Changing your belts in 25 minutes (2 Viewers)

[moab_b2]

Thanks for the advise guys. My tensioner bearing was making some grinding noise. I had to clean and repack as the autozone and checker did not have the bearing. They could not even find it on any books they had. Anyway what I also found was that the bearings for the compresser are toast and grind so bad I finally took the belt off (cut off because it was driving nuts). I used the dowel to verify the bearings on the compresser were done. How hard is the compresser bearing replacement? I havent searched yet. Thanks

 

[Miescha]

And finally, one of the threads I recently read was praising the benefits of the gearwrench ... I can testify that the 12mm one I bought for this job made short work of the alternator bolts!!

Just curious, how is the 'gearwrench' brand any different than the craftsman brand of racheting wrenches? Are they also lifetime guaranteed with easy replacement at any sears?

Oh yeah, tech . . . and do they work the same on those darn alternator bolts?

 

[openoptions]

Sorry, I'm really using "gearwrench" generically to mean "ratcheting wrench" (lazy typer I am.) However, by coincidence the one I did buy is an actual GearWrench brand. I would have preferred the new style Craftsman ratcheting wrench w/ flexible head, but couldn't part w/ the $$.

I do own a set of the older style Craftsman ratcheting wrenches, but the profile is so deep that I don't think they would fit in the tight spots around the alternator bolts. The GearWrench that I bought has a shallow profile and fit no problem ... I used the GearWrench on all 3 bolts required to deal w/ the 2 alternator belts.

 

[PandaEG2]

Great post! I'm almost due to change my belts

Thanks

 

[bpenn1980]

Mucho gracias doug. First time ever changing belts last night and I was able to get in and out in ~1hr. Also, NorCalDoug posted some scanned images from the FSM and pictures in another thread that were very helpful.

My belts had been squealing at start-up and the truck had been very loud, even just idling. I just assumed that the belts were on their way out and that was the cause. Turns out the PO had Gates belts on there. No wonder my car sounded like (to quote a female co-worker), "A space ship"

The belt tensioners were very loose as well which was probably compounding the problem. The belts themselves were in marginal condition I believe. The valleys had minor cracks which I take it is not good. They werent falling apart, but its good to have them off.

Truck is quiet now, shhhhhhh

Also did the idler pulley thing, very easy.

The only "specialized" tool I used was the flex head ratcheting gear wrench...I think the 12mm one, whatever one you use for the alternator tensioning bolt. Makes the job SO much easier. These gearwrench's are paying me back big time. Used them originally for O2 sensors, but they come in handy all over the place.

Brad

 

[phatairman]

How often are you suppose to change your belts?

I changed my out with OEM from Dan 6 months ago and they squeal like crazy. Would tighten the tensioner bolts solve this? Or is it a lost cause and just replace the belts?

I think they may have been not tighten down well after breaking them in. Do you normally tighten the belts pretty tight and then go back a couple weeks later and re-tighten?

 

[Atticus]

How often are you suppose to change your belts?

I changed my out with OEM from Dan 6 months ago and they squeal like crazy. Would tighten the tensioner bolts solve this? Or is it a lost cause and just replace the belts?

I think they may have been not tighten down well after breaking them in. Do you normally tighten the belts pretty tight and then go back a couple weeks later and re-tighten?

Check the tension on the belts. You don't need a belt tensioner. Just push down on them with one finger. If they "give" (move say more than 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch) they probably need to be tightened. If you can't get it right, you can get a tensioner to figure if your belts are in spec with the FSM. If they are loose, they will squeal. If they are too tight, they will squeal.

 

[Atticus]

The only "specialized" tool I used was the flex head ratcheting gear wrench...I think the 12mm one, whatever one you use for the alternator tensioning bolt. Makes the job SO much easier. These gearwrench's are paying me back big time. Used them originally for O2 sensors, but they come in handy all over the place.

Brad

That's got to be the secret. I did them without that wrench. Pain in the arse.

 

[bpenn1980]

That's got to be the secret. I did them without that wrench. Pain in the arse.

Yeah man, I dont even know how I would've retightened the alternator tension bolt and alternator lock bolt without it. Even with it, it was a pain to tighten that tensioner down....lots of 5*degree movements, lots

 

[IdahoDoug]

I know you don't want to hear this, but it's been my experience that if this matched pair starts slipping from too little tension, they'll never shut up even when properly tightened later. I think what happens is they're the EXACT circumference from the factory matching, then one or the other slips more and wears its circumference a bit. Now you essentially have two slightly different size belts fighting each other every single revolution - the light squeaking.

DougM

 

[bpenn1980]

I know you don't want to hear this, but it's been my experience that if this matched pair starts slipping from too little tension, they'll never shut up even when properly tightened later. I think what happens is they're the EXACT circumference from the factory matching, then one or the other slips more and wears its circumference a bit. Now you essentially have two slightly different size belts fighting each other every single revolution - the light squeaking.

DougM

ha, too tight=bearing wear, not tight enough=improper wear and squealing belts

talk about the feel technique! I'm going to check mine this weekend again to see if they loosened at all. Its interesting that the FSM states a "used" belt is any belt that has been run for more than 5 minutes

 

[IdahoDoug]

Wow. Just read the entire post and realized I pretty much repeated myself from October. Extra points for consistency, deductions for redundancy - it's a wash...

DougM

 

[kixtand]

I wanted to express my appreciaiton to Doug for posting this write up to begin with, it is quite helpful. Also, I just got through was this little job, and thought I would throw out a few notes worth mentioning.

First, if you haven't already done so, pick up some of reversible ratcheting combination wrenches. I used one of these in 12mm to loosen tha intially tighten the tensioner for the two main belts, and it made quick work what could have been a very drawn out event. Additionally, I've found that these wrenches are some of the handiest tools I've got.

Second, don't skimp on the loosening of the two tensoiners, it'll just make you cuss (dan't ask me how I know this one...)

Lastly, as others have mentioned, I highly recommend you replace the idle pulley; mine was seized up when I took it off.

All in all, the job is pretty easy just like Doug initially said, and probably took me 30-45 minutes, but I took my time throughout.

kix

 

[TX80Fan]

I just replaced all of my belts and the idler pulley and feelin' good...soundin' good too. When cold, my truck was sounding like the spaceship someone referred to in an earlier post. Now, it's all hush-hush...priceless! Thanks Doug for the informative thread...

 

[Fetz]

I'm a newbie working on my cruiser and found these instructions were great. The only thing I did differently was drop the skid plate so I could see everything from below to get a better prespective on things. I also thought that from below it was a bit easier to get at the lock bolt on the tensioner pulley. Backing the tensioner bolts almost all the way out made it simple to get new belts on and Toyota belts make the motor very quiet. Thanks Doug.

 

[The Claw]

Knocked another PM off the list

Did my belts today also. Dropped the splash guard and worked from underneath using only the tools I carry in the truck (I will be adding a set of wratching wrenches most likely for Christmas)to make sure I could do it on the road. Took me 2 hours as I am old and slow and it took me a while to figure out how to loosen and tighten the Alt tension bolt from underneath with my trusty 12mm Craftsmen box end wrench. Everything else was easy.

Stock belts are soooo much quiter.

The Claw

 

[IdahoDoug]

Great! Yes, dropping the splashplate is something everyone should probably do the first time they do belts, but once you see how it works up there it's plain to see that next time there's not a need for it, eh? Use a flashlight to find the tensioner bolt through the hold in the pan Mr. T provided for this purpose, then spend the time saved with your kids or calling your Mom, ya know??


DougM

 

[pmccumber]

"... the A/C belt will nearly fall off"

I cannot see how this thing went on. I got the the tensioner authority maxed out. It is definitely a non-OEM belt as it has "teeth" and maybe that is why it is such a beast but I can only deflect that belt about an inch pulling the tensioner up to where it isn't deflecting the belt at all.

Any hints? It definitely isn't about to fall off.

 

[Beowulf]

I do not remember the A/C belt being an issue and I don't recall anyone else that has complained of difficulties removing that belt. That makes me wonder if yours is the wrong size.

Hint: Use a flat bladed screwdriver to pull the belt to the edge of the pulley and try to pry it off like you would remove a tyre from the rim. HTH.

-B-

 

[hdj81cruiser]

doug thank you for this advice I will use it when I change all my belts shortly I always fin tht the belt noise on mine comes from the A/C belt
Regards
Harley