Methfinder Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) My power steering belt squeals when I turn the wheel. I just replaced the belts, and I don't want to replace the power steering belt again, it's hard to get to. Anyway, I know the belt is still good, but I have the tensioner maxed out and I still can't get it to tighten all the way. What's the proper way to adjust the power steering belt? I know there are at least two parts to loosening/tightening: the tensioner itself and a lock, but is there a pivot bolt I have to loosen? Your guys help would be much appreciated, I want to go wheeling, but this is going to destroy the belt if it keeps slipping, and like I said before, I don't want to take it off (I don't have the tools to get the drive pulley off where I am right now.) Forgot to mention that it's a 1999.5 Edited April 20, 2012 by Methfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krmiller07 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I ran into this problem on my 89 Pathy. First of all, I found that depending who makes the belt can determine the actual size! Even though the catalogs may say 'xyz' will fit. In reality, it was either to long or too short! I eventually took the old belt with me to the auto store, and bought 1 belt longer, and 1 belt shorter than what the catalog was recommending, and eventually found one that was in between. In my case, it turned out that a 'factory' OEM length belt made by Gate's worked and fit the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Methfinder Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Ok, So I found out what it was. I was right about the pivot bolt, it was just really hard to see.(a long 14 mm bolt that the power steering pump swings around.) I loosened the pivot bolt holding the water pump in place, used my hammer to pry it up a bit while I re-tightened the pivot bolt. I did this while the locking nut and tensioner screw were also loose. Then I re-tensioned, and locked it down. Now I can steer to full lock without that awful squeal. I think the power steering pump slowly fell, since the only thing holding it in place was that 14 mm pivot bolt. If everything is loose, the whole thing just swings down. It makes sense, most of the time I'm hammering this thing to death on some dirt road, occasionally catching air. lol. after a while, something is bound to rattle loose or just fall off. (like my exhaust system. Little by little, I see less and less of it.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmoore4512 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Meth, I was about to try and explain what you just said... I went through the same thing when I went to replace my AC belt... Glad you got it figured out brother... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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