mercer transportation

Is it a serpentine belt?

 

Buy one and be prepared to replace it at any time. But before i replaced it id hit it with a few squirts of armor hammer. Sometimes it works. And it can't hurt anything. If it causes it to slip therm just replace it. But what are you out by trying? A couple pennies.

Edit to add: Oscar brings up a good point. If its a serpentine belt then there is a chance the tensioner is going out. Need to check that. Just take the belt of and feel if the spring is keeping pressure on the tensioner pulley.

 

I use bits that look like this. DeWalt makes them, just make sure on the package that is shows a picture of a steel I beam. Keep the speed down and they will make a lot of holes before going dull.

 

That's the key to drilling hard materials like steel. Use oil to keep the bit cool and keep the speed down. Slow and steady.

 

Ya

 

There's a shop here by Truck World, I think I'm going to have them check it out... Im don't think I'm trying to mess with that, looks intimidating 2 me...

 

From my experience, anytime a serpentine belt squeals is because the tensioner is bad, or there is a bearing going bad in a pulley. Even had an alternator that caused a belt to squeal.

 

On the front of the tensioner pulley will be a square hole that you put a 1/2inch drive ratchet or breaker bar in. That's how you release the tension to get the belt of and a new one on. Take a picture or draw a diagram of how the belt goes over and under everything.

You need to be configurable changing belts or you are gonna find yourself sitting at the bottom of a mountain with a broken fan belt and no easy to get up the mountain without melting your engine.

I can not stress enough how you need to take the time, now while sitting safely in a parking lot, if for no other reason than to build confidence in yourself. That way when the day comes you are on the side of the road you aren't tying to fix the truck while all stressed out on the side of the road. The confidence and know how you gain today will make that day just a tiny minor annoyance.

 

I wouldn't say everytime one squeals it means the tensioner or another bearing is bad. But its certainly best to check them.

 

The stainless steel bawer boxes look very nice.