Originally Posted by
mtalinm
ah, that's what that is. seems to be lefty-tighty...?
Threaded tensioners like that are really handy. Use common sense to figure out which way will tighten the tension (i.e. push the axle farther back) and use the tension screws to get the correct alignment and tension prior to tightening the axle bolts. Just be sure to get the rear wheel aligned evenly before tightening the axle bolts, as the belt system is very sensitive to any mis-alignment.
The belt should not be so tight that it is really stiff, nor should it have enough slack to allow 1-2" deflection. I've used the rule of thumb of 1/2" deflection with about 5 pounds of pressure at the midpoint of the belt. I've also used the Gates finger tool, but find I no longer need it.