Adjustable belt drive assembly, system and method

A method of adjusting a distance between a first sprocket attached to a first shaft of a drivetrain operatively interconnecting an engine to a ground engagement member of an all-terrain vehicle via a drive belt interconnected with a second sprocket attached to a second shaft of the drivetrain, wherein the drivetrain further comprises:

• a bearing housing having a fixed first bearing retainer and a rotatable eccentric second bearing retainer,
• a first shaft having a first shaft axis,
• a first bearing disposed within first bearing retainer and supporting the first shaft,
• a second shaft having a second shaft axis, and
• a second bearing disposed within the eccentric second bearing retainer and supporting the second shaft, wherein the second shaft axis is offset from an axis of rotation of the eccentric bearing retainer, the method comprising:
• adjusting the distance between the first shaft axis and the second shaft axis by rotating the eccentric second bearing retainer, thereby adjusting tension in the drive belt.

A belt drive housing assembly of an all-terrain vehicle, comprising:

• a bearing housing having a fixed first bearing retainer and a rotatable eccentric second bearing retainer;
• a first shaft having a first shaft axis;
• a first bearing disposed within first bearing retainer and supporting the first shaft;
• a second shaft having a second shaft axis;
• and
• a second bearing disposed within the eccentric second bearing retainer and supporting the second shaft, wherein the second shaft axis is offset from an axis of rotation of the eccentric bearing retainer, wherein a distance between the first shaft axis and the second shaft axis is adjustable by rotating the eccentric second bearing retainer from a first position to a second position, and wherein the first shaft is configured to deliver propulsive power from an engine of an all-terrain vehicle to a ground engagement member of the all-terrain vehicle and the second shaft is configured to receive the propulsive power from the engine;
• and
• a handle coupled to the eccentric second bearing retainer to move the eccentric second bearing retainer from the first position to the second position.