Drive Belt Replacement Saga (1 Viewer)

[rgsiii]

Doug,

Your fight scene in the saga had me thinking of Gilgamesh or some other heroic epic. It will be great in your campaign.

 

[OGBeno]

I'll look for a belt tension tool gizmo once I leave the office.

Doug...

Don't remember if you all have NAPA's in the Valley, but they sell a belt tensioner tool that fits in the palm of your hand for about $10 IIRC

I tried it and it seems to be generally accurate about the deflection per the FSM (1/2" IIRC).

That said, I've only done this PM once and totally screwed it up--sort of. I ended up replacing a pulley and the alternator tensioner.

I kinda dig long write ups....gives me a reason to pop open a and relax...

Later.
-onur
Akron, OH

 

[MTNRAT]

When I did mine, I did remove the battery tray. Really improves access. But Geez Doug, I had no problems fitting my large pipes into the nooks and crannies.
Cheers,
Sean

 

[Brentbba]

Great write-up Doug. Image in my mind of you falling off your daughter's stool will be emblazoned in my mind all day - thanks! Too bad you aren't closer - my belts are squealling like a pack of mad monkey's. Due for a major tune-up in a couple of thousand miles anyway (about 1 1/2 months the way I drive) and was just going to let dealer do belts at the same time. After your write-up, my 1/2 banana skill set will find the $150 to let someone else do it. Need to learn tho.

 

[OGBeno]

Great write-up Doug. Image in my mind of you falling off your daughter's stool will be emblazoned in my mind all day - thanks! Too bad you aren't closer - my belts are squealling like a pack of mad monkey's. Due for a major tune-up in a couple of thousand miles anyway (about 1 1/2 months the way I drive) and was just going to let dealer do belts at the same time. After your write-up, my 1/2 banana skill set will find the $150 to let someone else do it. Need to learn tho.

Brent...

If I can do it, you can do it...

Best.
-onur
Akron, OH

 

[Brentbba]

Brent...

If I can do it, you can do it...

Best.
-onur
Akron, OH

Hehehe - you really don't understand the limits to my 1/2 skills do you?

Given that this is my DD, I'd be VERY concerned with me doing this w/o some first time guidance. Lack of mechanical confidence is what it boils down to I guess. mechanic and I admit it!

 

[NorCalDoug]

Brent,
That's the funny thing about the combination of this forum, the FSM and 1/2 mechanic abilities...
Change a set of brake pads...install a battery...wire up some 12v outlets...the next thing you know, you start to think that you can do anything

The worst part of this job was getting access to the nuts and bolts. If you can reach them all, it's not a difficult job.

When I did mine, I did remove the battery tray. Really improves access. But Geez Doug, I had no problems fitting my large pipes into the nooks and crannies...

Mr. "Big Guns" Staplin - I'm surprised you had no problems getting those pipes in there -- it's a tight squeeze

 

[NorCalDoug]

Doug...
Don't remember if you all have NAPA's in the Valley, but they sell a belt tensioner tool that fits in the palm of your hand for about $10 IIRC

I tried it and it seems to be generally accurate about the deflection per the FSM (1/2" IIRC)...

Thanks for the heads up Onur.
I'll check it out next time I'm there.

 

[Brentbba]

Brent,
That's the funny thing about the combination of this forum, the FSM and 1/2 mechanic abilities...
Change a set of brake pads...install a battery...wire up some 12v outlets...the next thing you know, you start to think that you can do anything

The worst part of this job was getting access to the nuts and bolts. If you can reach them all, it's not a difficult job.

Well, fortunately, I'm a realist, and when it comes to auto mechanics, I'm VERY realistic when it comes to the engine. Perhaps reading the FSM may get me over that. Can you reference the particular pages that helped?

Would much rather feed Dan's dogs than pay a local dealer to do the work.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Hey Doug (And Others)

I just performed this also. I am about a

to

guy and it took me a little over an hour. I can see it taking MUCH MUCH longer if the Battery and tray is NOT removed. I am a fairly big (fat) guy and i physically could not have gotten my arm down there, so removing the battery was the only way. Everything came off very easy, but tightening the dual belts back up was a PITA due to the power steering return line! All is back together and piece of mind is now in place as well! Old ones were pretty badly cracked, probably original!

Anyway, thanks for the tips, and anyone that needs to do this, i highly recommend removing the battery!

 

[NorCalDoug]

Yep. I'm definitely removing the battery next time around.

It's not difficult, just damned hard to reach what you need to reach if you have big mitts like some of us do.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Yep. I'm definitely removing the battery next time around.

It's not difficult, just damned hard to reach what you need to reach if you have big mitts like we do.

Copy That! Big/Fat Hands make this job a !#~$!$

Also, i notice the engine runs a lot quiter now. I thought it was the alternator or waterpump on its way out, but it turned out to be the belts! Woo Hoo!

 

[Jesse Berdinka]

"Given that this is my DD, I'd be VERY concerned with me doing this w/o some first time guidance. Lack of mechanical confidence is what it boils down to I guess."

I'm a mechanic and I find that I'm too stupid to know what I can screw up and attempt almost anything including a valve adjustment and birf job.

PLEASE take out the battery and tray. It's really fast and it gives you a load more room to the bolts and generally improves visibility.

What IS the best way to work deep in the bowels of your truck? I'm a big guy and while doing the valve job I was terrified of breaking something sitting on the front of the truck like that. I've heard that some people put a board across the fenders, but that seems like it could cause damage too.

 

[spartan]

If you wanna change belts - read this...

Take off the belt protection plate with four 12MM bolts and access alternator belt tension locking bolt from underneath the truck to loosen and resecure. Don't even try to get at it from the top. Gotta do this to get AC belt off and a new one on anyway.

Access alternator pivot bolt to loosen from top of engine compartment. Easy to see and a three inch extension will fit perfect.

Once you have the alternator pivot and tension locking nuts slightly loose, adjust the the tension on the alternator belts by taking off the front drivers side wheel well curtain and access from there. Easy shot - you can see it plain as day - it's a straight shot - use a 12" to 15" extension and 12MM socket to loosen and tighten.

Once you get your new belts on, perform intial tension by hand with a long fixed socket wrench handle - rotate socket straight up and turn it by hand - from wheel well until belts are snug, then put a wrench on it and finish it up. About one full turn. If you don't want to buy a gauge - belts should flex about 1/4 inch with solid pressure.

Best tip I have here - replace OEM alternator tensioning lock bolt with nice square head 13MM bolt instead of the rounded shoulder POS that comes on the truck. I ruined mine the first time I ever tired to break it loose with hand tools working from the top of the engine compartment like a DA and once I got it out, promptly replaced it with a nice sharp shouldered bolt that tightens and loosens oh so easy.

Just put on a full new set of belts today. I replace belts every 15K. Cheap PM. Now if that birfield was just so easy. It's coming up soon.

I use a 3/8" air wrench for this job. I have done it by hand and it's a royal PITA. Without a compressor and air wrench it's worth paying someone else to do in my opinion unless you're broke like me and have no options.

 

[spartan]

As long we're at it - can somebody post a diagram of the proper belt installation.

I know it seems stupid, but stupid is as stupid does. Won't hurt so everybody knows, especially if the belts got thrown and you are working from scratch like I did the first time I did belts on an FJ60 20 years ago.

 

[elmariachi]

Next I loosen the tensioner screw. Based on the various posts I read, I knew to loosen this guy until it's almost completely out. What a major pain in the ass it is to get to the end of this tensioner screw!!! I tried reaching in from the top and from below. There’s no good way to get to this thing. It's just in a very crappy location. Maybe I'll remove the battery box next time.

I found that with all three of my 3/8" drive extensions end to end, I could easily come in through the fender curtain and get straight on the tensioning bolt head. Did you try that? Not to agitate you after a battle, but I changed all my belts in 15 minutes last time going that route.

Jim

 

[NorCalDoug]

I found that with all three of my 3/8" drive extensions end to end, I could easily come in through the fender curtain and get straight on the tensioning bolt head. Did you try that? Not to agitate you after a battle, but I changed all my belts in 15 minutes last time going that route.

Jim

I know it won't take me 3 hours next time...but 15 minutes? Dude -- you're fast

 

[NorCalDoug]

I was asked by a forum member to post pics -- well, the pics I took came out like crap with the exception of one. I was also asked for tech info from the FSM, so I'm including that info as requested.

This first pic shows the alternator pivot bolt that I missed -- the one that caused me to fight with moving the alternator -- it's circled in red.

The second pic is a snapshot of the FSM for drive belt removal.

 

[NorCalDoug]

The following pics are close ups for the drive belt removal instructions in the FSM.
Obviously you're going to stop after belt removal...not generator/alternator removal

You will not need to mess with the PS resevoir, skip that step.

Make note of the locations of the various bolts/screws in the diagrams.

 

[elmariachi]

I know it won't take me 3 hours next time...but 15 minutes? Dude -- you're fast

Oh, I have only done it about 30 times, twice by the side of the road. But I should have NEVER posted that. My good luck and karma changed and it came back in the form of a 3 hour PHH butt-whipping a couple days later.