Is my Idler Pulley properly supported? (Spacer thing(s) on bolt seem short...)

[fixizin]

Quick side-trip from my other thread where I'm chasing belt-squeal... unless I lost one spacer 10+ years ago when I replaced the idler pulley, it seems odd that the remaining spacer only supports about half the width of the bearing race... but it doesn't wobble under mild hand pressure...

See below, that seems like a lot of UNsupported bearing, and unlike the tensioner pulley, there's no built-in "boss" that forms an axle for the bearing...

What say ye, RKIs? Anyone replaced one recently?

Thanks in advance!

 

[SenorNoob]

It does seem odd. That's a fairly large bearing with little load on it. Maybe the inner race is a stressed member?

 

[fixizin]

Why do you say "little" load on it? I mean it's basically resisting the full force of the tensioner, isn't it? Keepin' things "toit" 'tween the alternator and A/C compressor...?

Bottom Line: is there supposed to be a 2nd spacer in there?

 

[Shran]

That does not look right. I just took two of those apart last week and I remember the bearing being fully supported. Those were on a 4.0 but it is probably the same parts you have.

 

[fixizin]

That does not look right. I just took two of those apart last week and I remember the bearing being fully supported. Those were on a 4.0 but it is probably the same parts you have.

Durn, just got a whole new pulley from Wock and NO bolt or spacers included... bet you can't get 'em either... heck of a tiny cheap thing to hit the U-pick for... Grainger?...

... I mean it is a std. size bearing over a std. size bolt...

PS: just found 3 YT videos, and they all had just the single spacer... maybe I should just center it more in the bearing?... kind of a strange place for FoMoCo to save a penny.

 

[Shran]

Durn, just got a whole new pulley from Wock and NO bolt or spacers included... bet you can't get 'em either... heck of a tiny cheap thing to hit the U-pick for... Grainger?...

... I mean it is a std. size bearing over a std. size bolt...

PS: just found 3 YT videos, and they all had just the single spacer... maybe I should just center it more in the bearing?... kind of a strange place for FoMoCo to save a penny.

I may have been wrong, I looked at the ones I was messing with and they all look like this. Not quite as recessed as yours, but not fully supported either. I guess I would just run what ya got. Second picture is how the washers were assembled.

 

[SenorNoob]

The load of the belt tensioner isn't much compared to what the bearing is capable of handling. That said even if Ford designed it that way, I'd thing more support would be better. Stack of washers?

 

[fixizin]

Well new idler is installed, tried to center the spacer, but no telling if it "rode" up the threads while tightening... seems to spin steady and true under load!

... just one of those things that makes you say "I sure would've done THAT differently!..."

 

[slater50]

Been a ford engine tech for 32 years.
if youre certain its a belt squeal & not your cid synchro....
You NEED the entire belt tensioner, not just a pulley....
The spring mechanism wears out & tensioner arm starts sagging back, causing the belt to be misalign & ride to far forward on the pulley...
That & only that is the fix...

 

[arse_sidewards]

That's normal. The race is clamped between the bolt/washer and the bracket. The circular bit the race slides around is just there to locate it. Damn near every automotive idler is built like this.

If the tensioner itself is at enough angle to matter it should be visually apparent if it's a problem. And even if it is a problem it's not likely the problem causing the squeal.

 

[fixizin]

Been a ford engine tech for 32 years.
if youre certain its a belt squeal & not your cid synchro....
You NEED the entire belt tensioner, not just a pulley....
The spring mechanism wears out & tensioner arm starts sagging back, causing the belt to be misalign & ride to far forward on the pulley...
That & only that is the fix...

Yep, ran it with belt OFF to eliminate CPS synchro as a cause, have now replaced entire tensioner, because you're right, the tensioner pulley was VISIBLY out-of-plane, by a good 7-8 degrees! Squeal is now REDUCED, but still there when "Florida cold", i.e. when OATemp is under 68degF, there's a chirp-chirp, NOT a constant squeal...

... once the outside air temp and/or underhood temp rises, all quiet... hmmm...

 

[SenorNoob]

Belt stretched from having run out of true? Also I've noticed belts from different suppliers have different starting lengths.