Hi, having a little trouble installing a pwr steering pulley on my 2007 f150 xl 4.2 v6 , with ac, the problem is not sure how far the pulley is to go on the shaft of the power steering pump, some people have told me the pulley opening should be flush with the shaft, but the new pulley i was installing would not go in any further on the shaft i was using the correct installing tool, anyway after completing job took truck for a test drive belt was ripped up off pulley and pulley was cracked not sure if replacement pulley was junk and defective or if pulley not on shaft furth enough,, trying to find out if anyone know. scorrect placement for pulley on shaft,, thanks alot

 

They should be flush.

 

I had a freak accident and broke my PS pulley - I got behind a pickup truck loaded down with all kinds of junk, and some of it fell out. I ran over several things, like mud buckets, etc. Anyway (I eventually figured out), evidently a piece of debris hit the belt just right and rode it around the PS pulley, breaking it. It took several days for this to become apparent as I don't drive the truck that much or that far. But I ordered the new pulley, bought a new Gaines belt and scheduled a 'mobile mechanic' I know to come by and do it. He had the right tools, including the PS pump pulley remover/installer kit. I'm glad I did, because even so he had to take off a lot of stuff and it took some time.
Anyway, the old pulley had been even with the shaft. As he was installing the new one, he went a little farther on. I thought that might put a little bend in the belt and cause another derailment but so far its been fine - that was last summer. I look at the belt every time I open the hood to see if there's any edge fraying or anything but its perfect. Its hard to see the belt alignment with everything assembled, or I'd just say 'Sight along the belt and adjust the pulley until there's no angle' but you just can't do it. I threw away the old pulley and its too cold to go out and look at the new one, but is it possible the pulley has a front and rear, and you put it on backwards? I can't think of anything else that would have stopped it unless you got the wrong part. These pulleys have a metal hub bonded to a composite body. If the whole thing had been metal I think there's a chance we wouldn't even be having this conversation.