Drive Belt Replacement Saga (1 Viewer)

[hatfieldcb]

'Course now I think my idler pulley is going bad. I've got a nice howl with the engine under load. When I back off it goes away. I think CDan already has the part on the way.

 

[syrinxstar]

I replaced my AC idler pulley recently with the belts and the pulley was pretty noisy just at idle - couldn't say that I could hear it while driving. Definitely a lot quieter now --

 

[spartan]

See my previous post - it's the best procedure that I can recommend for anyone changing belts....

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I am skeptical of anyone who says they performed the entire procedure from under the truck - as in I don't believe you really did it. You cannot reach the alternator pivot bolt from under the truck. This is the internet after all....

Ouch Spartan!!! Let me speak up for Ali here. If he said he did it from underneath, then he did. Your statement is a bit inflammatory. I think everyone here is just trying to help, and like most jobs, there are numerous ways to approach it.

 

[spartan]

Ok - I apologize and revised my post. There's still no way to reach the alternator pivot bolt fom under the truck without four foot arms and rubber wrists though. It's a top side procedure.....

 

[Romer]

Ok - I apologize and revised my post. There's still no way to reach the alternator pivot bolt from under the truck without four foot arms and rubber wrists though. It's a top side procedure.....

I did the alt pivot from the top and the rest from underneath. Ali said he put the socket on it from underneath and then crawled under and loosened it. That is very doable. Your reaching the socket wrench and not the bolt.

 

[spressomon]

I did the alt pivot from the top and the rest from underneath. Ali said he put the socket on it from underneath and then crawled under and loosened it. That is very doable. Your reaching the socket wrench and not the bolt.

Actually Modi...Ali stated he put the wrench on from the top side...

 

[Romer]

Actually Modi...Ali stated he put the wrench on from the top side...

thats what I meant to type.

 

[alia176]

I apologize for confusing you folks! I edited my original reply!

 

[spartan]

Ali - I apologize for criticizing your post in a negative manner. We all seem to have a preferred method for changing belts. I work with air tools which makes my method effective for me. Good luck and thank you for your input...

 

[alia176]

Ali - I apologize for criticizing your post in a negative manner. We all seem to have a preferred method for changing belts. I work with air tools which makes my method effective for me. Good luck and thank you for your input...

No worries what so ever man.. Cumbaya,.....cumbaya

Ali

 

[ColoradoCarlisle]

I used a pivot extension on the adjuster bolt and this worked great. Took a little over an hour and I removed the battery tray

 

[Atticus]

This is crap. How exactly did you get the socket to fit on the belt adjustment bolt? I've tried everything to get the extension on there so that I can use my ratchet from the wheel well. If I have to adjust the bolt with a wrench, I'm going to lose my mind.

Thanks.

Jay

 

[john_eckels]

I broke the radiator whn I was trying to get at #6 Spark Plug. The wife said, "Tell me how much money your saving again?"

I would tell my wife that the dealer would have broken it too and would have charged $600 to replace it.

 

[IronYuppy]

I guess I lucked-out, because I did mine, first time on an 80, in about :45. This is one of those jobs where a set of metric gear-wrenches comes in double-handy:

Without the extra clearance needed to fit a socket in the spaces, this job is really a breeze.

On both lock-bolt heads (A/C and alternator) I used a gear wrench and put a but of duct tape over the bolt head to keep the wrench from slipping off. My A/C lock bolt was slippery from a previous PS pump leak, so I had to be careful to not get a wrench in the face while pulling on it.

I ended-up loosening the drive belt tensioner with gear-wrench over a taped bolt-head, plus a dowel, and a M(edium)FH. Once it was loose, the smallest socket and shortest driver in my kit fit with just enough room to spare. No problem at all.

I'm glad I had the FSM, though, because I would have not thought of a lock bolt holding the tensioner in place; I would have been wrenching on a tightened tensioner for hours - probably breaking it in the process.

Taking that skid-plate off is a must. This job is way easier without that in the way.

I have read of people accessing the alt bolts more easily by removing the battery and tray, or the splash-guards on the USDS wheel opening, but I didn't find this necessary. I guess having "boney girl arms" like Mr. Burns helps.

Lots of cuts and scrapes on this one, though, because I found wearing Mechanix gloves doesn't give you the dexterity that's needed.

Note: my ex-wife gave me my set of metric gear-wrenches, so at least the marriage wasn't a total loss! Second best use for gear-wrenches on an 80 is manipulating the shock bolt right under the master cylinder. None of my sockets fit in that space.

PS keep your old belts! I threw mine in with my trail spares. They aren't broken, just worn. They'd get me (or someone else) home if any of the new belts went south prematurely.

 

[Atticus]

I guess I lucked-out, because I did mine, first time on an 80, in about :45. This is one of those jobs where a set of metric gear-wrenches comes in double-handy:

Without the extra clearance needed to fit a socket in the spaces, this job is really a breeze.

On both lock-bolt heads (A/C and alternator) I used a gear wrench and put a but of duct tape over the bolt head to keep the wrench from slipping off. My A/C lock bolt was slippery from a previous PS pump leak, so I had to be careful to not get a wrench in the face while pulling on it.

I ended-up loosening the drive belt tensioner with gear-wrench over a taped bolt-head, plus a dowel, and a M(edium)FH. Once it was loose, the smallest socket and shortest driver in my kit fit with just enough room to spare. No problem at all.

I'm glad I had the FSM, though, because I would have not thought of a lock bolt holding the tensioner in place; I would have been wrenching on a tightened tensioner for hours - probably breaking it in the process.

Taking that skid-plate off is a must. This job is way easier without that in the way.

I have read of people accessing the alt bolts more easily by removing the battery and tray, or the splash-guards on the USDS wheel opening, but I didn't find this necessary. I guess having "boney girl arms" like Mr. Burns helps.

Lots of cuts and scrapes on this one, though, because I found wearing Mechanix gloves doesn't give you the dexterity that's needed.

Note: my ex-wife gave me my set of metric gear-wrenches, so at least the marriage wasn't a total loss! Second best use for gear-wrenches on an 80 is manipulating the shock bolt right under the master cylinder. None of my sockets fit in that space.

PS keep your old belts! I threw mine in with my trail spares. They aren't broken, just worn. They'd get me (or someone else) home if any of the new belts went south prematurely.

I thought that every part of this job was super easy, and could have been done in about five minutes, EXCEPT adjusting the drive belt tensioner. What a pain in the ass. I didn't have access to a ratchet-wrench, so I just used my six-point wrench. OH MY GOD. It took forever.

Getting the belts off was the easiest part.


I used a bolt cutter. I don't think those belts will make good trail spares.

 

[NorCalDoug]

I thought that every part of this job was super easy, and could have been done in about five minutes, EXCEPT adjusting the drive belt tensioner. What a pain in the ass. I didn't have access to a ratchet-wrench, so I just used my six-point wrench. OH MY GOD. It took forever.

Getting the belts off was the easiest part.


I used a bolt cutter. I don't think those belts will make good trail spares.

even with a gearwrench...it's a.....s l o w......a n d......t e d i o u s......job.





sounds like you had almost as much fun as I did

 

[Atticus]

even with a gearwrench...it's a.....s l o w......a n d......t e d i o u s......job.





sounds like you had almost as much fun as I did

Yeah. I'm pretty sure I could pare it down to less than six hours now that I know what to do.

 

[MONSTRIK]

I missed the bolt in red circle too.
Can anyone please post the part numbers for the three bolts in the diagram?
The one I know is 90105-10397, but the other three I don't. I am especially interested in replacing the bolt behind the double belts to avoid dealing with a round head.
Thank you.