket
7. Misaligned drive
8. Belt undertensioned

When a belt drive is excessively noisy, the belt is often
incorrectly blamed. It is easy to eliminate the belt as the
problem by spraying it with soapy water while it is running.
If the noise goes away, or decreases, then the belt is part
of the problem. If the same noise is still present, the
problem is likely due to other drive components.

String
Variation in drive center distance, often caused by weak
supporting structure, can cause problems from vibration
to short belt life. To determine if center distance variation
exists, turn off the drive and tightly tie a piece of string
from the driveR to the driveN shaft. Start up the drive and
note if the string stretches almost to the point of breaking,
or goes slack. If either is the case, the problem could be
center distance variation.
It is particularly important to observe the string right at
drive start up when the loads are highest. String can also
be used to check pulley alignment. "

The original file is here: https://safety.gates.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Gates-Corporation-Preventive-Maintenance-Safety-for-Belt-Drives-Guide.pdf

[TEV]

" Tensile break
This type of failure is typically due to crimping or severe shock loads to the belt. Crimping often produces a tear straight across the belt and can be caused by mishandling of the belt, inadequate tension, a pulley diameter that is too small, or debris in drive system. Shock loads often result in an angled tear across the belt and can be accompanied by tooth shear. "


Just 20 minutes on Google 

 

[dittoalex]

Zero bikes must be ridden in eco mode to not snap belts.

[valnar]

My FXS is now at the dealer.  Short of sending them this whole thread, I pretty much said almost everything listed here.  We'll see what they say.

*IF* it's the belt's fault, then it's possible a lot of the 2020 FXS models had the same batch.  My replacement one from AF1 is hopefully from another batch.

I doubt it is a design or sprocket problem since the FXS has been mostly unchanged for years.  We shall see.

[DonTom]

Zero bikes must be ridden in eco mode to not snap belts.

While that will help, I expect that most belts which  are properly adjusted and don't get a rock stuck between the belt & sprocket, break from accelerating over a bump. If the back wheel is able to free spin  (even if  only a little as it leaves the ground after a bump) it is likely to break when it hits the ground.  With all that torque, something has to give and that will be the weak link, which is the belt.

What I do is if I see a bump ahead, I release the throttle a bit so the bike slows down over it. I do this crossing railroad tracks and such. I always ride in custom mode these days with about  80% torque and also about 80% deceleration regen (100% braking regen) and use the throttle to control it all.

I assume  the most common reason for a well adjusted belt to break is from accelerating over a bump.

So far, 10K miles on both my Zeros with no belt issues. I will probably change the belt when I change the rear tire. My rear tires  are still looking good. I have already changed the front on my SR and will need to change the front tire on my DS quite soon. The rear tires are lasting a lot longer.

BTW, I recall somebody posting a chart of when Zero recommends belt changes on their different bikes, Anybody hear know where I can find that info?

-Don-  Reno, NV

[TEV]

I am seriously considering buying one of those to be able to limp home if my belt fails ( I do have a spare belt at home ), and I know that they're not meant for such use, but it may work.

 https://www.amazon.com/AUSPA-Power-Twist-V-Belt-2-Inch/dp/B075WRBHXB/ref=sr_1_10_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=link+belt&qid=1590862190&sr=8-10-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE2WDc0WFRSQU1LQjUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5MTUxMzgyTFQxM0I4NEdCU0lHJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1NTYwOTYxOTRXMVA2WDVRSlQzJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[TEV]

And someone just posted this on Facebook:

" Whilst cleaning my SR/F today I noticed that one of the rear wheel belt grooves had a deposit of something hard 50% filling the groove, so the belt could not fully sit in this particular groove. I could not remove it with my finger/nail as it was firmly stuck in the groove. Eventually I managed to remove it with a sharp blade. It seemed to be a mixture of grit and tar that had been compacted in there. I suspect left in that place it would have eventually caused the belt to snap. All the other grooves were clean."

[Crissa]

Another thing to look out for!  At least belts are (relatively) cheap.

-Crissa

[valnar]

Another thing to look out for!  At least belts are (relatively) cheap.

-Crissa

Well this was incredibly inconvenient though.  I expect 10x more distance out of this next belt since that first one was so premature.  If I don't get that, I'm going to the chain.

[Jan Wespelaar]

" Tensile break
This type of failure is typically due to crimping or severe shock loads to the belt. Crimping often produces a tear straight across the belt and can be caused by mishandling of the belt, inadequate tension, a pulley diameter that is too small, or debris in drive system. Shock loads often result in an angled tear across the belt and can be accompanied by tooth shear. "


Just 20 minutes on Google 

 

Thanks for your research but unfortunately I was on a complet flat even road, start at traffic lights in eco mode and as my FXS is a 11kw version .... without long duration drive stress.

As it brook after opening hours, I will bring the bike to the shop next week for a new belt, maybe i have just had bad luck, w’ll see, fingers crossed.

[Jan Wespelaar]

I am seriously considering buying one of those to be able to limp home if my belt fails ( I do have a spare belt at home ), and I know that they're not meant for such use, but it may work.

 https://www.amazon.com/AUSPA-Power-Twist-V-Belt-2-Inch/dp/B075WRBHXB/ref=sr_1_10_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=link+belt&qid=1590862190&sr=8-10-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE2WDc0WFRSQU1LQjUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5MTUxMzgyTFQxM0I4NEdCU0lHJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1NTYwOTYxOTRXMVA2WDVRSlQzJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

If someone would buy and try some kind of these belts, it would be most intresting to have feedback. After having broken down 10km from home, limping back on the bike even at 20km/h sounds as heaven if you compare it to pushing a bike during 2 hours.  

[KuRi]

If bumps are a trouble... why they sell trail motorcycles xD (sort of) like the DS and DSR? XD

And someone just posted this on Facebook:

" Whilst cleaning my SR/F today I noticed that one of the rear wheel belt grooves had a deposit of something hard 50% filling the groove, so the belt could not fully sit in this particular groove. I could not remove it with my finger/nail as it was firmly stuck in the groove. Eventually I managed to remove it with a sharp blade. It seemed to be a mixture of grit and tar that had been compacted in there. I suspect left in that place it would have eventually caused the belt to snap. All the other grooves were clean."

I had something similar from day zero. I had to use a sharp blade to remove 8-10 deposits on the rear sprocket, not too big. They looked like a green plastic material maybe used when building the sprockets.

[valnar]

The dealer called.  They said I put the new belt on correctly, and the tension is fine.  They have no idea why it broke.

There were other factory issues with the bike though, so I'm glad I brought it in.  The rear brake isn't applying ABS properly so they ordered a new 'rear master cylinder.'  I thought it felt weak, but I didn't have anything to compare it to.  Fun fun.

[domingo3]

New'ish bike with less than 500 miles.  Accelerating up a slight hill to maybe 50Mph in a custom mode that is somewhere between ECO and Sport (71% torque setting).  90 degrees hot day in Ohio. No rain, no rocks, no slippage. Snapped right off.  I pushed it a mile to somewhere safe.

I called a friend to get it towed to my house.  Does anyone know if this is a warranty part when less than a year old?

-Robert

Had you checked your belt tension?  My 2016 FXS was delivered with the belt so tight it was off the scale on my gauge.  Not being experienced with belts, I thought I was using the gauge wrong.  The belt literally did not budge no matter how hard I pressed it.  I imagine my belt may have snapped of I hadn't loosened it significantly to get it in spec.  Like others said it's worth a shot to ask for a replacement.  Sometimes Zero stonewalls, sometimes they're above and beyond amazing.