85-88 2.3 idler pulley bolt, i cant find one.

[Mark_88]

I've never seen one like that and with a name brand it's probably after market. If what Tom suggests is not workable for you or you don't want to mess with it, check the manufacturer to see if there were other options on a similar setup...

The stock one I have is definitely bolted on pulley...3.5" across the wheel...with no ridges on the actual pulley surface to contain the belt...maybe designed for those under pulley things or whatever they are called...to make the pulley smaller.

 

[tomw]

The idler on my truck has no grooves. It is a 'backside' idler/tensioner that never sees the vees on the inner surface of the serpentine belt. It is NOT like the illustrations. The idler pulley itself looks to be a match to that sold by Rock Auto. I would bet that there was either a shouldered bolt, or a bolt along with a 'slug' so that pressure could be applied to the inner bearing race to keep it in place and stationary. Get the correct diameter & threads, approximate length, and fill the gap with a pile of washers ... until you can find a Mercur in a junkyard... The idler won't care.

I had not remembered this came from an XR4ti...
So, look for those parts lists on the web???

 

[Mark_88]

Ah, right...backside pulley is what it is...but the one in the image has retainer ridges that mine doesn't have...I guess with tension and a straight line it stays on.

and would have a smooth section on the bolt for the bearing or bearing race to sit on...I haven't tried mine again due to other things taking priority but I might be able to tackle it today...just gotta clean up a fridge and a spot on the driveway...

 

[rab]

From my knowledge, the bracket and pulley are from an '87 ranger 2.3. I bought them from a member on here. He had said he had an '87 2.3 4x4 ranger that he pulled the parts off for me.
My motor that I swapped in, is from an '86 xr4ti and it had a v-belt set-up stock.

I am almost positive this bracket came on 83-88 2.3 rangers and maybe 2.0 rangers. Now, I'm new to rangers so I could be wrong, but I did find a few pics of the same set-ups as mine by googling '87 2.3 ranger motors, etc.
In one of my posts, earlier in the thread, I had posted a link to one.

If I cannot come up with something, I am just going to go with a different serpentine set-up. Does anyone have any suggestions on that?
I would not mind going to a 3g alternator, also I have kind of planned on doing that anyway, but I have figured since I had this set-up and now that I have blasted, wire wheeled, cleaned, primed and painted it, I would just use it to get the swap finished and get this project on the street.

 

[tomw]

rab, are you sure that all the pulley does is ride on an axle? How do you tension your belt? My 85 with EFI has a complete assembly that bolts to the bracket, and has a slot for tension adjustment. A 3/8" square hole is available so a breaker bar or ratchet can apply tensioning force.
I went back and looked at the picture, and would say that is a duplicate of what I have.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DRL6A2?tag=959media-20

Of course, it has doubled in price since 2013. I put my 2 cents in a review, FWIW.
tom

 

[rab]

Yep it just rides. You tension it by moving the alternator

 

[Old-Black-88]

These guys have one

http://www.esslingeracing.com/