I just replaced the belt on my V6. The old belt was stretched and easy to handle. But the new belt was stiff and wouldn't wrap around pulleys. I had a hard time this evening.

I wonder if there is a universal tip to get a new belt on the pulleys. I used jumper cable clamps to hold the belt to pulleys. It helped but there has to be an easier way. Thank you.

 

Did you use a break over on the tensioner?

 

Huh, I've never heard of that. I've had the belt on and off a 98 V6 plenty thanks to this, -







It was my daughters graduation present.

Anyway, I don't recall having problems with on or off. Every time I change a belt on these Fords, I swap out the tensionor and idler. The tensioner is recommended, the idler I just do, unless I have a Napa $20 bearing in it. Use just a breaker bar to manipulate the belt. I have to look at the sticker on my cover to remember routing on the V8. But no extra clamps. Yea it will slip off if you don't keep it a little taunt.

 

OK I get it. Basically, I need to have a little more experience. That seems to be the message from both of you.

By the way, Jbrew, I am just curious if you purposefully put mud on the car to surprise your daughter. I would call before and after a transformation. Good work.

 

The clean pick is when she first got it. She got all smart one night and made it all the back to the bonfire. Got it stuck right where she parked. Her buddys pulled her back to dry land after the party. The way I understood it, she didn't say a peep, just leaned from side to side attempting to keep all 4 wheels on the ground. Guys with inappropriate influences riding along in her trucks bed, kept harassing the lead truck pulling her back, -faster faster FASTER. So yea, - she claimed total innocence and the dog as her witness

 

Oh, B4 and After were reversed. What a surprise. I think you did the right thing, that is, to buy her a pickup. I bought my daughter a sedan and she flooded it by crossing a puddle in a torrential rain. I should have bought a pickup for her. Oh, well, another lesson I learned.

 

LOL, must of been a big puddle lol.

My kid sold that truck, bought an older F250 4x4 w/35" tires, hung a rebel flag across the back window and got 9 mpg until she was broke. Kids

I still remember the age.

 

I just did mine yesterday. I replaced the tensioner and pulley as well. It was a wrestling match to keep it all lined up taunt and fitting on the last pulley. I had to try 4 or 5 times, it kept wanting to hop a rib over on me on one pulley or another.

A few tips for people who haven't done it much before, I went underneath and lined the belt up on the pulleys. They stayed but using a bungie or something to keep tension on wouldn't be a bad idea. Disconnecting the fan made it all much easier, easy to do too, just four short bolts and you can move the fan around.

I bought a long 1/2" breaker bar from harbor Freight for $15 a while back and it was very helpful to have that kind of leverage.

sidebar: The Pittsburg PRO line of wrenches are pretty good. Has to be marked PRO, the regular line is junk) I've read from pro mechanics that say so and they have top of the line MAC and Snap Ons but love the composite 72 tooth ratchets. I have all three sizes and they've been great.