Help! - Size belt for bypassing AC?

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:47 am

Long Story : I am supposed to be taking the family up to see my 85yr old grandmother that is now living in a big house on her own since the passing of her sister (my great aunt) at the age of 89 from pancreatic cancer a few weeks ago. Since the day my great aunt was admitted to the hospital myself & the other members of my family have been taking turns staying with my grandmother and helping her get my great aunts affairs in order and effects together, as well as just making sure grandma is ok.

So I have made the drive a few times in the last month, and recently noticed a wrrrr coming from the engine bay, managed to diagnose that its the AC. On the way to work this morning smoke start pouring out of the AC pully, bearing is shot, maybe more. However I really need to make this drive today, and I need to leave almost immediately after work.

Short Story: So any time you guys can save me is greatly appreciated. I am looking for the size belt, and if possible a part# for the belt length needed to bypass the AC so that I can grab one and swap them out on my way home from work.

Sincere Thanks for any assistance.

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:07 am

2002 Liberty Renegade 3.7l

From the research I have been doing, I get different belt lengths and set ups. everything from K060790 - K060825 ( which measures 13/16" x (79 1/2-82)" with six ribs), to a Dayco belt 5050658 (which measures 65.80" 5 rib 6K825)

I can understand both a 79" & 82" beng able to work with adjustement to the tensioner, but a range from 66" - 82", I don't see the tensioner having the ability to eat up 16" difference in slack.

jershoe · **Joined:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:24 pm **Posts:** 68

looks like 82.5"

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f196/cheap- ... %2A-45242/

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:52 am

So I thought I had it all worked out, tried to duck out of work early to grab the belt and do the swap. As soon as I started the jeep I got one puff of smoke out of the AC, and then no smoke, hmmmm, suspected the belt broke, tried the power steering, and sure enough no PS, popped the hood, belt is in pieces. AC pully was soo hot that it melted through the belt after I parked it this morning.

I think I have the belt size worked out, looks like you can use either a 82.5" or a 65.8" belt depending on which routing you use (both will work, but the bonus to the shorter belt is that you do not have to move the AC pully at all. I will make a thread with pics after the weekend.

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2012 2:53 pm

In case anyone is interested for down the road.

Bypass AC Version 1

It has been determined that Version 1 does not work with a 66" belt, and even the 72" belt needed to run this routing causes the belt to rub against itself. So we will just pretend that "Version 1" never existed, there is only a Version 2, and as a result I obviously can't count. Thank you to PUNKROCKPILOT for confirmation that Version 1 is a no go.

Bypass AC Version 2

This way requires more labour, and to make the change permanent it requires more tools/labour, however the belt is easy to find and relatively cheap.

2A)
Part needed, belt K060825 or any 6 rib belt that is 82.5" in length.
Tools, 14mm socket/wrench, pully extractor.
If you have the tools to remove the AC compressor pully, remove it. If the pully is removed the belt has enough clearance and this can be a permanent fix if desired. You are now ready to route the new belt.

2B)
Part needed, belt K060825 or any 6 rib belt that is 82.5" in length.
Tools, 13mm, 14mm, & 15mm socket/wrench, socket extension, pry bar, hammer.

If you do not have the tools needed to remove the AC compressor pully, then you will need to remove all 3 bolts from the AC compressor, two on the front, and one in the rear passenger side. You need to pry free the compressor and work it up so that the bolt hole on the front drivers side barely clears the mount it was originally secured to. As soon as you can slip the bolt through the mounting hole on the compressor and have it line up with the rear hole on the compressor do so. The gently tap the top drivers side of the compressor until the bolt is directly on top of the mount that bolt used to thread into, Tighten the bolt so that it squeezes the compressor over the mount, note this is really the only thing holding the AC compressor in place with this fix, so make sure it is as secure as possible. Place both the front passenger side bolt, and rear passenger side bolts back into the original mount and tighten them so that they prevent the AC compressor from dropping back down (ie the compressor will sit on top of the bolts). The AC compressor pully is now far enough out of the way that you can route the new belt.

Route the new belt as pictured below so that it is around each pully except the tensioner pully (farthest to the left in the picture), Using the 14mm socket/wrench, rotate the bolt at the center of the tensioner pully clockwise causing the tensioner pully to move towards the engine and giving you the room to slip the belt over the pully. Slip the belt over the pully, and then release the tensioner, Done

Note image below shows the AC compressor with the pully removed, =2A.

infernicus · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Same stuff is happening to me.. I might have to go the same route for a bit, thanks for the very detailed info.

501 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 12:35 am

My A/C clutch went up in smoke last night, I tried the 79½" method but the belt was so loose I could remove it without using the tensioner. So this afternoon I picked up an 82½" belt and used method 2B and it so far is working great.

EAGLE01_2002Libby · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:48 am

I have no A/C, but I have a pulley in the place of the A/C pulley/unit. Is it worth it for me to remove the replacement (& useless) pulley off and doing this?

Less friction? maybe? just an idea, any thoughts?

PUNKROCKPILOT · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:26 pm

I had a similar problem and couldnt find the right size belt, but I was able to find the clutch bearing at napa for cheap and it was easy to install. I had the give the part number off the bearing and thats how napa found a replacement.

PUNKROCKPILOT · **Posted:** Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:37 pm

SweepnChoke wrote:

In case anyone is interested for down the road.

Bypass AC Version 1

IMHO this is the preferable way to bypass the AC pully because it does not require moving the AC compressor/removing the pully, thus it can be a permanent change if desired. The draw back is that the belt is harder to find (I was not able to locate 1 so I had to go with option#2).

Part needed, Dayco belt 5050658 (which is 5 rib), or any 5/6 rib belt that is 66" in length.
Tools, 14mm socket/wrench.

Route the new belt as per the diagram below so that the belt is over every pully exept the belt tensioner (#6)

Using the 14mm socket/wrench, rotate the bolt at the center of the tensioner pully clockwise causing the tensioner pully to move towards the engine and giving you the room to slip the belt over the pully. Slip the belt over the pully, and then release the tensioner, Done

Bypass AC Version 2

This is the less preferable way IMHO as it requires more labour, and to make the change permanent it requires more tools/labour, however the belt is easy to find and relatively cheap.

2A)
Part needed, belt K060825 or any 6 rib belt that is 82.5" in length.
Tools, 14mm socket/wrench, pully extractor.
If you have the tools to remove the AC compressor pully, remove it. If the pully is removed the belt has enough clearance and this can be a permanent fix if desired. You are now ready to route the new belt.

2B)
Part needed, belt K060825 or any 6 rib belt that is 82.5" in length.
Tools, 13mm, 14mm, & 15mm socket/wrench, socket extension, pry bar, hammer.

If you do not have the tools needed to remove the AC compressor pully, then you will need to remove all 3 bolts from the AC compressor, two on the front, and one in the rear passenger side. You need to pry free the compressor and work it up so that the bolt hole on the front drivers side barely clears the mount it was originally secured to. As soon as you can slip the bolt through the mounting hole on the compressor and have it line up with the rear hole on the compressor do so. The gently tap the top drivers side of the compressor until the bolt is directly on top of the mount that bolt used to thread into, Tighten the bolt so that it squeezes the compressor over the mount, note this is really the only thing holding the AC compressor in place with this fix, so make sure it is as secure as possible. Place both the front passenger side bolt, and rear passenger side bolts back into the original mount and tighten them so that they prevent the AC compressor from dropping back down (ie the compressor will sit on top of the bolts). The AC compressor pully is now far enough out of the way that you can route the new belt.

Route the new belt as pictured below so that it is around each pully except the tensioner pully (farthest to the left in the picture), Using the 14mm socket/wrench, rotate the bolt at the center of the tensioner pully clockwise causing the tensioner pully to move towards the engine and giving you the room to slip the belt over the pully. Slip the belt over the pully, and then release the tensioner, Done
ied

Note image below shows the AC compressor with the pully removed, =2A.

So I took the advice from this thread and was able to find a 66" belt and I hate to say but this info is wrong. The 66" belt was not even close to fitting according to the diagram routing nor any other routing for that matter. So with great frustration i went to the local auto parts store and tried a few belts til i found one that fit, it was a 72 1/8" belt that fit. So as I put it on and released the tensioner, I found the belt was rubbing on itself because of the idler pulley. When the tensioner is released it drops down far enough so the belt doesnt have the clearance it needs to not touch the belt on the idler pulley. So IMHO option one doesnt work, it just doesnt allow enough clearance for the belt not to rub.
So luckily for me I tried option 2 with the 82" belt and removed the clutch and it worked great.
Also, my above post stated that I got a bearing from napa for the clutch........ I would now advise against that.... it was the bearing from napa that burned up and melted my new clutch and probably my compressor too. So Now, I have no A/C and a bad feeling about napa bearings, but at least the jeep runs!

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:48 am

Thanks for the update on the 66" (or 72") scenerio.

So it appears the short of it is to ignore option 1, doesn't work, stick with option 2.

PUNKROCKPILOT · **Posted:** Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:07 pm

I also looked at a 2002 Libby thinking the crank pulley is a different size or something, but they looked identical to my wifes 2006. So, I wouldn't even try option 1. Option 2 is the only way to go with the 82" belt.

I just thought I would add, that I got my wifes Libby back from the dealer and it was $1200 for a new compressor, receiver/dryer, and a new A/C line. Comes with a 12 mo warranty for parts AND labor. I called napa for a price on a new compressor and they wanted about $650 for a new one, and I was told that the napa warranty is only good if you also replace the receiver/dryer as well. So I dont think I would have saved very much $ with the price of parts and tool rental, just to get a warranty on parts only, no labor. So I just had to suck it up for the big dealership price tag, but my wife is happy and has cool air again.

All3Sports · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:11 am

I had to bypass mine last week, went to get the 82.5 belt and well I guess i re-routed it wrongly but it was wayy too long and it more of the standard size, i went back to and picked up a 70.5 belt and well took a little bit to get it just right but it fit like a charm and has been running great ever since... minus the a/c... :-)r

I can post a pic up of how i routed it in just a sec, the belt does come into contact with itself which I didnt expect and was not shown properly in the diagrams above. ill post a pic up in a sec

All3Sports · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:26 am

okay so basically I did exactly what the diagram in sweep n choke's diagram looks like the only problem is that:

The belt that comes off from 5, the idler pully comes into contact as the belt comes off of 6 the tensioner pully and runs to the water pump in the middle.

Couldnt get any good photos sorry

desert_dweller · **Posted:** Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:26 pm

This smaller belt to bypass the AC worked great. My a/c compressor clutch bearing burnt up and could not continue driving the Liberty. Rather than paying out over $500 for a new a/c compressor and over $100 for recharge (which was the only option here in town), I bypassed the a/c and was able to keep driving. I ordered a new clutch from Amazon for $100 and made the repair the following weekend.

I bought the belt from AutoZone part # 825K6
I bouth the a/c clutch (also includes new pulley with bearing) from here: Amazon

The labor to replace the clutch was not easy for a novice mechanic like me but I got it done.

Help! - Size belt for bypassing AC?

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