4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999) Visit the 4th Generation forum to ask specific questions or find out more about the 4th Generation Maxima.

Need help with drive belt change

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-17-2009, 08:11 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Dexter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 821
Need help with drive belt change

I found this in the how to's

http://www.greghome.com/images/Maxim...DriveBelts.jpg

But the images are almost indecipherable, and last time I tried following them my pulley fell off while driving

I want to do it myself, but I want to make sure I don't fall in the same pitfalls as last time. Any tips?
Dexter is offline  
Old 11-17-2009, 09:16 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
atriuum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 403
Query youtube "4th gen maxima belt". The AC/alternator belt is what you want.
atriuum is offline  
Old 11-17-2009, 09:31 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
iTrader: (17)
 
FallenOne's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Kankakee, Illinois
Posts: 1,895
for one....

Courtesy of Pmohr

http://forums.maxima.org/general-max...niti-fsms.html

and on a side note, whats the problem with doing the belt? its really not that difficult? are you just having problems with the tensioner?
FallenOne is offline  
Old 11-18-2009, 04:40 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
eFLO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 364
dont wanna hijack this thread but its a relevant question; has anyone just cut off the old belt and tried to walk the new one on? so you don't have to mess with the tensioner?
eFLO is offline  
Old 11-19-2009, 06:11 AM
  #5  
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
94CobraR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: High Springs, FL
Posts: 73
The tensioner is easy to work with on the main drive belt. The PS is the PITA to adjust. Really, the main is not that hard. Loosen the main pulley with a 12mm wrench then loosen the adjuster, pull the belt, place the new and tighten the adjuster then the pulley. 10 minute job.
94CobraR is offline  
Old 11-19-2009, 12:38 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Dexter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 821
Originally Posted by FallenOne
for one....

Courtesy of Pmohr

http://forums.maxima.org/general-max...niti-fsms.html

and on a side note, whats the problem with doing the belt? its really not that difficult? are you just having problems with the tensioner?
I d/l the FSM a while back, but thanks. But I think my problem lies with the tensioner, I don't know if last time I unscrewed something I shouldn't have but the tensioner pulley fell off while running thank god it wasn't on the highway or something and just a few feet away from my house. So i'm kind of leery about trying to change the belt myself again (yeah it's been that many miles since and it's due Alt/AC belt is very cracked and I fear it will snap if not taken care of soon, plus I can sense some slack in it which is affecting performance)
Dexter is offline  
Old 11-24-2009, 03:33 PM
  #7  
Newbie - Just Registered
 
dave97gxe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1
I just did both belts and to answer eFLO's question, I backed out the tensioner as far as I could but it was still too difficult to remove the PS belt by hand. I just cut it, and then walked on the new belts as you suggested.
dave97gxe is offline  
Old 11-24-2009, 04:25 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
iTrader: (17)
 
FallenOne's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Kankakee, Illinois
Posts: 1,895
Hey Dex you get it squared away man?
FallenOne is offline  
Old 11-24-2009, 04:50 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
eFLO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 364
Originally Posted by dave97gxe
I just did both belts and to answer eFLO's question, I backed out the tensioner as far as I could but it was still too difficult to remove the PS belt by hand. I just cut it, and then walked on the new belts as you suggested.
glad to hear it worked out for ya, i'm gonna try to do them
eFLO is offline  
Old 11-24-2009, 05:12 PM
  #10  
Member
 
ATTappman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 263
Originally Posted by dave97gxe
I just did both belts and to answer eFLO's question, I backed out the tensioner as far as I could but it was still too difficult to remove the PS belt by hand. I just cut it, and then walked on the new belts as you suggested.
Same here. Would not come off any other way, that I could see.
ATTappman is offline  
Old 11-24-2009, 06:09 PM
  #11  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Originally Posted by dave97gxe
I just did both belts and to answer eFLO's question, I backed out the tensioner as far as I could but it was still too difficult to remove the PS belt by hand. I just cut it, and then walked on the new belts as you suggested.
Sure you backed it out all the way, or had the correct belt on there? With the proper length belt, the PS pump can swivel more than far enough out of the way to make belt removal easy.
pmohr is offline  
Old 11-25-2009, 07:52 AM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Jesse729's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Toledo OH
Posts: 170
Don't forget you need to loosen the 12mm pulley bolt as well as the adjuster bolt on the main belt. The 12mm pulley belt is actually what keeps the tension on the belt. the adjuster is just to hold the belt in place until you can tighten the pulley bolt.

Has anyone ever noticed that the adjustment bolt is threaded backwards? Makes sense though even though you are tightening the bolt you are loosening the pulley
Jesse729 is offline  
Old 11-25-2009, 08:44 AM
  #13  
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
iTrader: (19)
 
njmaxseltd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
Couldn't get my p/s pump lose either, I cut the belt off and walked the new one on with no problem. Took less then 5 min.
njmaxseltd is offline  
Old 11-25-2009, 06:19 PM
  #14  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Originally Posted by Jesse729
Don't forget you need to loosen the 12mm pulley bolt as well as the adjuster bolt on the main belt. The 12mm pulley belt is actually what keeps the tension on the belt. the adjuster is just to hold the belt in place until you can tighten the pulley bolt.

Has anyone ever noticed that the adjustment bolt is threaded backwards? Makes sense though even though you are tightening the bolt you are loosening the pulley
It's a 14mm head, not 12mm.

That nut doesn't hold tension on the belt, it just locks the tensioner pulley in place so it doesn't back off. Tension is placed on the belt via the tensioner bolt.
pmohr is offline  
Old 11-25-2009, 06:59 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
atriuum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 403
Originally Posted by Dexter
I d/l the FSM a while back, but thanks. But I think my problem lies with the tensioner, I don't know if last time I unscrewed something I shouldn't have but the tensioner pulley fell off while running thank god it wasn't on the highway or something and just a few feet away from my house. So i'm kind of leery about trying to change the belt myself again (yeah it's been that many miles since and it's due Alt/AC belt is very cracked and I fear it will snap if not taken care of soon, plus I can sense some slack in it which is affecting performance)

There are a bunch of people on the org whose pulleys flew off, and a few threads about how they were using their spidey vision to find the nuts, bolts, and washers in the dark.... True story. I'm sure they all went and changed their belts right after the experience.

Last edited by atriuum; 11-25-2009 at 07:05 PM.
atriuum is offline  
Old 03-29-2010, 08:54 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
joew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,272
why not use a torque wrench to ensure the pulleys don't fall off?
joew is offline  
Old 03-30-2010, 06:49 AM
  #17  
wxm
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
wxm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by joew
why not use a torque wrench to ensure the pulleys don't fall off?
Unless you have some kind of extension/crowfoot for the torque wrench, there is not enough space to fit a torque wrench with a socket. My doesn't fit, I had to go with the 14mm box wrench instead.
wxm is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tsi6001
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
12
10-03-2022 10:23 PM
kjlouis
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
11
11-24-2018 06:09 AM
MAXSE5SPD
Other For Sale/Wanted
2
08-23-2015 12:06 PM
MaximaDrvr
7th Generation Maxima (2009-2015)
16
08-19-2015 08:20 PM
RealityCheck
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
2
08-05-2015 06:18 AM



Quick Reply: Need help with drive belt change



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:30 AM.