In the process of changing out my belt tensioner assembly
 

Well. The belt is nearly new. Apparently whoever owned it before me tried to fix the squealing by changing the belt. Of course it wasnt that easy right? So now I am going to change the tensioner, the whole assembly that is. I'm pretty sure it's a bearing that's gone bad.

Well I released the tension on the pulley in order to take off the belt, the belt still has the manufactures words printed on the smooth side, and the ribs are all in near new condition.

The pulley took a 15mm socket, well I used a wrench. The screw that's in the assembly, or tensioner I suppose it's called is wanting a 8mm socket. I know I have to take out the screw that's in the assembly, not the one in the tensioner because there's only one hole in the new one. And that is straight through the body of the tensioner.

My socket wont fit onto the screw I'm hoping now that I have the belt out of the way I can get in there better.

But this is right, right? The tensioner, or pulley.. (I'm confused about what is what.) The part you release to take the pressure off the belt was VERY tight. So it's got pressure. Let's just hope that this is going to fix the problem...

What's my question? I know it was a very vague question, more of an explanation really.. I guess I just need some sort of confirmation that I'm going about this the right way. I have researched this, but I have not come up with anything and I'm losing daylight. :eek:

(Sorry about that, Yes. 2001 ranger 3.0)

I just hope:
 

That it's not the clutch fan, or fan clutch that's doing all this.. GAH.

If it is I'm taking that sucker back off and taking it back for my $60.00 back.

You should not need a socket for this, just the bare socket wrench, there is a spot on the tensior pulley that your socket wrench will fit in and you turn that, no screws, nuts or bolts needed on the tensioner. If you can get a 2nd person it will be super easy. One person on the tensioner, the other sliding the belt off.

I just saw you have the 3.0, it is different, I will see if I can find anything.

So far all I can find is that you need a certain tool for it...

So Far:
 

I dont have the right length extension for the tiny little socket wrench I have a super long one, but it's just too long no room for the wrench to go onto it.
And I have a small one, but that lands the socket RIGHT into the fan so I cant get it straight. Looks like I'm off to the parts store for a right extension.

I shouldnt need a certain tool, unless I am taking off the fan, I read that I would need a certain tool for that. But I am hopefully going to find an extension that will let me work around that.

Thanks for your time so far Justin XD My brother's name is Justin.

*Gives you a cookie*

Can you explain to me Tensioner, pulley, is the pulley the plastic part the belt goes over? The tensioner is the actual device?
Not important, but just wondering.

I got the belt off okay with just me, but I will surely need another set of hands when I go to put it back on. The space it too tight to be able to hold it and try to shimmy the belt back on.

Luckily on the 3.0 the release is clockwise, not counter clockwise. Seems to be a slight advantage.

And
 

Going from underneath is not any easier. The pulleys are so tight around the tensioner on top and bottom.. it's just about the same either way.

You'd think they would make these things a little easier to get to.

Update
 

The adapter was just BARELY too long... UGH!
Back to the auto parts store with me.

You are on the money about the pulley and tensioner.

Man those 3.0s sound tricky. Sorry i could not be of more assitance. Hope you get it all worked out!

:)
 

Wow. What a job! Just to get it off. lol.

COol. Now I know what I'm talking about.. sorta. haha

I knew that thing sounded too easy. "Oh you just have to unscrew a bolt and put it back." I said. ^^

Well, it wasnt so much tricky as having JUST the right tools for the job. There was literally 1/2 inch of play to unscrew after the belt was removed, between pulleys. So I had to have just a bit more length to be able to get at least a half a turn each time.

Well I went to walmart, they had the exact right length of extension I needed, but of course it was in an entire quarter inch kit.. which I dont need.

So I opted for an adapter making my 3/4 wrench into a 1/4 and once I added the socket it was JUST the right length.

Woo! I'm not finished, but I sure am going to celebrate the fact that I finally got it off.

I'll have to put it back together in the morning.

The head of the bolt looks to be quite stripped and of course it is the ONE bolt out of the three choices you might have that doesnt include a replacement bolt. BUT I think that this should last for the life of the vehicle now, so I should not need to worry about it as long as I can tighten it down good enough. And yes I used a cheater bar to get it off. It was definately original parts, Ford part. So hopefully this will be the problem only thing is I wont have an extra hand to help me get the belt back on.

Oh well. I made it this far the rest SHOULD be easy!

Well I hope its easy...I won't tell ya what I read about getting it back on...

Great News!
 

Wow. It was a CINCH to get back on.

Took me 10 minutes to put on the new tensioner. The bolt was not recessed on the new one and so it was MUCH easier to tighten back up.

had an extra hand to help me get the belt back on which I would not have been able to do otherwise. Entire process took about 25 minutes.

I do still have one problem... It still squeals... ARGH! ARGH! ARGH! ARGH!

I so do not want to take off the new tensioner and take it back just because it was so easy to get on there I dont wanna put the old one back on in case I do ever have to change it again.

New one was quite tighter than the old one though the old one was still very tight.

But it still squeals!!!!!! Clutch fan...... oh no.......

Any other ideas of what might be causing the squealing???????

The belt looked fine!
 

I mean it was in like new condition.. I will admit I applied a few rounds of soap to the belt to try and make it last a bit longer so it IS a little shiny.

The soap was my brother's idea.. he said it would be fine. Then after I told him it worked to quiet the noise he said Wow. glad to know it actually worked. I heard it would but I never tried it. LOL

The ribs were perfect, the lettering still there it is a Dayco belt. There was no fraying and it was a struggle to get on, so it's not stretched.. But I'm reading tensioner assembly (Does that include the idler pulley too?) and new belt should fix the problem...

I just dont think I need a new belt but I'd hate to sink MORE money into going after the clutch fan next if it's really just the belt. I spent $60.00 on the tensioner assembly but I want to keep it even though it was not the problem.

Help Please!! What should I do?
What else could it be... Dont say clutch fan.. PLEASE!
cannot pinpoint location of the noise. Thought it was coming from the tensioner. But it's still squeaking like crazy.

Update after driving:
 

Well I have good news again! I got it down to a squeak!, Yesterday it was a squeal that had me scared that the belt was going to pop before I could get back home. So the new tensioner DID help.

Granted, it is rainy and as we all know these rangers LOVE to have squeaky belts even more so when it's damp out. I've seen 5 rangers so far with squeaky belts in my town recently. 9 times out of 10 if you hear a squeaky belt and it's a ranger.

Now, I drove my daughter to school this morning and the belt like I said was squeaking. But by the time I got back home, it was just a chirp.

SO maybe I DO just need to put a better quality belt on and that will fix my problem....

"Wishful Thinking" Still looking out for what you guys think about it.

Thank you in advance for any further help in this matter!

And 9 out of 10 times it is probably the 3.0 engine, which is notorious for the squeak.