Well I need a water pump, and I've got the new one here on the floor next to me. The problem: The belt. I can't even see the dang tensioner. Has anyone successfully removed a belt with a steering stabalizer on the truck? I can't figure out how to get at this thing, and I really don't want to take the stabalizer down. I hear guys saying they can do the water pump in 20 minutes. I can't figure out how to get to the belt and I've been looking at it for 20 minutes.

help?

 

2wd or 4wd? You can't reach up w/ 1/2" wrench and pull down the tensioner, then just flip the belt off the alt pulley?

 

It's a 4wd. I can't get the wrench near it. I'm guessing that the steering stabilizer has to come down. It's in front of the anti-sway bar and directly under the tiny open area between the fan shroud and the pulleys.

 

Nope, nothing has to be moved, it's very easy to access, are you sure you looking at the right parts?

 

take the 4 fan shroud bolts off, 2 on the top, 2 on the bottom. fold it back to give yourself some room.

 

No. Leave the fan alone. I just took my wp off this weekend cause it had a weeping gasket.

From under the truck, use a 3/8 ratchet with a little cheater. I beleive you use it in tighten mode. Swing the ratchet over and slip the belt off of the ac pulley.

Then go up top and slip it off of the wp, then use a 10mm socket to remove the two bolts, slip a long screwdriver between the wp housing and the flat pulley. Pull it to you a bit and it will pop right off.

Clean the surface, install new wp. Slip belt over wp. Go below, switch ratchet gears, slip the belt back over the ac pulley.

Make sure you look at all pulleys cause the belt could slip off a diffrent pulley while it's loose. After this, youll be able to change wp's in less than 5 minutes once the coolant is drained.

You might be due for fresh coolant. Now would be a good time with winter coming one. Make sure you use HOAT compatible. I beleive Zerox G-05 is the right stuff. ONLY USE HOAT. The Prestone compatible with all is NOT HOAT compatible. Dont beleive the label.

 

Is it a 1/2" or 3/8"? I can't find a straight answer.

I'm going to go get a tensioner bar like I've needed for years now. I might be able to slide that in between the steering stabilizer and the sway bard to reach it.

 

try it from the top!!!

 

It's a 3/8" square hole in the tensioner. From the bottom, it's simple to access. The cheater bar will give you a bit more leverage and a little more reach to get it. I have a 3/8" ratchet with a cheater permanently pinched onto it. Thats exactly what I used. Try it how I said above. I just did this Saturday morning. Very simple .

 

It is 3/8", sorry about that!

 

Well I got a serp tool, and had to use the 1/2" extension adapter. It's not 3/8" on my truck. The problem was that there was no way to get a ratchet on it because of the steering stabilizer bar being in the way. Once I got the serp tool between the stabilizer and the sway bar it was no big deal. Guys with small arms and hands can probably breeze through this, but my big hands just don't fit in some of these places. I got it done, took 10 minutes to change the pump and 1.5 hours to change the belt. That was fun. Now I've run into another problem. The block heater is popping the circuit breaker as soon as I plug it in. I had it plugged in while I was draining the radiator, and didn't think about it until it had drained completely. I unplugged it and didn't think twice. After I got the truck put back together and filled with fluid, I took it for a test run. All was good, and it took 5 gallons on the nose. I plugged it in and "pop". Dang it. I figured all the water was shorting the plug, so I left it until today. I tried plugging it in this morning and 'pop'. Dang it. I drove it about 60 miles today, and then plugged it in when I got home, hoping it would dry out. 'Pop'. Dang it. So I thought I got water into my fancy marine plug I have rigged up, and ran to the local truck shop for a new cord. I plugged that in and ran the wire. 'Pop'. Super angry dang it. So the only thing that I can think of is that having it plugged in without coolant burned up the heater. So now I have to replace the heater element, or is there some other possibility that I don't know of? That'll cost me. I couldn't find any Zerex G05, so I got Fleetguard's extended premix to the tune of nearly $100. I'm sure I'll loose at least a gallon doing the dang heater element.

Thoughts and well deserved whippings?

 

Really appreciate this thread. Just saved me a bundle of time and $ by doing it myself. Not sure I would have had the guts to do it without this thread. Thanks everyone!

 

No problem. I know how frustrating it can be trying to sort through all of the odd and hyjacked threads to find good info.