Idler Tension Pulley Wheel

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amg61

Guest
1996 D1 - 113K miles.

I am pretty sure the squeal I have coming from under the hood only when I am idling is due to the idler tension pulley and I am planning on just replacing the wheel (as I have read others have done this). The belt is relatively new and looks fine. I can get a metal wheel for the pulley from Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts for $18-$25. I have researched this on Dweb and will give it a shot, but everytime I try something on my rig, it's the first time, so I am not sure how to go about this.

I have read I can use a 15mm socket with a breaker bar to move the tensioner to the right, so I can get the serpentine belt off, correct? I am guessing there is a separate nut holding the wheel onto the pulley and that is the nut I need to loosen to get the wheel off, but if so, I am not sure what size socket I need and if the nut is facing forward or backward? Sorry, if this sounds basic, but again, this is all new to me. Also, do I need to fully remove the belt or just loosen it off the tensioner?

Thanks.
 
roverover

roverover

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Feb 27, 2005
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Lancaster PA
www.UsedLandRoverParts.com
The Dayco pulley they have is slightly bigger so with a new belt may be a chore to get on I would go to NAPA, or somewhere that sells a better quality bearing than the Chinese crap at a-zone or Advanced and just remove the little spring clip hammer the old bearing out using a socket and back in with a socket the same diameter as the outer ring on the bearing. You will have a much better result as the Dayco uses a shit bearing as well The bearing you want is a 6203-2RSJ The 2RSJ means 2 rubber seals so if that part veries just make sure it is sealed on both sides
 
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D Chapman

Guest
I've never had any luck replacing the bearing. For one, you can't get the fucking retainer ring out. Who ever put this type ring in instead of a standard snap-ring is a fucking moron.

I did get the clip out, once. Then when I went to press the bearing out, the entire wheel broke into 3 pieces.
 

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amg61

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roverover said:
The Dayco pulley they have is slightly bigger so with a new belt may be a chore to get on I would go to NAPA, or somewhere that sells a better quality bearing than the Chinese crap at a-zone or Advanced and just remove the little spring clip hammer the old bearing out using a socket and back in with a socket the same diameter as the outer ring on the bearing. You will have a much better result as the Dayco uses a shit bearing as well The bearing you want is a 6203-2RSJ The 2RSJ means 2 rubber seals so if that part veries just make sure it is sealed on both sides
Click to expand...


OK, see I wanted to stay away from swapping out the bearings. (As D Chapman said above) I have used the search feature on Dweb and every post about the idler bearing claims how hard it is to get that spring clip off, plus I have never removed or repacked any bearings and to tell you the truth, I am not sure I want to go to that level. What do you mean "make sure it is sealed on both sides?" And I don't know what you mean by "hammering out the old bearing with a socket and putting it back in with a socket". Also, I don't know where exactly that spring clip is??? Sorry, if I don't understand, but I am not visualizing it well. I appreciate your advice, but I think swapping the wheel is much easier than the bearings, though I understand your point. Has anyone actually just swapped in a new wheel, and if so, is it OK?

I still don't have an answer about how to do this wheel swap, if I do it.
 
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D Chapman

Guest
It's the same 15mm bolt that you loosen the tention with that removes the pulley. You just turn it the other way...

The Dayco wheel you're referring to will work fine.
 
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amg61

Guest
D Chapman said:
It's the same 15mm bolt that you loosen the tention with that removes the pulley. You just turn it the other way...

The Dayco wheel you're referring to will work fine.
Click to expand...


OK, so it's the same bolt. Thanks!!! Just wanted to make sure I was turning the right bolt. Does the whole pulley come out, or just the wheel, when I loosen this bolt? Of course, I am assuming it's the idler pulley and not the water pump or alternator. Let's hope swapping this wheel will solve the squeal. The noise only occurs while idling. Once I hit the accelerator, it goes away.
 
mbrummal

mbrummal

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2009
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Willow Spring, NC
It has a washer/spacer holding on the pulley. It comes off with the bearing and everything. You should only have to put the bolt into the new pulley and tighten it back up.

It may also be a good idea to check the smoothness/noise/play in the shaft the alternator and water pump make when turned by hand once you take the belt off
 
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amg61

Guest
roverover said:
The clips are stupid but come off easy enough with a small bladed slotted screw driver. The Dayco will work fine it just won't last long.
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Where are the clips? I have a small slotted screwdriver, but are the clips hidden? I may attempt the bearing replacement when I remove the wheel and see how hard it is to do. If you look at the picture of the wheel in post #3 above you can see that bearing wedged in there very tightly, and I don't see any clips, unless that black outer circle in the center part of the wheel is the clip?? Who knows, I am a total novice.

However, if I do need to put the Dayco wheel on, I was wondering if the original wheel has slightly raised rims at the outer edges of the wheel to help keep the belt centered on the wheel. I know the Dayco wheel does not have edges and is a completely flat surface.
 
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mbrummal

mbrummal

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2009
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Willow Spring, NC
amg61 said:
However, if I do need to put the Dayco wheel on, I was wondering if the original wheel has slightly raised rims at the outer edges of the wheel to help keep the belt centered on the wheel. I know the Dayco wheel does not have edges and is a completely flat surface.
Click to expand...

No, the grooved pulleys keep the belt centered.
 
mbrummal

mbrummal

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Jan 23, 2009
2,894
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Willow Spring, NC
This is the best example I could find of the clip, only this one is a LOT bigger (and the pulley doesn't have the slots to help get the clip out)

I think its the same kind..:D
 

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roverover

roverover

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Feb 27, 2005
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www.UsedLandRoverParts.com
Yes except the clip has a fairly steep angle not a groove like that pic. You may need 2 little drivers one to open the clip and one to raise it out. It is a lot easier than it sounds. And don't try and press it out just rap it good with a hammer and socket with something supporting the pulley that will allow the bearing to pass through and as I said use a proper size socket and hammer to put it back in and make sure it is straight. Then use the little drive to ease the clip back in and you're done
 
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amg61

Guest
roverover said:
Yes except the clip has a fairly steep angle not a groove like that pic. You may need 2 little drivers one to open the clip and one to raise it out. It is a lot easier than it sounds. And don't try and press it out just rap it good with a hammer and socket with something supporting the pulley that will allow the bearing to pass through and as I said use a proper size socket and hammer to put it back in and make sure it is straight. Then use the little drive to ease the clip back in and you're done
Click to expand...


check out what thiis guy did to get the clip out. he filed down a groove in the wheel so he could get some leverage on the clip. check out the 4th picture in this thread. good idea?

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=3904&mode=threaded&pid=40231


and i read in some other forums about people putting a penny or washer at the 9 o'clock position behind the whole tensioner unit to help relieve the squeal??? this was for a TDI i think.
 
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ptschram

ptschram

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Sep 27, 2004
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Before we start into this mess, let's get out our trusty stethoscope and find EXACTLY where the noise is coming from.

It could be many things.

The snap ring is a royal PITA! Chapman may have had a harder time than most, but it's not uncommon (and especially on a 15 year-old truck) for the snap-rings to be rusted in place so securely that a nuclear explosion wouldn't budge it.

Go ahead, buy just the bearing and give it a shot. If you can't get it out, you can return the bearing.

And, for those claiming the Dayco part won't last very long, who do you think made the damned thing for Rover in the first place? Gee, do you suppose it might just have been, lemme think, oh yeah it was DAYCO! If you have ever taken the tensioner off, you'd notice the Dayco legend on the assembly!
 
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D Chapman

Guest
I could not tell a difference in the Dayco and the OEM. Same weight, same feel, etc...

I don't know about the bearing. Never looked. But I put it on my truck in 2005 and it's still on there.....not sure how many miles, though.
 
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