idler pulley/bracket help

[Panda]

Hey trs I need sum help. I have a 91 Ranger 2wd 2.3L w/ AC and a couple days ago I was coming home from a buddies house and 1 of my drive belts started squealing really badly. The next day I check it out and find out my idler pulley had a piece chipped off. I got a new pulley from Advanced Auto but when I pulled the old one out, i found that its mounted 2 a bracket, not just pressed on or bolted on like most pulleys would be. There is a part number on the bracket and I looked it up and found nothing. I asked my buddy that works at a Ford dealer to look up the part and he says its been discontinued by all of their suppliers. I went to a local upull lot and the 2.3L rangers I found there had single belt serpentine systems. I have a 2 belt system (1 belt for my AC and the other for my alternator/ power steering). Here is what it looks like:

The pulley on there is not the factory one though. I took it to a machine shop, assuming the pulley was changeable, and "changed" it. By changed I mean cherry red metal to get the old pulley off, and 7 tons out of a 10 ton press to get the new 1 on. The pulley on there has a larger diameter than factory (90mm vs 76) but is metal (original is plastic). I figured by doing that I wouldnt have the chipped pulley problem again. This is what the original looks like (note the nice chip on the side there):

And this is the part number that is on the bracket:

If anyone has one or knows where I can get one, please let me know. Im afraid that what I have on there now will throw belts like crazy (havent really driven it much) and the squealing is stupid loud (its louder than my exhaust and I have rust holes in the exhuast manifold )

 

[bp50]

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/GATE/36153.oap?year=1991&make=Ford&model=Ranger&vi=1137743&ck=Search_C0074_1137743_3049&pt=C0074&ppt=C0007
check this one out

 

[Panda]

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/GATE/36153.oap?year=1991&make=Ford&model=Ranger&vi=1137743&ck=Search_C0074_1137743_3049&pt=C0074&ppt=C0007
check this one out

Yeah I've seen that one but its for my other belt (my ac)

 

[scotts90ranger]

there are a few things that can cause a squeal up front:
-bad belt
-bad bearings on a component (idler, alternator, power steering pump or water pump in your case)
-component misalignment

You've eliminated the idler itself now, if you spray WD 40 on the inside of the belt while the engine is running, does it quiet down? if so, there's a component alignment issue, stand on one side of the truck and see if any of the pullies look crooked. If the WD 40 doesn't quiet things, there's a bearing going out somewhere, with it idling try to isolate what component is making noise, a few years ago on mine it was the alternator and water pump made an annoying squeal.

 

[Panda]

Well I drove the truck today and I'm thinking its the alternator now. The truck was relatively quiet from the cab (I can live w/ that) but frequently it would squeal really loud and the voltmeter would show 10-12 volts. Id get off the gas 4 a sec then get back on and the squeal would go away and the voltage would go up 2 14-16ish. I also noticed that it looks like the power steering is pushed back about a 16th of an inch compared 2 the alternator/crank/water pump.

 

[97ranger xlt]

by your description the alternator belt is slipping causing the noise. you need
to sort that out/align with spacers etc.