Troubleshooting: Belt Clicking on Alpha 2Updated 3 months ago

The Gates SideTrack drivetrain on your Alpha 2 is designed to operate smoothly and quietly for thousands of miles. If you notice a noise emanating from the belt, such as a clicking or popping sound, while pedaling or backpedaling, then the belt alignment is incorrect and must be addressed.

A clicking or popping belt can result from improper wheel installation, a loose rear cog lock ring, an incorrect spacer stack on the freehub body, or a loosened dropout plate.  Rest assured, we've been able to address all issues. And you can too! 

Follow this tutorial to address a popping and/or clicking belt on your Alpha 2. 

Tools Required

• 19mm wrench 
• Gates belt whip (or equivalent) 
  • A basic strap wrench will likely work if you don't want to go in on a Gates tool. 
  • The Park BDT-1 is unlikely to work since we're working with ST, not CDC, CDN, or CDX. 
• Park Tool BBT-9 or equivalent 
• 4mm T-handle hex wrench
• 5mm hex wrench 
• Cassette spacers 

Troubleshooting

• Begin by ensuring the rear cog lock ring is tight per the maintenance suggestions (step 6)
  • If this doesn't resolve the issue, move on to the next steps. 
• Remove the rear wheel
• Remove the rear cog using the Gates belt whip and BBT-9 (or equivalents) Belt and suspenders? How can you trust someone that doesnt trust their pants? JK. Hi!
  
  
•  A 14mm spacer exists inboard of the rear cog. Your goal is to use a different cassette spacer stack to reposition the cog inboard toward the motor. Play with different iterations of different-sized cassette and/or bottom bracket spacers. Our shortcut to success is a small spacer (2mm), a large spacer (4.5mm), the cog (flipped), another small/large spacer combo, and finally, the lock ring. Factory 14mm SpacerSmall and large combo of spacers
• Flip the cog (letters inboard) and install it onto the freehub body. Ensure the lockring has full thread engagement and is adequately torqued. New spacer stack, who dis? I thought you said this was inboard? Tastes like outboard. 
• Note the new orientation of the cog on the freehub: Lovely! 
• Reinstall the rear wheel and adjust belt tension if necessary.