I reserecxted this old thread not to continue the argument but the last 2 posts deal with the legal liability. While a shop useually bears most of the responsibility. certain repairs made by an individual on his own vehicle can be held personally responsible if the vehicle gets in a accident especially if there are injurys.

An uncle of mine changed the brakes on his car but didn't change the back brakes [thinking they were less than half worn]. He had a accident a few weeks later. There were 3 injured serieously and 1 of them later died. The accident really wasn't his fault the other car ran a red light while he was in the intersection. But because of those rear brakes.
He was faced with a wrongful death suite and lost due to not changeing the rear brakes.
Investigation proved that the rear brakes were a littie more than 60% worn.

His lawyer tried the arguement that he wasn't a professional mechanic and didn't know they were beyond legal limits.
The prosecution came right back with one of the first laws on the books.
IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE. That is a actual statute in nearly every jurisdiction that I know of not just an old saying.

 

60% worn, so 40% left? That's asinine. 40% is way inside expectable limits and should make next to zero difference in stopping distance. We are talking about lawyers here so I believe it though.


The guy that trained me taught me to take them off. He was a ford diesel tech from the IDI era all the way up to '09. There were weeks we would have 15-20 in the dumpster. He said he never put them back on at ford either. I left that shop last year but I've still been leaving them off.
After reading this thread I'll be rethinking that.

 

The main reason I revived this thread.

 

Fyi putting them on will not prevent a civil suit, working for a shop would save you from a civil suit. Thats a fact, you can sue anyone at anytime for just about anything. What it does do is limit your exposure greatly.
Ive been in court before, judges dont like the car industry.

 

I have never had the "opportunity" to have to change the belt on my '06

Is there a video out there???

I would love to be able to it in even three times that time... and yes, I am NOT ASE certified, shade tree certified, etc...
I am not mechanically inclined and have used this site to learn who and where to go to get my beast to perform better than OEM with all the tutorials. So went I went to Diesel shop of my choice and was able to converse WELL about all the mods and quirks of the 6.0 and they knew I knew what I was talking about and what I was concerned about all because of this Forum.......

That being said, THIS Forum has instructed me very well on smaller things this non-mechanic can do , and I thank all of the more senior members/techs that have been patient with my many questions a couple years ago when I bought my first Diesel....


Alan from San Diego

 

IMO the only thing that is hard about the belt change is putting the new belt on. In my 06, I rotate the tensioner and lock it, and then remove the old belt. Then to install the new belt it is easier for me to remove the tensioner completely (still locked in position), route the belt, then re-install the tensioner. Then pull back on the tensioner to release the lock.

A long time ago, I bought a tensioner tool that had the square drive at the needed angle relative to the handle - which made the process a lot simpler. It is thinner than a ratchet/socket, or a breaker bar, or a torque wrench. Many people just pull on the belt to move the tensioner and then reach down and lock it. My shoulder does not let me do that.

Edit -

I have heard that this works also:

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_101...pentine%20belt

 

I built a tool that fits in the tensioner. Welded a half inch end from an old ratchet or breaker bar onto a piece of rebar. It took a few tries to get the phasing right. I slip a bottle jack handle over it, so as soon as it clears the frame etc I can really reef on it. I put a new tensioner on when I rebuilt the engine, and it doesn't have the locking clip.

 

I am a Certified master tech. ASE Master with L1 and L2, as long as master with Heavy truck, plus over 35 years wrenching. I think the ASE's are a money making scheme. I know techs that make me look like an amature, but cant pass a ASE to save there live's, even with the cheat sheets, and I've seen kids with no experiance pass them everytime with an hour still on the clock. So even though I were the gold on my shoulder It doesn't change my out look on anything, I took my first ASE in 1984 and it meant something when you got that packet in the mail. Now a days I'm not so sure they mean a thing, The classes that ford, cummins and other manufactures put on are where I get real information, I never turn down a class that is offered to me, even If my boss wont pay for it, I will. Turning a wrench 10 hrs a day 6 days a week and never forgetting the basics. What is the optimum fuel to air ratio 14.7 to 1? seen to many people replacing modules cause of no spark, turns out a broken timing belt wont turn the distributor and you just wasted the customers money! We are here to help, learn, sometimes teach, Always remember that. You want an opinion your going to get plenty, FTE is world wide, take there opinions and do what you want. No more crap

 

This tool works, but it's not great. It can be frustrating to use--LOL.

 

Absolutely!

 

I can see how it would not be ideal. I looked for the tool that I bought years ago and could not find it.

All it is is flat bar with the appropriate square drive at the proper angle.

Works quite well.

 

I recently replaced the belt on my '06 for the first time, and what I found was that, once you remove the old belt, installing the new belt is much easier if you start from the pulleys just below the tensioner and work your way counter clockwise, finishing up with the alternator.
I tried working in the clockwise direction at first, since this seemed to be the path of least resistance, but when I reached the pulleys just beneath the tensioner, it was nearly impossible to route the belt through because of how tight the space is and how the belt wraps around the pulleys.
You will need to work back and forth from top side to underneath the truck to get the belt on, but it really isn't that difficult, and you don't need to remove any of the fan shroud or pulley to do it, however it does help to remove the top part of the shroud that snaps on. Just a flat head screwdriver will pop it off easily. I'd say 10-15 minutes if you take time to enjoy a cold beverage during the process.

 

1/2" ratchet with 24" length of thin wall tubing to slide over the end works fine for me.

 

While we're on the subject, does there already exist a step-by-step-how-to or video showing how to get the shroud/stator out of the way for work on the front of the engine "the easy way"? If so, could yall point me to it. If not, could one of yall experienced guys tell us the easiest way. I've been poking around searching here at FTE but haven't found it yet.


I went to put in my new alternator in and discovered that my belt tensioner is seized. So now the project is on hold while I order a new tensioner(amongst other stuff). It'd be nice if accessing the tensioner turned out not to be as bad as it looks.


cheezit & mchan, I dare you to try helping.
And make sure you respond in a way that is guaranteed make me feel good. Otherwise I may be forced to hurl unwarranted accuations and insults at you while demanding you excercise your maximum depths of grace towards me and shower me with accolades for my scant credentials and reputation.
......but seriously, THANKS for all your help!

 

There's no real easy way to remove the stator without pulling at least the radiator, intercooler, and probably the fan. At least none I know of