Toyota Tacoma

[Pancor]

It was mentioned previously, but get a $10 stethoscope, and stop blindly firing the parts cannon!  Be sure to check the alternator as well, and no, you don't need to replace the entire tensioner assembly if the sheave bearing is the only worn out part.   Also, if I could make a suggestion, stick to only OEM or top-line aftermarket serp belts, as I find cheap ones squeal even when new sometimes!

[giant_mtb]

Everything I've bought is AC DELCO.

[giant_mtb]

Stethoscope might not be a bad idea. Should have done that first. I'll pick one up, do some analyzing, and if I need to, return parts. Or just keep them for future use when another idler ultimately starts to go.

[giant_mtb]

2 rear mud flaps showed up today. Fronts should be in tomorrow, along with a pulley or two.

They're pretty high quality. Similar texture to Hercufenders, much stronger than the flimsy stock ones. A little shorter.

[giant_mtb]

Did intake and cabin filters...there was no cabin air filter installed lol

[giant_mtb]

Also, removing Lift will make things easier to work on. I'm tired of standing on a stool.  Pulleys are going on. I'm like an SAE certified serpentine guy now.

[giant_mtb]

All idlers done besides the one on the tensioner. Couldn't get it loose (I know it's reverse thread)...socket with breaker bar slipped...don't wanna strip it completely. I've got the last pulley coming in the mail tomorrow. But I can't install it cuz stuck nut.

Huskyflaps are on.

[giant_mtb]

Went for a 75 mile excursion on back roads and logging roads today.  Came to a long narrow downhill and there was a loaded logging truck just coming up to it at the bottom. Stopped and let him go up first (learned that courtesy thanks to mountain biking) and he gave me a honk and said thanks.

[BENZ BOY15]

Nice trees....bet that's quite a sight during the fall months.

[giant_mtb]

Oh boy she runs so much quieter now. All dat grindy bearing noise is gone save for the last pulley. Went for a little cruise to get some air (FR was down to 24 lol might have leek) and it wasn't embarrassing to listen to! 

We shall see if the squeal is gone on a cold start. Might be the last pulley, might not be, but I'm glad I changed all the other ones anyway. Needed.

[giant_mtb]

Nice trees....bet that's quite a sight during the fall months.

Last time I did that road was on dirtbike in the fall. It was cool. The nice thing about winter is that with all the leaves down you can see a lot more of the terrain around you. Saw some views and cliffs and stuff I couldn't see through canopy.

[BENZ BOY15]

Last time I did that road was on dirtbike in the fall. It was cool. The nice thing about winter is that with all the leaves down you can see a lot more of the terrain around you. Saw some views and cliffs and stuff I couldn't see through canopy.

Very true.

It's a similar thing here, especially on the north side of the lake where there are more deciduous trees and less in the way of evergreen types.

The cliffs probably look pretty neat with all the snow and shit. Though if I may say so, that snow right there is like....Lake Arrowhead status. But last year and the year before probably more than balance it out.

[giant_mtb]

A couple more SIGHTS.

[BENZ BOY15]

Very cool.

[giant_mtb]

Dogflaps make Truck look "less" lifted because vision.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The hell is a dog flap? My dog had one when they took his balls out, but it shriveled up into nothing after a few weeks.

[giant_mtb]

The hell is a dog flap? My dog had one when they took his balls out, but it shriveled up into nothing after a few weeks.

The mud flaps I bought to replace the stock ones are from the Husky liner company. Dogflaps. Huskyflaps. Weird shit, man.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The mud flaps I bought to replace the stock ones are from the Husky liner company. Dogflaps. Huskyflaps. Weird shit, man.

Poor dogs. First your tires, and now your flaps. I mean, lots of them have their balls removed, anyway, so I guess they don't need that extra skin. But damn.

[giant_mtb]

So many dog noses and flaps.

[giant_mtb]

I'll have to get daytime pictures.

[giant_mtb]

So how do I loosen a rounded/rounding bolt.  Worse case scenario, I have to return the tensioner pulley and just replace the whole tensioner assembly (assuming all of those bolts will come easy), but that sounds like a lot more work.

One of those gator grip socket things?  Do those work? lol

[Cookie Monster]

How much room do you have? Can you dremel a slot into it and turn it with a screwdriver? Or can you dremel two flat sides into it and turn it with an adjustable wrench or vice grips?

Or if the pulley assembly is sturdy enough, just hammer a slightly smaller socket onto it.

[giant_mtb]

How much room do you have? Can you dremel a slot into it and turn it with a screwdriver? Or can you dremel two flat sides into it and turn it with an adjustable wrench or vice grips?

Or if the pulley assembly is sturdy enough, just hammer a slightly smaller socket onto it.

Not much room...and considering the bolt's tight enough that a socket is slipping, I really doubt I'd be able to get enough torque on a screwdriver without slipping.

I did think about hammering a smaller socket on, but...that was more of a last-ditch thought.

Didn't think about vice grips.  Might be able to squeeze those on.  And if I can, hopefully be able to produce enough torque with their short little handles to break it loose.

Sounds like vice grips shall be the next attempt.  I guess it only makes sense this bolt is stuck as fuck...it's been tightened hard its whole life whenever it was spun to release the belt.

[CaminoRacer]

So how do I loosen a rounded/rounding bolt.  Worse case scenario, I have to return the tensioner pulley and just replace the whole tensioner assembly (assuming all of those bolts will come easy), but that sounds like a lot more work.

One of those gator grip socket things?  Do those work? lol

Line wrench + mallet.

[giant_mtb]

Line wrench + mallet.

Line wrench?



Are they extra gripsy?

[CaminoRacer]

Yes, one of those.

If that doesn't work, get a dremel and un-round it as much as possible. If you use a light touch you should be able to sharpen up the corners without making it too small for the socket.

[RomanChariot]

I picked up a set of these http://www.sears.com/grip-tite-7-pc-super-sockets-rounded-bolt/p-00934505000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 at Sears when I had to get a rounded bolt off of an alternator in a Scion Xa and it worked great. I went with this set because it is lower profile than the Gator sockets and I did not have  room for a deeper socket.

[giant_mtb]

I picked up a set of these http://www.sears.com/grip-tite-7-pc-super-sockets-rounded-bolt/p-00934505000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 at Sears when I had to get a rounded bolt off of an alternator in a Scion Xa and it worked great. I went with this set because it is lower profile than the Gator sockets and I did not have  room for a deeper socket.

Something like that might be worth a shot before I decide to start Dremeling shit. Always down for a reason to add to the tool collection. Just gotta find a metric set for 15mm.

[RomanChariot]

Something like that might be worth a shot before I decide to start Dremeling shit. Always down for a reason to add to the tool collection. Just gotta find a metric set for 15mm.

I think the one that I was removing was 14mm so I was able to use the 9/16" to get the job done.

[Soup DeVille]

So how do I loosen a rounded/rounding bolt.  Worse case scenario, I have to return the tensioner pulley and just replace the whole tensioner assembly (assuming all of those bolts will come easy), but that sounds like a lot more work.

One of those gator grip socket things?  Do those work? lol

No they don't.

These seem to work most of the time m

http://ll-us-i5.wal.co/dfw/dce07b8c-4f7b/k2-_92e7ed8c-6dc3-4237-90cf-dbd9101ed0a6.v1.jpg-ded544917db6374694384be9daa91beb75edd353-optim-450x450.jpg