RTH - loosening the alternator belts

[rhyary]

I am trying to loosen the alternator belts.
I removed the battery and battery tray to gain access.
I loosen the 14mm pivote bolt.
I loosen the adjustment screw.
But the alternator is not moving and the belts are still tight.
What am I mssing.

I am assuming I should be pusing down on it to get it closer to the engine.

Rami

 

[Beowulf]

There is a lock bolt that keeps the adjustment screw from turning. Be sure you have that one loose. The adjustment screw is a long one and takes a lot of turning. Use a 1/4" air ratchet if you have it... makes things go much faster. A gear wrench will also work.

-B-

 

[rhyary]

The adjustment screw is is turning (12mm) and is loose, should I continue to turn it eventhough it is loose already.

 

[rhyary]

Picuture of adjuster screw.

In the picture, I am turning the bolt pointed by the right (low) most arrow.

 

[vt92]

You also need to make sure that the 2nd bolt from the left (in your picture) is loose. Also, you may need to use a length of pipe or something of that nature to carefully apply some leverage to the alternator so that it will move.

 

[rhyary]

Thanks vt92.
I did not loosen that bolt. I will do it today after work.
Should I be unscrewing these bolts in sequence?
Which one first?
Should I screw back the adjuster, loosen the second bolt from the left, and then loosen the adjuster?

 

[Buckru]

There are only three bolts to loosen. The two you have done and the lock nut (second from left in the picture). As an fyi, try going at the lock nut from underneath by removing the skid plate. Also, the tensioner bolt is most easily accessed by removing the front skirt in the ds wheel well. Don't even need to remove the tire.

Buck Buchanan

 

[rhyary]

Thanks Buck. Since I removed the battery an battery tray, the bolts are accessible from the top. I am under the assumption that the Alternator did not move to release the tension because I did not loosen the lock nut. I will try this this afternoon.

 

[Rookie2]

Be aware that even with all the appropriate bolts loosened, the alternate probably won't rotate freely. I had to give my a few light taps with the hammer to get to swing.


Rookie2

 

[rhyary]

Rookie2,
I have a big rubber mallet, sounds perfect to what you are describing.
I saw it at NAPA the other day and it looked like it would be useful for something so I got it.

 

[sjcruiser]

I'll bet that loosening the top bolt in the picture would get your alternator going.

Cheers,
Frank.

 

[NorCalDoug]

make sure you loosened the right bolt. what I thought was the pivot bolt was not...once I found the right one, the alt moved easily.

sequence doesn't matter much...as long as they're all loose.

 

[sjcruiser]

make sure you loosened the right bolt. what I thought was the pivot bolt was not...once I found the right one, the alt moved easily.

sequence doesn't matter much...as long as they're all loose.

I know that was going to sound weird but only when I cracked it loose, the alternator on mine swung easily.

 

[rhyary]

When I came home, the belts were loose. I think that overnight the weight of the alternator moved it down.

I did open the pivote bolt. As a matter of fact, it was loose to begin with. I think the mechanic at the dealer forgot to tighten it when they replaced the belts few months a go.

Anyway, I opened the lock bolt and it moved fine.
got the belt loose and got back on the "replace fan clutch" project
This thread can be closed. Thanks everyone that helped.
Rami

 

[donphillipe]

How do I tighten the belt

This just started happening. When I gun the gas the belts squeal a little and for a second the alternator charging level dips to 0. I checked the belts and they are not very tight. I have the FSM but I don't see the photo in the FSM that I see in this attached small photo. Also I am not able to see the attached photo to this thread for it is too small. I am on vacation and need to tighten this belt today before I start on my long trip home. Can someone point to larger image (page in the FSM?) and a step by step tightening procedure using the cross reference to a larger photo to help me?

THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[Beowulf]

The alternator is the tensioner. There is a looong bolt that is below the alternator. If you are standing in front of the truck looking toward the rear and looking at the alternator, the tensioning bolt is on the right side and below the alternator. It is a little tight in there with the battery, but just for tightening I wouldn't try to remove the battery and box. Wiggle your arms down in there and righty-tighty.

-B-

 

[donphillipe]

Reconfirming belt tightening procedure

OK, to reconfirm. I extracted that photo above and blew it up with my viewing program. to where my failing eyes can see it. Lets say for example that the arrow on the top is #1, and on the bottom from left to right the arrows are #2 - #5.

Would I tighten the bolt next to arrow #5 without loosening any other bolt in order to tighten the belt?

Sorry but I have never worked on this part of the car before and just can't seem to figure out how this works because I can't see it and I can't find an illustration in my FSP that clearly identified how it works either.

While I am bumming answers, do you know what size socket I need for it?

 

[RedTacoma]

Don
Hopefully 94 is same way as your truck

On the top picture you can see where locking bolt and adjusting bolts are. Do not touch pivot bolt!!
Ok look at bottom picture. Socket is put on the locking bolt (one facing front of the truck and located under the alternator.
Loosen that one up to the point that you can turn by fingers. Dont remove it just loosen up.
Adjusting bolt is to the right of locking bolt but faces the driver side fender. Sort of behind the belts. Put wrench on it (wrench should point to the front of the truck and turn the bolt to tighten the belts (wrench is going from the pointing to front > over the bolt > to pointing of the rear of the truck. Make a full turn for bolt.
Once you complete the turn grab your water pump pulley with both hands and try to turn counter clockwise (left turn for you). If pulley slips under the belts make another turn on adjusting bolt.
Check pulley again. Repeat that until you can not turn (slip) water pump pulley anymore.
Then tighten your locking bolt . Make it tight but not that you would broke it.
In 500 -1000 miles you may have to re tighten the belts little bit. You will know when they gonna slip little bit on the startup making squeak sound.
HTH