The front Pulley Nut used to be thought of as a pre 06 Problem. I have an 07 and at 48K miles it came off at speed. I Thought the belt broke and pulled over right away saving my Spline and Jackshaft. I was lucky. EDIT: I
highly suggest you actually install the Red Thread-locker. Not just check to see if something is loose. Without the thread-locker, it can likely come loose
anytime,
without any warning what so ever. The fact that the tabs are bent over means nothing. Mine appeared to have loosened to allow the nut to come off.
I am doing this so all may prevent this with some easy maint one rainy day, Like today! It could prevent a lot of hassle, a crash and a repair in excess of a thousand dollars. Not to mention down time.
First off for the stubborn, Mine came off on the Foothills Parkway, no phone service so I HAD to repair it on the side of the road in sweltering heat. It will be obvious you will have no drive, the belt will be intact but it will move side to side at the front. You need tools to remove the front cover. Then lay on the ground facing the bike with the handlebar locked, Grab the grip and the Pass footrest and align the spline so it meets the pulley, You will only push to the rear so as not to flip the kickstand up.
Flag down a car and use the jack handle like this to flip the pulley back on to the spline. Note the hole must be almost perfectly forward as shown to get the proper leverage. You will also have to push the pulley inward at the same time you are stretching the belt. Now go on to the maint steps.
These are the tools you will need, three different size Allen wrenches, something to tap with and some red threadlocker. All of this should be in your bike tool bag on a trip. NOT pictured is the Socket for the Bolt. I used a wrench from the factory tool bag, it was too big but did the job. I always try to work on my bike with just my bike tool bag so just in case I have what I need on a real breakdown.
Once you remove the cover you should see this. Note the two white rollers stay on the bike not the cover, and two washers will fall off from under the rear plate. (on some models, the washers are just spacers.) More on that later.
This is a picture of the washer that goes under the front pulley nut. The paper is pointing to the word OUT inscribed on the washer. So put it on this way with this word out. If you cannot read it, the more rounded edge goes out.
Clean the surfaces as best you can, I use parts cleaner. After the pulley is on put the washer on with the OUT facing out or towards you. Then put the RED Threadlocker on the nut and the threads and install the Nut.
If at Home Torque the Nut to 61 FT LBS. I like to put more threadlocker on to hold it and to clue me in next time I am in there so that I know I will be needing some heat to remove. Now find something and tap the nut as shown so that the outer part of the nut gets bent into the grove on the spline. This is what factory depends on to lock the nut to the spline.
Now remember I said two washers will fall out? They go here, on the frame before that plate is put back on. (Some report they do not have these washers) I used Some Hylomar to hold them in place. One is on in this picture and one is ready to be put on. Once you have them in place and the cover back in place with the white roller lined up and on, (great time to use the proper lube on the white rollers or at least clean them.) You will put the plate on and the bolts that hold it on.
Shine everything up and your done.
I considered myself lucky that I caught it so quick when it happened, and that it did not do any damage, and that I had my Riding partner to hand me tools and flag people down for more tools and assistance. Your BEST bet is to do it in your shop! I RE did it in my shop to make this illustration for the RSC because I think it's a very important thing to do. Yamaha is leaving us out in the cold on this one same as the puking fuel issue.