Advice On Changing The Belts

[khunjeng]

ok I went to change the belts....air con/alt belts are easy to get off but they sit inside of the PS belt which appears to have its bolt to loosen the tesnion is a crappy spot. Made it really hard to get a 12mm ring spanner in there.

do I just cut the belt and do it that way...but I thought I would still have trouble when tightening it all up again....

it appears to be on accessable from under the car in a crap spot...unless i'm missing something (which may be the case)

some help would be useful.

KJ

[mad082]

i used a LONG socket. go to supercheap or autobarn and get a set of them. not an extension, but the actual sockets that are long. makes life much easier.

Edited August 19, 2006 by mad082

[khunjeng]

hmm ok..but even with a small socket I don't seem to fit the rachet into the gap i.e. no room.

I have had another go and think i have worked it out but its a bitch. I was using a ring spanner and could only move it 1/4 each attemt which sucked...the adjustment section bolts onto the bracket that holds the PS pump so my assumption is that if that bolt is taken off I can move it to get some slack...although it was really hard to get it off...I gave up and did some other stuff instead..

maybe my rachet is too big...but to me its a pretty std size.

I read the manual and it just says take off the PS bolt...I assume I have the right bolt although it totally sucks in terms of access...

[blind_elk]

As with most things to do with working on a Nissan these days, if something is restricting access to the bit you want, remove it.

If it's anything like the R32, there is an IC pipe in the way, right? Remove it.

[khunjeng]

hmm ok..but even with a small socket I don't seem to fit the rachet into the gap i.e. no room.

I have had another go and think i have worked it out but its a bitch. I was using a ring spanner and could only move it 1/4 each attemt which sucked...the adjustment section bolts onto the bracket that holds the PS pump so my assumption is that if that bolt is taken off I can move it to get some slack...although it was really hard to get it off...I gave up and did some other stuff instead..

maybe my rachet is too big...but to me its a pretty std size.

I read the manual and it just says take off the PS bolt...I assume I have the right bolt although it totally sucks in terms of access...

its more the fans in the way...but will take that and see what I can do tomorrow.

[Devils_Advocate21]

Get a Universal Joint ratchet, might make it easier

[khunjeng]

has any1 actually done it on an r33?

[Bl4cK32]

Should be the same as the r32. From memory there is 1 bolt as a lock, then another bolt to adjust the tension. U have the right bolt, and as blind_elk said working on nissan sucks.

If u are replacing all belts, then just cut em off and stick newies on...

[khunjeng]

thx guys...I will suss out how to get the bolt off..I have some more ideas..but now its a job for next weekend..

[wrxhoon]

Are you talking about the adjusting bolt?( 12mm head on the side) Or the bolt that secures the pump ( 14 mm head). The first one is very easy to get to . You must loosen the first one before you attemp to swivel the pump in order to get the belt off. All you need is a 14mm 3/8 drive socket ( you may fit a 1/2" drive but 3/8 is much easier), turn the pump drive so the the bolt head lines up with one of the holes put your socket in there and loosen it ..

Dont even think of breaking the belt to get it off, how are you going to get the new one on???

[khunjeng]

Are you talking about the adjusting bolt?( 12mm head on the side) Or the bolt that secures the pump ( 14 mm head). The first one is very easy to get to . You must loosen the first one before you attemp to swivel the pump in order to get the belt off. All you need is a 14mm 3/8 drive socket ( you may fit a 1/2" drive but 3/8 is much easier), turn the pump drive so the the bolt head lines up with one of the holes put your socket in there and loosen it ..

Dont even think of breaking the belt to get it off, how are you going to get the new one on???

yeah thanks man 1/2 drive is too big for me...so I needed to get the 3/8 set back off my mate during the week. Yeah its a 14mm socket for the lock bolt...thats the one I'm trying to get off...anyway wait until next weekend.

Yeah I'm not cutting off the belts!

[foznice]

with the tools I have the powersteering is a long and frustrating experience... I've always had to take out the IC pipe as well but then the PS lines still get in the way of my ratchet..

I think that a small mini ratchet would be ideal in this case, except I don't have one... so i just use the ring spanner to crack or get tighty tight, then stick a 12mil socket on the end and either pushing or pulling on the pump (to ease your turning ability) tighten or loosen the bolt with your fingeres... If that makes any sense at all.

[GTRgeoff]

Chris, bring it over and I'll show you how to get in there, and you can bring the grill

[khunjeng]

Chris, bring it over and I'll show you how to get in there, and you can bring the grill

ok its a deal. I think I have it worked out. Might try again soon but will come over anyway.

[mad082]

i have done it on a 33. i don't think i had much trouble with the locking bolt. my advice about the long socket was for the adjusting bolt.

[THENIG]

just stumbled across this post, i had the same problem a couple of weeks ago, asking friends if its a straight forward job 2 change PS belt, 10min they say, very straight forward. OBVIOUSLY they had never changed a belt on a 32 with standard IC, not sure if you said yours did, no other way of getting at that tensioning bolt with a ring spanner unless you have hands the size of a 3y.o. Break the bead of the IC piping with a big blunt flathead screwdriver, mine tooka bit of rocking it back and forward 2 break the seal, obviously you know getting the right tension on the belt is critical for longevity, don't just give it 1 extra turn 'to be safe' you will load up and scrub out the carrier bearing at the front of the PS pump, better 2 adjust a slipping belt then replacing the whole pump 6mths down the track me thinks. I've heard people say a 1/4 of a turn once its tight of you dont have a proper belt tension measuring device, Do you need 2 allow for the belt to stretch a bit?? Im sure there is a method 4 measuring the tension with a flat edge on the pulleys and a ruler pressed down in the middle 2 measure slack then plugging it into a formula. Eh..

[khunjeng]

I actually worked it all out. I did the PS from the top and got everything off and then on. I found getting at the adjustment bolt was near impossible. So essentially I used wear and dirt on the bolt as a guide to adjustment and simply held the PS in place then tightened. Not the best, but its not loose and not easy to tighten it too much & doesn't make any noises. I did some rough tension tests and it seemed ok.

As for the rest they are quite easy once you have sussed out the PS.

Case closed. thx for every1s advice...most of it was handy.