02' Screw 4x4

I am going to buy a goodyear gatorback surp. belt (I think...unless anyone has a better belt choice) and was wondering if anyone has any tips on replacing it?

Thanks

 

Get a Motorcraft serp, but the Gators are good too.
No special tricks, just get good leverage on the idler and you should be okay.
I usually use a cheater bar on a 1/2 rachet for maximum performance.

Thread the lower pulleys first and leave the closest one to you as the last one to be installed.

 

The gatorback is a far better belt than the motorcraft.....not for longetivity but for slippage.

 

i've only used motorcraft, and use a serpentine tensioner wrench. if you don't have one, they don't cost much but save alot of knuckles! also, as khadma stated, i leave the alternator pulley as the final pulley and you'll have to roll the belt onto it.

 

Presuming its the same setup as the '98 I'm familiar with, please note that there is both a TENSIONER pulley & a "idler" pulley. You must "get good leverage on the" TENSIONER pulley arm in order to compress the spring & remove the belt. The "idler" is fixed & just gets threaded, study the belt route diagram.

Its a stiff spring & solo can be a challenge. A helper to hold the tensioner back is a great assist, even with a "cheater bar". A new belt can be stiff & have folds that fight you. I use a ratchet handle extension made out of SS boat railing tube to gain loads of leverage.

These belts routinely last 100K & the different brands are very close in longevity & slippage. There's probably more range of difference in price than performance. I usually shop for parts like insurance estimates & get 3 quotes. Its almost comical how often & widely prices can vary for the same item. I've also noticed times when the seemingly best part may also be the lowest price! Sometimes saving a few bucks & taking a shorter ride rules. Occasionally you strike out & have to get the only part in town that day. When I shopped for a serp belt in Sept prices varied from $24 to nearly $50 & Nobody had GatorBack in stock. Also, the so called 'experts' were wrong, the terrible noise was not 'just the belt'.

 

It seldom ever is! Usually it'll be idler pulleys, tensioners, and or fan clutches too! Nevermind the rest of the accessories that have bearings too!

 

got 69,000miles on it and shifting 1-2 & 2-3 I hear it squeak...

 

Yup...that 's the belt. Had the exact same thing under hard accelerating....went to the Gatorback and it hasn't do it since.

 

In the case of my '98 it was None of the Above.

The so called 'experts' completely missed the cause of the chirping at idle & loud shreeking upon acceleration. I discovered that the harmonic balancer had squirmed out of line resulting in a minor misalignment with the AC pulley.

 

is the belt squeaking or is that your clutches in the tranny slipping? i don't see why shifting would cause your belt to squeak, it's not like there's a sudden surge of power when you're upshifting. It's probably the clutches in your transmission squeaking.

 

I had my trans rebuilt and beefed up, it now shifts very firm at WOT...that is where I get the squeaking. it never did it before getting the trans worked on.

 

if it never did squeaked before you got your tranny worked on, then there's your problem. clutches slipping.