Planning on changing my belts this weekend. The A/C belt looks easy, backoff the tension pulley and it should come loose. The Alt and WP double belts looks like a challenge. Do I need to remove the fan? Should I remove the battery too so I can access the Alternator bolt? What should the tension be on the belt after install? Thanks all.
any tips and tricks on changing belts? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Greddy0
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This job isn't to bad even by yourself, I always take the fan off to give my selfmore room and to make the job easier. You don't have to take it all the way out-just unbolt it and stuff it up into the shroud. The alternator tension adjustment bolt can be accessed from underneath with an 8 in. extension. Generally the belt should deflect no more than 1/4 inch per 12 inches of belt. You have a bit of room to play with on that rule, especially with the double belts. Good luck and happy wrenching
Dan
Dan
Since you're in the 80s section on the board I'm guessing you are referring to an 80-series. Mine is a '97 and changing the belts is cake. I do it all from above, the alternator (lower right hand side as you're standing in front of the engine) has the adjuster on the top of it. There is a 14mm (I think, maybe only 12mm) bolt which is the lock, you just need to crack that loose a bit. The actual pulling part is a 12mm bolt running the same direction as the belt (as you tighten this bolt it pulls the alternator outward, thus tightening the belts). So the 12mm one needs alot of loosening, I would recommend spraying some WD40 or something on it, as the threads are probably caked up pretty good and you will be loosening it a few inches. Also with the new belts that adjustment might not be in the same place. Mine wasn't, yet I took off factory belts (???).
You do not need to remove the fan or anything really, just loosen the alternator. You snake the old belt off over the fan and the new one on that way. However, the a/c belt is the furthest out one I think, so you have to pull that off first then do the others, then do that one last.
Good Luck..
You do not need to remove the fan or anything really, just loosen the alternator. You snake the old belt off over the fan and the new one on that way. However, the a/c belt is the furthest out one I think, so you have to pull that off first then do the others, then do that one last.
Good Luck..
The PS belt is impossible to change 
I dropped the lower splash guard since it was only 4 12mm bolts and takes all of 60 seconds. On my '97, I found the Craftsman 12mm ratcheting wrench best for the alternator lock and adjusting bolts. I see no reason to take the fan off. The belts easily fit over it. Again, this is on a '97.
hobbes said:
I have a 96 and like hobbes stated above, working from below saves the back and makes it pretty easy too !
No need to take the fan off. No need to take the lower pan off since Mr. Toyoda provided a hole through it for belt changing. No need to ask this question if you'd simply use the search tools to find several excellent writeups that would tell you exactly what I just did.
DougM
DougM
- Thread starter
- #9
Thanks all for all your help. Didn't need to remove the fan, but I did drop the splash shield to get a better access to the A/C belt since the tension bolt and lock bolt was easier to work on from the bottom. The double belt was still a challenge since I could not put a socket on the tension bolt. You're right Hobbes, with a 12mm ratcheting wrench it would of made it alot easier.
Seems like one of the double belts is tighter than the other. I'll drive it for few days and see if the tension changes.
IdahoDoug.... I would of used the search, but I want to increase my post counts so I can be a IH8MUD Lifer.... just like U.
Seems like one of the double belts is tighter than the other. I'll drive it for few days and see if the tension changes.
IdahoDoug.... I would of used the search, but I want to increase my post counts so I can be a IH8MUD Lifer.... just like U.
Greddy0 said:
I'd get an idler pulley.
LandCruiserPhil said:The PS belt is impossible to change
Yeah, where the f**K is it. I don't have a service manual but how does the power steering work on these things. I came to the conclusion that it was the little non grooved pulley but that didn't make any sense to me either.
The PS pump is gear driven off of the crank via the oil pump.
I'm about to change my belts also. I did notice one, maybe the inner one?? (off the top of my head) of my duel belts is looser than the other. Does this mean I need a new tensioner and how can it let only one belt loose. Oh and I bought toyota belts, is that good?? I usally buy goodyear but they are no longer life time and made in mexico.
- Thread starter
- #16
I used the matched toyota/mitsubishi belts with the twine tie. Also my A/C has a new toyota/mitsubishi belt on it. After ~100 miles the double belts are pretty close to the same tension. Maybe the tighter one just needed a little stretching =P
ryanjl
SILVER Star
Toyota belts are the ONLY way to go. Anything else will cause your engine to whine as if it's got a blower on it. Gets REALLY annoying after a few months.
Oh, there's pretty much not anything on a car you should buy that's "lifetime" (i.e. belts, brake pads, etc.) Some things are supposed to wear out in order to save other, costlier items (i.e. pully's, brake rotors, etc.)
I've always changed belts by removing the skid plate/splash guard. You can do it all from above, but you can also do it from below comfortably laying down.
Oh, there's pretty much not anything on a car you should buy that's "lifetime" (i.e. belts, brake pads, etc.) Some things are supposed to wear out in order to save other, costlier items (i.e. pully's, brake rotors, etc.)
I've always changed belts by removing the skid plate/splash guard. You can do it all from above, but you can also do it from below comfortably laying down.
So, there is no other option for non-OE belts? I bought some from Nappa...I got it, "I told you so!" Whines like my 13 month old son!
Are the OE belts the only solution?
Are the OE belts the only solution?
offroadkid
GOLD Star
I too had the whining belts, (especially noisey in drive-thru's!) I'm not sure how old they were, they were factory but out 97 has 163K on her. I replaced them the other night with factory belts and it's pleasant again. It's an easy DIY.
Yin said:
Maybe not the only solution, but certainly the OEM belts are the best solution. They are very reasonably priced from your local dealer and downright cheap if bought from Cruiserdan.
-B-
