Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Serpentine belt

[theoakman]

Hi All... . I'm new to list after an absence of several years... . have a '96 Dodge 3500..... my dealer says the serpentine belt is cracking and wants $120+ to replace it.



From reading about the KDP I read about removing this belt by putting a 3/8" ratchet into the tension pulley to relieve the tension and then just remove the belt..... is there any more to it than this??

 

[Dave M]

No... No... NO... and again No! I just did my 97 3500 last night. Took about 5-10 minutes. Helps if someone is below and above (I had my wife on the breaker bar) to help line up the belt. I removed the radiator overflow tank and left it connected but pushed out of the way. Then I put a 3/8 to 1/2 inch drive adapter on my 18 inch long by 1/2 inch drive breaker bar and rotated the tensioner to the left (CCW toward the pass fender) and removed the belt and wiggled it around the fan blades and took it off. The overflow tank was in my way since that is the direction the bar is rotated to.



It was way easy. One person can do it but easier with two. Too easy to pay that much for IMHO. If you use a 3/8 inch drive ratchet you will need a strong arm or a cheater bar. There was a handy belt routing diagram on the cross support in front of the radiator on the left side (facing the radiator).



Dave

 

[Boomer II]

What Dave said.

 

[GAmes]

Replace it with a Gator by Goodyear. No more squeaks when you shut down and they'll last at least 100k.

 

[DBrickel]

yeah, what they said. this is too easy of a job to pay someone to do.

 

[Twisted Shifter]

2nd the Gator belt and yp its that easy

 

[theoakman]

Thanks guys... ... . I bought the Gatorback this afternoon and will get it installed in the next couple of days... ... too darn hot in AZ to go out and do it except early in the a. m..... and have a dr's appointment tomorrow so won't get to it then.



The truck is just sitting now until our next trip to Big Lake at the end of July, that will be so great..... 9100+ feet of altitude..... we were there last week, got down into the 40s one night and days were usually in the mid 70s... came home with a nice bunch of rainbow trout... .....