The spring tensioner that comes off the arm on the fan belt idler pulley is sticking causing the fan belt to run loose and sqeal. I tried spraying lubricant on it and pulled it back and forth but that hasn't helped. Do I just need to replace it?
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thetool
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- Mar 22, 2008
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The old ones had a bronze bushing inside, the newer setup is nylon, both have o-rings to keep th dirt out. The aluminum arm and the pivot bolt get bent over time, and that makes them sticky too. Then the pulley starts to wobble and wears on one side.
I try to talk my customers into replacing the parts from the pulley on down and a new belt. It's just good insurance, seeing what happens if it fails.
I try to talk my customers into replacing the parts from the pulley on down and a new belt. It's just good insurance, seeing what happens if it fails.
Mine is a 2001 model if that helps any. Thanks!
thetool
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2008
- Messages
- 516
Yeah then you most likely have a nylon bushing in the pivot of the aluminum arm. If the aluminum arm is bent, the pulley won't be parallel with the belt and other pulleys, and warrants replacement of the arm and the pivot bolt at least. The arm usually comes with a new bushing already pressed in. Get the new o-rings for either side of the bushing.
I would replace the entire assembly with a new pulley, the spring and the belt.
Good Luck
To get oil in you really need to remove it to clean out the old hard grease from the bolt and the bushing. I remember the 2 O rings, they are needed to help keep the crud out and the grease in.
Sounds like I need to take it off and inspect the parts. Before I do I might go ahead and order the parts. Like working on a lot of things on the Bobcat, it's not the easiest to get to. You guys give good information and I appreciate that. Thank you for your time.
Sometimes you can lossen the bolt thru the arm and spary some Kroil or such into the arm bushing and work the bolt with the socket allen wrech while working the arm back and forth and spraying penetrant into it , do it till it gets freed up --------- The allen headed shoulder bolt that goes thru the tentioner arm gets goulded up and you can sometimes get by if you take it apart and emery paper the shoulder smooth and reassembly it with some never seize , a new nylon bushing is very hard to get in with out screwing it up , if the bushing is bad I get a new arm as tool says ( where ya been Tool) , I have seen many times that from running crooked the plastic pulley wears to one side and wears it thin , it will actually wear the whole edge off the pulley , believe it or not motor mount condition plays an important factor in correct belt tension and even aligment , if the motor is not solid and moves around on the frame it causes belts to be loose and to jump off the pulley when you start rocking the machine around, it can be a bitch trying to put the arm back on the bell housing and getting the spring to line up with the hole while it's under tention , so what I have found to do is loosen up the bolt that goes thru the pulley so that the bolt is flush with the nut , this allows you to rotate the assembly further to where there is no tension working against you , then you tighten it back up after the arm is bolted in place ------belt condition and proper lenght is important on this set up as the swing of the tentioner is very limited and there is no room for error , an after market belt is not the easiest or best way to go , it has to be exact -------- you havn't lived till you strip the allen recess or break the bolt that goes thru the arm off in the bell housing ----------you could write a book on this subject
