Belt replacement?

jdumont · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 3:21 pm

Hey all, how hard is it to replace the serp. belt in the 02 KJ? Ill prob be doing it this weekend as a precaution. I will be hitting 70K tomorrow prob... Thanks in advance.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 3:51 pm

Easy as pie. Use a ratchet to loosen the tensioner and pull the belt off. Put the new one on.

WV(0)IIIIIII(0) · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 3:52 pm

It is a very simple operation. You should only need a 15mm socket (I think) and a long handle wrachet or a breaker bar. Use the 15 mm on the tensioner and follow the belt guide under the hood. If you have done any off-roading that involed mud than I would replace the tensioner while I was at it, since the bearings inside of that wheel are crappy.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:00 pm

It was easy to take off for me, and easy to put on! It say it was easy to take off because one day I was cruising down the highway and I hear a loud bang, and my low battery light comes on. So I pullover and my serp belt is gone. I look behind me and there is bit and pieces of my serp belt on the road. So I had to drive to an autozone without a/c, alternator, power steering. That was not a very good idea, because without a water pump my engine really overheated. If your at 70K, I highly recommend your replace it very soon. B/c mine ripped at around 65K.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:21 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

It was easy to take off for me, and easy to put on! It say it was easy to take off because one day I was cruising down the highway and I hear a loud bang, and my low battery light comes on. So I pullover and my serp belt is gone. I look behind me and there is bit and pieces of my serp belt on the road. So I had to drive to an autozone without a/c, alternator, power steering. That was not a very good idea, because without a water pump my engine really overheated. If your at 70K, I highly recommend your replace it very soon. B/c mine ripped at around 65K.

Wow, Id say that engine got toasty real fast!

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:09 pm

Yeah...I had to drive around 10 miles. Have you ever driven a car without power steering. It's tuff, especially when you try to park or turn a corner.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:30 pm

I posted a long thread on this as I lost my belt on the GSParkway coming home from a Jamboree last month. The reason I posted is that there are THREE new belt part numbers since our KJ's were built. They changed the sizes of the belts. And, they also make the tensioner and idler pulleys smaller now.

If your belt went or is being replaced from normal wear, AND THE PULLEYS ARE FINE (ie, the bearings are not worn at all), then just replace the belt with whatever they give you at the parts counter should be fine. But if the pulleys are worn (mine disintegrated), then you should replace the entire tensioner assembly and be sure to get the new, smaller belt that comes with it. The assembly is just under $100 and easy as pie to put in - if you don't have the tow package mechanical fan that is.

jdumont · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:46 pm

Thanks a lot guys. Im gonna def tackle this this weekend. How should I check for worn bearing in the idler. Just the standard spin slowly with my fingers and feel for grittyness.... ?

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:49 pm

jdumont wrote:

Thanks a lot guys. Im gonna def tackle this this weekend. How should I check for worn bearing in the idler. Just the standard spin slowly with my fingers and feel for grittyness.... ?

Yup, listen, feel, all that good stuff.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:27 pm

I'll show you what my worn pulley looked like:

And my favorite old/new, before/after side-by-side comparison:

Yes, those are the same parts!

I put a new pulley and belt on and made the 150 mile trip home. The next day, the belt flew off because the other pulley (idler) bearings also fell apart, LITERALLY. That's when I went out and replaced that whole 2 pulley assembly and got yet another new belt.

WV(0)IIIIIII(0) · **Posted:** Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:28 am

Adam did you lose both the idler and tensioner?

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:34 am

Yes. First the tensioner pulley disintegrated on the highway as you see in the pictures. Then the next day, the belt flew off (2 miles from home thankfully) and when I got it home, I saw that the original metal idler pulley was loose. When I took it apart, there were only about 4 ball bearings in there! I got a new part (now plastic) and another new belt just for insurance. After about a week, I started to smell burning rubber. I feared it was the belt going again, so I ran into the dealership that I was in front of when the smell started (literally, I was in front of a Jeep dealership).

That's when the number chasing began. "This supercedes that." etc.

3 auto parts stores and 2 dealerships later, I bought a whole new tensioner assembly complete with new pulleys, and a new belt (the newest, most superceding part #) and put the whole thing on.

Been fine ever since (is there an icon for knocking wood?) :-)r

The last thing that a shop foreman said to me before I took out my credit card, was that the sealed bearings on those pulleys don't usually go - not at 52k anyway. Not unless they are being overstressed by a tensioner assembly that has gone bad. THAT made sense to me. So, instead of risking getting stuck again with my kids, I spent the $130 or so on new parts. That was my 3rd belt.

I was able to get my money back from Pep Boys on one of the belts. I went in with the used belt and said: "this part number is wrong as per the dealer. it's no good so please gimme my $$." They did!

Stuhlie · **Posted:** Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:23 pm

i beleive I will be changing mine out before my road camping . thanks for the post guys

saxdogg · **Joined:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:26 pm **Posts:** 199

I hesitate to bring up a dead thread....BUT

I noticed the good writeups and pics for changing the belt, but none had the tow package, and I've heard others say it was more difficult. Is it just a matter of removing it the same way and having to contort it around the fan blades, or did you actualy have to remove other stuff??

Thanks

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:55 pm

I would assume you just have to squeeze past the fan to get your wrench in there. You'll also have to get the belt around the fan. GOOD LUCK!

saxdogg · **Joined:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:26 pm **Posts:** 199

I knew you'd answer this one Adam! I want you to know I haven't forgotten you from maxima.org back in the day! LOL

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:17 pm

saxdogg wrote:

I knew you'd answer this one Adam! I want you to know I haven't forgotten you from maxima.org back in the day! LOL

You must have the wrong Adam. I've never had a Maxima.

saxdogg · **Joined:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:26 pm **Posts:** 199

Maybe so...I thought I'd mentioned it before at one time....could have been a different forum.

jp :oops:

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:50 am

VWVortex?

MPV?

Benz?

I always use the same handle though.

Belt replacement?

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