HOLY S***..lost power steering and brakes

[CFoster]

So was driving to my next work location yesterday on 66 got off ramp onto 28 north and the steering got difficult and had almost no brakes in traffic.After nearly pulling the steering column loose from standing on the brakes to slow down and get it off the road I gathered myself. After inspection I found the serpentine belt had come off due to a faulty tensioner. $180 and 2hrs later all better, haha.

[Turbostang500]

Yeah that would make you pinch your seat cushion a little!!!

[Term3]

Yah, been there done that. Nothing like having both feet on the brake pedal, azz completely off the seat because your pulling so hard on the steering wheel that your sure it's going to come out of the dash while your trying to bring your truck to a stop before a damn rice rocket disappears out of sight under your front bumper.

[NVHunter83]

How hard is the tensioner to change? I think mine is going out as I hear a "buzzing" sound every morning that is intermittent while the truck warms up in the area of the tensioner. I looked at the tensioner and it is bouncing or vibrating while the trucks running too! Don't think it's suppose to move like that right???

Here are two videos of the tensioner, one of the noise, and the other it bouncing.

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

[heloman27]

I had this happen to me in an E450 service truck when the AC compressor locked up it burnt the belt off, I thought I was dead! The truck was leased through Enterprize and they told me my truck was still driveable and that I had to drive it an hour away to the truck center they wanted it at. I said fine, you drive it, I'm not. No power brakes or steering at 13,500 pounds, nope!

[ZMANN]

that truck would have never made the hour trip with no charging system lol

I just changed My tensioner and serp for no good reason other than I hit 90k and the discount We get at Sunrise made it under 100 bucks IIRC C

[NVHunter83]

How hard is it to change the belts, and tensioner?

[h1gg1n5]

I have had this happen in cars but luckily never in my truck yet, knock on steel!

Reminds me of Planes, Trains and Automobiles though. lol

[heloman27]

Originally Posted by ZMANN

that truck would have never made the hour trip with no charging system lol

I just changed My tensioner and serp for no good reason other than I hit 90k and the discount We get at Sunrise made it under 100 bucks IIRC C

I can't beleive I never thought of that, I guess I could'nt shake the thought of iminent death. Good point!

[CFoster]

Originally Posted by NVHunter83

How hard is the tensioner to change? I think mine is going out as I hear a "buzzing" sound every morning that is intermittent while the truck warms up in the area of the tensioner. I looked at the tensioner and it is bouncing or vibrating while the trucks running too! Don't think it's suppose to move like that right???

Here are two videos of the tensioner, one of the noise, and the other it bouncing.

Engine buzzing - YouTube

Bouncing pulley - YouTube

Originally Posted by NVHunter83

How hard is it to change the belts, and tensioner?

Wasn't that bad, just remove the top shroud and it's pretty simple from there. You have to unclip the fan plug to feed the belt around the fan and hold your mouth just right to finnagle the belt into place. About an hour and a half with hand tools. Becareful of the plastic vacuum line running across the shroud