Changing your belts in 25 minutes

[landcruiser3DP]

Just read the FSM while you're looking at the truck. It's two adjusting bolts and one "lock" bolt. And loosen the alternator pivot bolt. Four things. That's it. Seriously. You don't have to post a ton of pictures and label everything.

i find it easier to have pictures where i can make sure i know where stuff is especially in a tight area like this that i haven't been in.
most people on here can't see this because they've done it a number of times before and they can't remember what it is like to do it for the first time.
i just read the thread. half the posts say it is way more complicated than it seems, or they stripped the head off a bolt or that they need more pictures.
i personally would like to label some pictures so i can assemble a cheat sheet because i would find it helpful and i think others would too. you personally don't think it is necessary for me apparently.
hopefully someone on here knows enough and is helpful enough to help me compile them into one or two reference images.
proof is in the pudding and all.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Once you start you'll figure it out, like he said only a few things to loosen

Oh and you had some tools listed above but i've never had to use anything special on this. Just basic stuff

where is that 12 mm bolt with the female torx in it please? also is that the one everyone keeps stripping?

 

[bhsdriller]

This is the only pic you can really see much. Loosen these to get the tension off of that one belt.
The other 2 belts are tensioned from the alternator. Same concept

It's just these 2 bolts and the 2 on the alternator. That's it

 

[landcruiser3DP]

This is the only pic you can really see much. Loosen these to get the tension off of that one belt.
The other 2 belts are tensioned from the alternator. Same concept

It's just these 2 bolts and the 2 on the alternator. That's it

View attachment 2837342

thanks man.

 

[bhsdriller]

The tension bolt on the alternator faces the driver side so that's why people say it's easier to remove the battery tray for access.
I've always done it with it still in

This text from the first page explains it probably just as good if not better than pics can.

"Loosen the alternator upper bolt it pivots on. Just a couple turns and I think it's a 12mm.
Then the lock nut on the alternator below it - again only a couple turns (12mm). This lock nut clamps down on a very long bolt whose threads you can see while loosening it, which is the tensioner bolt.
Loosen the tensioner bolt counterclockwise (12mm) until it literally comes out of the tensioner. Thread it back in a couple turns. This tensioner bolt is easily accessed with a socket wrench sans extension in a tight spot a stubby would speed things up. The 3 minutes of limited swinging here is what causes most folks to opt for the hour of removing the battery and battery tray."

 

[landcruiser3DP]

This is the only pic you can really see much. Loosen these to get the tension off of that one belt.
The other 2 belts are tensioned from the alternator. Same concept

It's just these 2 bolts and the 2 on the alternator. That's it

View attachment 2837342

were there two tensioners you back off counterclockwise? and this is the same as the one you marked up already?

 

[bhsdriller]

Yes that is the same pic just a slightly different angle. That bolt head you see is the one you loosen to adjust tension after you loosen the one in the middle of that pulley

 

[zapatius]

i find it easier to have pictures where i can make sure i know where stuff is especially in a tight area like this that i haven't been in.
most people on here can't see this because they've done it a number of times before and they can't remember what it is like to do it for the first time.
i just read the thread. half the posts say it is way more complicated than it seems, or they stripped the head off a bolt or that they need more pictures.
i personally would like to label some pictures so i can assemble a cheat sheet because i would find it helpful and i think others would too. you personally don't think it is necessary for me apparently.
hopefully someone on here knows enough and is helpful enough to help me compile them into one or two reference images.
proof is in the pudding and all.

I'm not knocking you for wanting to know. I just think you're complicating something that isn't complicated.

There are reference images - it's the FSM.

I feel like you're not looking at your truck when you ask some questions. It's plainly obvious what bolt has the torx insert if you just look at where the belt routes.

It would definitely benefit you to remove the battery and tray when you do this so you can see everything.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Yes that is the same pic just a slightly different angle. That bolt head you see is the one you loosen to adjust tension after you loosen the one in the middle of that pulley

four bolts are loosened on the alternator?
and both the "center lock bolt of the AC idler pulley" and the "center lock bolt of the alternator pulley" are fully loosened?
is there a torque value on the idler pulleys? FSM is not clear but maybe 15 ft lb?

 

[bhsdriller]

It's 3 on the alternator don't need to mess with the pulley. They need to be loose enough to be able to let it adjust. I've never torqued them to a specific number just get them tight

 

[zapatius]

You don't do anything with the alternator pulley.

The FSM, on page EG-99, states that the torque value for the drive belt idler is 32 ft/lb. There is a guide to bolts and torque on pages IN-8 and IN-9.

 

[musthave]

Take a picture of the torque pages, IN-8 and IN-9. Keep them on your phone. Print them. Chisel them into stone. I know that everyone else remembers the torque settings for every bolt but I don't. Next, use a torque wrench. Again, everyone else can turn their ratchet and wrench to exactly 32 ft/lb. Until they can't. I admit my mistakes of the past (The idler pulley was one of the worst). Since then, everything takes me longer. If it has a torque setting (it does) then use a torque wrench and the guide. It takes me an hour and a half to watch 60 minutes, I'm deliberately slow. But what matters is that it's right. YMMV, IMHO.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

It's 3 on the alternator don't need to mess with the pulley. They need to be loose enough to be able to let it adjust. I've never torqued them to a specific number just get them tight

hey man. thanks.
i wonder if you or someone else can help me just highlight the bolts in the FSM so i can do a little cheat sheet? the problem i am having is that some of these i can't really even see. so if i have it in front of me and also with torque values on the cheat sheet it usually goes a breeze. otherwise i am spending an hour trying to find a bolt and then another twenty minutes trying to get a wrench on it.
like i lit replay want to name these things and label them.
also how many totally bolts? five? and they all tighten clockwise and loosen counterclockwise?(!)

1. AC center pulley bolt.
2. AC tensioner bolt.
3. alternator pivot bolt.
4. alternator lock nut bolt.
5. alternator tensioner bolt.

i know someone is going to get all triggered and say JFDI but i want to label these in the FSM since i can't find some of them in pictures (even with the battery box removed).

also i want to start a company and call it like "beyond wits' end" or something and make a poster of this for the plebes. or maybe i will just let joey do one or whatever.

THANKS

 

[landcruiser3DP]

more FSM pic (yes i already know you have to be brain dead or not to have done this three times already to need these...).

 

[landcruiser3DP]

just three more (...)

 

[zapatius]

I am confused on why you can't see the bolts. Plainly visible in your 18 truck pictures and 30 pages of FSM pictures.

Literally, they're attached to the alternator assembly and A/C assembly. Don't look anywhere else for them.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

 

[BadReligion]

I am confused on why you can't see the bolts. Plainly visible in your 18 truck pictures and 30 pages of FSM pictures.

Literally, they're attached to the alternator assembly and A/C assembly. Don't look anywhere else for them.

I thought wrenching was supposed to be like cooking. You don't have to have a ton of experience to do it, but you must be capable of following directions and using a little common sense.

@landcruiser3DP I'm guessing mac n cheese is the apex of your cooking abilities. Seriously, just start loosening stuff. It won't take any more time (even if you have to double check torque values) than what you have already spent on uploading photos.

 

[OGBeno]

This is an awesome train wreck.

 

[bhsdriller]

This picture literally already has them highlighted and clearly shown in yours and FSM. It won't take long to find or put a bolt on just get in there and you'll see