Any trick to get the PS pump pulley off? (1 Viewer)

[Pyrenees]

I'm about to tackle the alternator brushes tomorrow and was thinking my way through the steps involved. Is the power steering pump pulley a pain to remove? Any tricks to make it easy? I was thinking about trying to loosen the bolts while there's still tension on the serp belt. Didn't want to hit it with PB and possibly ruin my belt. Ideas?

Thanks!

 

[corboto]

You can remove the entire pump with just a couple of bolts. It's pretty easy to do. Disconnecting the alternator is the fun part.

 

[gatormark91]

Don't pull the PS pump out or remove the pulley. Just undo the 3 mounting bolts at the front and gently move it out of the way. Yank that and undo the lower end of the radiator hose, and the alt comes out the bottom.

 

[Pyrenees]

Disconnecting the alternator is the fun part.

Is that due to needing some weird tool arrangement, or just because there's no room to work in there? I don't have gorilla hands thank god.

Don't pull the PS pump out or remove the pulley. Just undo the 3 mounting bolts at the front and gently move it out of the way. Yank that and undo the lower end of the radiator hose, and the alt comes out the bottom.

I don't have the car nearby at the moment... are the hoses pretty flexible or am I liable to damage something? I read somewhere that you can do it without removing the rad hose. Is that just for convenience or a necessity? I've done some pretty gnarly alternator jobs before, just trying to better understand what I'm getting into.

Thanks guys!

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Several great vids on Youtube removing alts from Tundras with the 2UZ. Very similar set up.

 

[Pyrenees]

Several great vids on Youtube removing alts from Tundras with the 2UZ. Very similar set up.

Ahhh, good call.

 

[corboto]

Is that due to needing some weird tool arrangement, or just because there's no room to work in there? I don't have gorilla hands thank god.

There's a plastic clip on the back side that's hard as heck to remove. If I remember correctly it's got a rubber boot over it, you slide that off then cuss for 5 minutes while you try to press the detent in. There's not much room and it's hard to tell exactly where to press. It's not too bad but was one of the worst parts of the process.

 

[shevy77]

I keep all my maintenance notes in Evernote. I documented what I did removing my alternator on 2006 LC, last weekend.

Steps:

• Disconnect battery - 10mm deep well on 3/8 stubby ratchet
• Remove serpentine belt - 14mm 12 point 1/2” drive on breaker bar
• Remove front skid with 8 12mm bolts.
• Unbolt power steering pump with 12mm with short extension using 3/8 ratchet, there are three bolts removed through pulley. Bottom one maybe easier from bottom (do not disconnect any hoses)
• Remove hose brace and hose coupler from hard lines to allow extra room to remove alternator. See pictures. The second picture is the bracket on passenger side. I didn't have to remove the similar one towards the driver side.

• Remove bolt 14mm from bottom of alternator
• Remove nut 12mm from bottom of alternator
• Remove nut 14mm from top of alternator
• Remove bracket holding wire 10mm and nut from wire 10mm
• Remove alternator wiring harness by pushing in (1/4” out from socket on perimeter side of connector) the mechanism is like a see saw. I struggled with this at first, but the key is to NOT try and press too close to where connector meets alternator. Press about 1/4" up from edge of alternator. The clip pivots (you push in, the clip pivots and raises up inside the alternator cavity to release plug).
• Remove alternator out from bottom by carefully moving hard lines and radiator hoses aside.
• Installation is reverse. Two 14mm (bolt and larger nut) of alternator are 29 ftlbs.

 

[Pyrenees]

I keep all my maintenance notes in Evernote. I documented what I did removing my alternator on 2006 LC, last weekend.

Steps:

• Disconnect battery - 10mm deep well on 3/8 stubby ratchet
• Remove serpentine belt - 14mm 12 point 1/2” drive on breaker bar
• Remove front skid with 8 12mm bolts.
• Unbolt power steering pump with 12mm with short extension using 3/8 ratchet, there are three bolts removed through pulley. Bottom one maybe easier from bottom (do not disconnect any hoses)
• Remove hose brace and hose coupler from hard lines to allow extra room to remove alternator. See pictures. The second picture is the bracket on passenger side. I didn't have to remove the similar one towards the driver side.

View attachment 1827772
View attachment 1827773

• Remove bolt 14mm from bottom of alternator
• Remove nut 12mm from bottom of alternator
• Remove nut 14mm from top of alternator
• Remove bracket holding wire 10mm and nut from wire 10mm
• Remove alternator wiring harness by pushing in (1/4” out from socket on perimeter side of connector) the mechanism is like a see saw. I struggled with this at first, but the key is to NOT try and press too close to where connector meets alternator. Press about 1/4" up from edge of alternator. The clip pivots (you push in, the clip pivots and raises up inside the alternator cavity to release plug).
• Remove alternator out from bottom by carefully moving hard lines and radiator hoses aside.
• Installation is reverse. Two 14mm (bolt and larger nut) of alternator are 29 ftlbs.

View attachment 1827774

Excellent writeup. I did check out some videos as well, doesn't look all that traumatic.

Did you have to remove the radiator shroud? Or literally none of that stuff.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

There's a plastic clip on the back side that's hard as heck to remove. If I remember correctly it's got a rubber boot over it, you slide that off then cuss for 5 minutes while you try to press the detent in. There's not much room and it's hard to tell exactly where to press. It's not too bad but was one of the worst parts of the process.

5 minutes? You are lucky... the last time i did the alternator was in a walmart parking lot in Houston post hurricane winter while it was 15 degree's.... that clip took me an hour. and I have tiny hands...

@Pyrenees pull the entire pump, like everyone has said, it's simple (3 bolts) pulling the pulley will take more trickery and isn't worth it. but if you have time and like it... do it and let us know how it goes...

 

[shevy77]

Did you have to remove the radiator shroud? Or literally none of that stuff.

No, not in my case at least, there is just enough room to squeeze out. You may have to rotate the alternator around to find the sweet spot. I actually had to do mine twice, due to a poorly put together reman. The case had a gap between the bushings on the lower part of the alternator and when I torqued the bolt it put the rotor in bind. I had it back out in 5-10 minutes.

 

[Pyrenees]

You're right, 29 ft-lbs for the Alternator attachment bolts.

For posterity... FSM says 13 ft-lbs for the 3 power steering pump bolts. Brush holder screws are 2 N-m or 17 in-lbs. The rear cover nuts are 4.4 N-m or 39 in-lbs. If brushes measure less than 1.5mm they should be replaced.

Alright boys, I'm goin' in...

 

[Ninja Cruiser100]

You're right, 29 ft-lbs for the Alternator attachment bolts.

For posterity... FSM says 13 ft-lbs for the 3 power steering pump bolts. Brush holder screws are 2 N-m or 17 in-lbs. The rear cover nuts are 4.4 N-m or 39 in-lbs. If brushes measure less than 1.5mm they should be replaced.

Alright boys, I'm goin' in...

Haha good luck!

 

[Pyrenees]

Those hoses and stuff look to be in a different arrangement on my 2001 LX.... I am going to try this... hope it works LC or LX470 Alternator replacement how to

EDIT: Ok, there are some jobs where I feel OK flying solo, but this weekend I can't call in reinforcements if I need them. After taking the skidplates off and reading through the DIYs, I'm gonna push this off til next weekend when one of my buddies is around. Mainly because I need to work from both the top and the bottom of the vehicle and I know how that goes. I'm not about to ask my visibly pregnant wife.

 

[Pyrenees]

I used the writeup here when replacing the brushes in my 2001 LX 470 alternator today, it is 100% spot on: LC or LX470 Alternator replacement how to