Changing your belts in 25 minutes (1 Viewer)

[Lil' runnah]

The pic in post 52 has a pulley labeled as the A/C pulley, it is actually the tensioner pulley for the A/C belt.

just another small tip. I found it easier to get the belts over the pulleys from underneath. It was easier to get leverage to pull down from there rather than trying to pry them on from the top. Partially true because my truck is lifted.

It being a warm day helped a little too probably but atleast this way, I was able to get them on by hand without any "leverage aiding" tools

 

[Sporin]

Got the belts on! Took forever to run the adjustment bolt in and out but getting the belts on the pulleys was easier then I expected. I had bought a clicker wrench to run the long bolt in and out but the tight snake of hoses down there kept flipping the little L or R switch on the wrench and I eventually wound up just using a standard box end wrench.

My forearms are bruised this morning as my pythons barely fit between the rad and the block

Started it up and it's SILENT compared to how it was, night and day. No more wooshing and whistling like a plane taking off.

I'll tackle the AC belt this weekend.

Thanks for all the tips and pics in this thread, I had them on my iPhone and referred to them a few different times.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Having the RIGHT tools for the job makes a HUGE difference


12mm Flex Head Gearwrench and a 12mm Crowfoot will make quick work of the alternator bolts

 

[canman]

Took me approx 3 hrs total with some fiddling around to change all 3 belts. I could probably do it again in an hour now that I know what to do. Doug's advice was very useful especially on the alt. I also removed the skid/ splash plate underneath as well as the dist cap to have a bit more room and visibility when wrenching on the adj bolt for the alt. A ratcheting 12mm combination wrench is mandatory to loosen and tighten the adj bolt on the alt. I had no issues while loosening the adj bolt, but there was no reversing switch on my wrench (you just flip it around 180 degrees to change directions). The sliding tensioner pulley for the AC comp belt was frozen. I had to use a an oxy/ acetylene torch with a heating tip to finally get it loose which probably added an hour to the overall time. I had no issues getting the belts on, but I had to use a heavy brass hammer and piece of pipe to gently lower the alt down as far as it would go. I also lubed all adj bolts etc with some anti-sieze when I was done, and I quicky painted the dust cap on the AC comp tensioning pulley. I tensioned the belts so that there was only about 1/4" deflection on the belts. My engine is now much quieter.

 

[rbryan]

great write up! got my belts from CDan last week. Saves me from having to ask, "has anyone..."

 

[Jason YY]

I just did it, and there are deffinatly more than one right way to do it.

Myself I pulled the little mud flap on the inner fender, used a 1/4 drive ratchet with a 12in and 4 inch extention. Lossened up that alternator belt tensioner in no time.

I think it would be even easier with the correct size torx on the end of the ratchet. However, I didn't feel like trying to figure out the size.


(after reading all the posts on what a pain it was, I was a little aprehensive. However it took at the most 30 min)

 

[Sporin]

I just did it, and there are deffinatly more than one right way to do it.

Myself I pulled the little mud flap on the inner fender, used a 1/4 drive ratchet with a 12in and 4 inch extention. Lossened up that alternator belt tensioner in no time.

I think it would be even easier with the correct size torx on the end of the ratchet. However, I didn't feel like trying to figure out the size.


(after reading all the posts on what a pain it was, I was a little aprehensive. However it took at the most 30 min)

That's a good angle, I wish I had thought to try that.

 

[Jason YY]

That's a good angle, I wish I had thought to try that.

For the most part I find that Toyota engineers thought of pretty much everything.

However sometimes, figuring out the "easy way" takes some time.


When I looked in there, I was like, no fruggun way I can get in there.

Then I pulled that flap, there was the head of the bolt. Peaking out at me. ( it was easy with the "right tool")

 

[jlg32281]

I didn't realize there was another way to do it. I don't have a FSM and when I changed mine, it just seemed like the logical way to do it. It took me about 40mins and it was the first time I had ever seen under the hood of an 80.

 

[80t0ylc]

For the most part I find that Toyota engineers thought of pretty much everything. However sometimes, figuring out the "easy way" takes some time.

I don't think that you have done the PHH yet or you might not have made that statement!

When I looked in there, I was like, no fruggun way I can get in there.

Then I pulled that flap, there was the head of the bolt. Peaking out at me. ( it was easy with the "right tool")

Did same thing and I can't believe Doug didn't mention it in his OP. Guess maybe he assumed it was obvious.

I also disagree with him about removing the skidplate, but then I'm not interviewing for a pit crew. I just think it's a good idea to remove it and it's a great opportunity to scope out that area while changing belts, not to mention aiding access.

 

[photogod]

Good for another 20,000 mi

I think I could have gone another 20,000 on the old ones but what the heck I changed the belts today. I found it easier to remove the lower splash apron and go at the alternator adjuster from below.

I got the belts all on and tightened only to see that I had them on backwards. Now the fan runs in reverse.

The upper alternator bolt is 14mm.

Thanks for the nice write up Doug. It helped.

 

[Blueegg]

Finally changed mine today. I've had belt squealing sounds for about 6 mos and have been reading this thread for a while. It was well worth while and went at it with notes in hand.
The A/C tensioner pulley bolt would not move with an open end wrench and it would be easy to round it off. I went in from below with a socket. It took about two hours. Now no belt noise!
Thanks

 

[snowwolf]

I have to change mine every 10k or less! my crank pulley is "believe it or not" out of round, you can physically see it making the belts go tight and slack, changed them again last week, and know I will need to adjust them in a months time, so always leave the pan off underneath, have to tension them as soon as they start to make a noise, perhaps I should think about changing the pulley

Has anyone else ever had this problem?

 

[MJB]

Great post! Just did my A/C in no time. Pics were a huge help.

 

[G-Cat]

This job has taken me, so far, approximately 2 months.

The drive belts took about 40 minutes.

The AC belt is a different story. The bolt on the AC idler pulley is a no-go. It is now a completely stripped/rounded no-go. It has been soaked in PB Blaster on numerous occasions. My last attempt was with a cold chisel and a 5-pound sledge. NO GO. The cold chissel simply further destroyed the bolt.

I'm open to suggestions but Toyota of Dallas is looking like the next stop.

 

[canman]

This job has taken me, so far, approximately 2 months.

The drive belts took about 40 minutes.

The AC belt is a different story. The bolt on the AC idler pulley is a no-go. It is now a completely stripped/rounded no-go. It has been soaked in PB Blaster on numerous occasions. My last attempt was with a cold chisel and a 5-pound sledge. NO GO. The cold chissel simply further destroyed the bolt.

I'm open to suggestions but Toyota of Dallas is looking like the next stop.

Mine was siezed as well. I got the bolt to move after soaking it with some Seafoam Deep Creep, but the "slider" was seized. I ended up using my oxy-actelyene torch to heat it up then used a 5 lb brass hammer with a piece of pipe to finally get it too budge.

 

[Mirage]

thanks

very helpful

 

[retrofive]

Not the type to bother Cdan when Im not ready to buy, so ball park figure in replacing belts? read here in the $100 range?

 

[IdahoDoug]

About $25 plus shipping for all three belts from Dan.

 

[retrofive]

Thanks! My don't squeal badly, and look "good", but want to put it in the budget to replace with oem .