Hello All

I was in the process of changing my oil yesterday, when I notice my drive belts looked like they were in bad shape.

I am basically wondering has anyone changed their drive belts themselves? I read the write up on installing a UDP, which explains changing the belts and the process doesn’t seem too bad, but certain parts do worry me, I don’t have air tools or a lift (unfortunately). I plan on getting some air tools (my air ratchet is on the way, but will still need a compressor and money is tight so it may be a while).

Has anyone done this themselves and can testify as to how the process went and things to becareful/watch out for? I may try to attempt this myself if in the new couple of weeks I can squeeze out some money to get a compressor to go with my air ratchet, then think I would be in a better and much shape to get the process done with less stress, and breaking my arm trying to get those bolts off cause I know there rusty I saw them!

Thanks all.

 

Well, I can half help you anyway...the main drive belt (serpentine, does everything but the PS) is super easy to replace, but you'll need atleast a jack. Just raise the right side, undo the front of the wheel well splash guard so you can get around in there. Then, just loosen the bolt in the centre of the idler/tensioner pully and from the top, loosen off the adjuster that attaches to it. Once it's backed off the belt should come off quite easily. As for the PS (which is behind the main drive belt), you have to loosen the PS pump itself, AFAIK, and looks a little tougher to get at....(and it's significantly less critical, hence why I didn't bother).
Hope that helps....and you really don't need air tools for it (heck, an air gun might not even fit in there)

Cheers!

 

Air tools wont really help you. There's NO room to work down there for the PS belt.

I've done this twice and all I can tell you is that the PS belt is a serious B!TCH.

It's easier if you have an aftermarlet Y-pipe. Actually, I dont think I could do it on a car with the stock Y.

Anyway, good luck.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll try your suggestion this weekend, try it out friday so I have to weekend to work on her if something goes wrong (hopefully not). So this is basically changing the main belt (serpentine). Pardon my lack of knowledge but what is PS. I'll look up prices for the belts and plan 4 this weekend.


Just my luck I still have the stock Y pipe, but if I cant take off the Y-pipe that should free up some room right?

Since that PS belt was such a pain to get out, do you have any tricks to getting it off, or just patientes and inchin it off slowly?

 

Thanks for the info, I'll try your suggestion this weekend, try it out friday so I have to weekend to work on her if something goes wrong (hopefully not). So this is basically changing the main belt (serpentine). Pardon my lack of knowledge but what is PS. I'll look up prices for the belts and plan 4 this weekend.


Just my luck I still have the stock Y pipe, but if I cant take off the Y-pipe that should free up some room right?

Since that PS belt was such a pain to get out, do you have any tricks to getting it off, or just patientes and inchin it off slowly?

 

Thanks for the info, I'll try your suggestion this weekend, try it out friday so I have to weekend to work on her if something goes wrong (hopefully not). So this is basically changing the main belt (serpentine). Pardon my lack of knowledge but what is PS. I'll look up prices for the belts and plan 4 this weekend.


Just my luck I still have the stock Y pipe, but if I cant take off the Y-pipe that should free up some room right?

Since that PS belt was such a pain to get out, do you have any tricks to getting it off, or just patientes and inchin it off slowly?

 

Hey, easy on the submit button....

 

it takes me 10 minutes to change the maxima belts.. a big trick is to just cut the old power steering belt off and jump the new one on.

 

Did you jump in on the crank pulley side or the PS side? No problem dealing with the tension in the new belt (eg: it being stiff). I want to give it a shot, but I'd hate to cut the old one off and not be able to get the new one on...

 

what does it mean by 'jumping'?

 

jump it on the ps side much much easier, just watch your fingers. There is no problem with the tension. All the other techs do this at me job and no problems

 

My bro didn't use air tools on his 2k Max, which should be similar to our 4th gens. I'll be doing my belts in a month or so. I hope there's a good writeup by then... or I'll hafta do one myself.
Jae

 

whoops.......

 

hey just wonding about how much the main drive belt would cost, mine didn't look like it was in too good of shape last time i checked so i thought it might be a good idea to replace. o and i love workin on my car, its a win win

 

Just taking a stab here, someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I think 'jumping' means placing the belt into proper position on all but the PSP pulley. You then place a portion of the belt onto the pulley into the middle, and rotate the pulley to pull that part around until it's completely on. It's hard to describe, sort of. Think of changing a vacuum cleaner belt, if you've ever done that before.

 

I bought both belts long ago and they're still sitting in my garage brand new. IIRC, the drive belt was around $25. A very experienced former-regular on the forum recommended Gates belts, which is what my local NAPA had (their own brand, mfd. by Gates).

 

yup... i changed mine not too long ago and that was a ***** to do

 

YEp. Just as you were trying to put a bicycle chain back on the sprocket.

 

Sorry about the heavy posting, the internet was acting up and posted more time that I thought, 56K really sucks.

Anyway I havent changed the belts but I did some more examining and reading. I have a few shots of the belts and I know there in bad condition and in need of changing, based on how they look, does it look like they will give soon? or they need changing but wont snap on me in the next week or something. I'm going to change them soon anyway but very curious on how bad they really are.

 

bumpy. . .

 

Man you have the cover off and the car up in the air already and able to have the time to take the picture...Just order the belts and change them..It takes a 14mm open wrench and a 14mm socket wrench...15 min and your done...Your already there from then on is cake

-matt

 

I just did this today. Because I always screw up wherever possible it took me three hours, but next time it would take maybe 40 mins.

1. If you've got smaller hands you can slide your hand past the stock y-pipe and get a 14mm open-ended wrench on the bolt at the back of the power steering (PS) pump. My bolt wasn't too tight and was fairly easy to loosen.

2. There are two bolts to loosen on the front of the PS pump.

a) The lower one actually rotates clockwise to lower the PS pump and loosen the belt. Normally, you might think it would go the other way. I spent ages on this part.....

b) The upper one was the toughest for me because there's so little room. I managed to squeeze my hand down from above and get a 12mm open-ended wrench on there. It was tough to get leverage though.

Good luck to anyone who tries this I wanted tension the new belt correctly and the old one was pretty loose so I did it the hard way. Next time I might seriously think about cutting the bastard off.