Tensioner idler pulley bearings.....

[TRUKK30]

Has anyone tried to replace the serpentine belt tensioner idler pulley bearings?

[gaspipe]

Yes, they are replaceable. I just did three of them on my F250. Get 6203 2RS bearings. They are less than two bucks each.

[351fifty]

I took the pulley to napa matched it up, $8 later I was pressing out the old and in the new, I shot the bearings out already tho, so it kinda fell off, but sounds like I need more bearings again soon tho, got another squeak in it and one more pulley left that isn't new

[Patrick Feeley]

Sometimes the bearings are almost "molded in". I don't trust the pulley/bearing to stay together after pressing out the old and pressing in a new one (although it is much cheaper). For me, I just like to replace the pulley assembly (I carry spares too ... losing a pulley and belt while on the road with the fiver in tow stinks). Cheers!

[madpogue]

^^^^^ +1; typically the spring wears out before the bearing, or at least, by the time the bearing is going, the spring isn't far behind; why put a new bearing into a tensioner with a years-old spring?

[BrianH]

I've had bearings walk on me after I pressed new ones in. Alway found it best to just replace the pully. I just did three on my truck. I carry a spare too just in case.

[gaspipe]

It took 6 tons of pressure to press the new bearings in (yes, I have a gauge on the ram). If your pulley is so wallered out (industry term) that a new bearing walks out, it should be replaced.

The pulley is a simple formed steel item. The bearing simply presses into the center of said formed steel. There should be no lateral preload on the bearing, as the pulley is shoulder less, and should be uniform unless it is indeed worn out.

Y'all make it seem so complex when it's a simple issue.

[Patrick Feeley]

Not all the pulleys are metal. Many of them are plastic hubbed (from the factory ... in fact ALL the pulleys on both trucks were plastic from the factory). Cheers!

[gaspipe]

OK...I get the feeling that the early diesels had steel pulleys, and the later trucks had poly pulleys. I'm looking at two '95's and a '96 right now, and all have steel pulleys.

Interesting.

[TRUKK30]

My truck is a '95 and it has the steel ones.