Serpentine belt will not go onto my 2010 RAV4 (SOLVED!)
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- (Skip my yammering and cut to the chase at 9:15!) I just spent FOUR DAYS trying to get the serpentine belt onto my RAV4. Don't laugh yet. I watched all the RUclips videos and made double sure I bought the correct belt. I mastered the belt diagram*, belt tensioner, and every other detail. But the &$%# belt was about an inch too short to slip onto the final wheel. And believe me, that belt has ZERO stretch in it, so I drove myself crazy trying every possible fix.
The last things I tried finally worked (of course!). I traded the belt for one with slightly deeper V notches. Then I lined everything up (see the video) and finally turned the crankshaft by hand. PRESTO! The belt slipped onto the final wheel!
Now you can skip the video unless you just want to see what an idiot I am.
( *BTW, mine is a 2010 basic RAV4 with 4 cylinders, 4WD and a 2.5 liter engine. BEWARE that many of the belt diagrams for this model did not match my vehicle. I can't explain why, but the diagram I posted on this video is correct for my RAV4.)
It's been two days for me. You have no idea the words that came out of my mouth since I started dealing with this belt. It normally takes less than a minute on my other vehicles. I laughed when you said hiw you felt once the belt went on😂😂. I completely understand the feeling. Thanks for the video.
I had the exact same issue.
Thanks for the video.
You helped me out quite a bit man.
Beer is on me if we ever meet.
Thanks so much for making this Video! Watched about 7 different videos this one was only one that worked for me. I had the exact same issue, I bought a OEM belt from Toyota and at one stage I thought they gave me the wrong belt, it would just NOT go over the last pully even the tensioner was untensioned to the limit! I tried everything! The new belt was just so tight (old belt would go over just fine). Others watching could probably skip to around the 9.15 mark. He shows a simple technique to get the belt over the last pully. Thanks a million!
Since making this video, I have replaced the serpentine belt on two other vehicles (a Ford Focus and a Mazda pickup). Both vehicles had exactly the same type of tensioner pulley as my RAV4. On both of those later vehicles, the process was quick and easy. Working the tensioner pulley created PLENTY of slack both for removing the old belt and installing the new one. As for the RAV4, I will repeat that in my case, operating the tensioner pulley in exactly the same way did not produce the same slack. Maybe the RAV4 tensioner was broken or jammed, but I could see and feel it operating without any visible problems. Since this video has received hundreds of views so far, I have to assume others may have experienced the same problem.
Hello Sir - Let me show thanks and the deepest of gratitudes for you posting this video. I have already shared this video with roughly 4 other Rav4 alternator tutorials I can find to display the method you found of re-attaching the serpintine belt from the bottom and not the top. I just did this job and let me tell you that its IMPOSSIBLE to put the serpentine belt back on from the top. You have to go from underneath the vehicle to do this inorder to finish replacing the alternator or serpentine belt. Also I rented out a belt changing kit from autozone that I didnt even need. You can actually use a 14mm combination wrench that has a ratcheting fucition to pry the tensioner behind the bottom left wheel which makes you not have to keep holding it. Let me emphasize that you do NOT need to rotate the tensioner pulley from the top! you can do it from the bottom and place it in a way that holds the tensioner in place by itself.
Step 1: Reinstall new alternator
Step 2: Using a 14mm combination wrench (with ratcheting function), put closed end of wrench on the center bolt of tensioner pully (not the top one closest to coolant reservoir)
Step 3: Going in a clockwise direction, turn tensioner pully to give you slack all the way. keep going until your behind the bottom left wheel and place the wrench on top of the wheel so you no longer have to hold it. (Trust me you will see what im talking about)
Step 4: Fit the serpentine belt around all wheels except the bottom right wheel.
Step 5: Put a socket wrench on the BOTTOM LEFT WHEEL NUT (forgot what size)
Step 6: Turn bottom left wheel and feed the belt onto the bottom right wheel until it snaps itself on. (like putting on a bike chain) THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!
A longass story short: rotate the engine crank while fitting the belt over the compressor. Like a bikechain.
Yep. What he said!
I had same issue. Problem solved. I did buy just 1/2 - 1"longer belt. Works perfectly.
On a side note always observe which direction the crank-pully turns (when the engine is running) and only turn it by hand in the same direction or you could damage your engine
I was having this problem today, thanks i will try again tomorrow with this method, much love from Scotland
J.R. Thanks so much was thinking the same; this cannot be the right size belt. I sized it against the old one and they were very close. This is probably one of those garage tricks but you persavered and figured it out on your own. Thanks for sharing it saved me so much time.
God bless you sir. Your video has helped me tremendously with my changing my alternator on my Rav4 2012. The tensioner was exactly at the location you pointed out
I found this video thanks to your comment on another video, thank you for the lifesaving video!!! 😁
Sorry JR that this took 4 days to do, I just tried it today and finished in less than an hour.
I will add some tips here and hopefully be helpful to others that are willing to try it.
I did watch the other videos that are posted and they are all very helpful. You do need to take the tire off along with
the plastic wheel well cover for access and the antifreeze overflow tank can be pushed over to the middle to get it out of the way.
You will need 2 regular combo wrenches, the 14mm for the tensioner, and a larger 21mm for leverage.
Taking off the belt is the easy part and can be done all from the top, use the closed end of a 14mm wrench and crank the tensioner
clockwise as far as you can with your right hand and slip off the belt from the tensioner pulley with your left hand. Once you do that the belt
will be easy to remove from the rest of the pulleys.
You'll notice that space is tight when cranking the wrench and that your hand will soon hit the ac-lines towards the front part of the engine.
I was able to nudge those ac-lines just a bit just to get the wrench to go pass them a little bit more.
You would think that if you can take off the belt in 10 min. that you can get it back on in the same time, I was wrong.
To get the new belt on- it is very important that the "last pulley" that you will slip the belt on is the "tensioner pulley".
Note the tensioner pulley is smooth on the edges, and doesn't have the extended lips that the other pulleys have like the ac, alternator and crank
pulleys. So this makes it easier to slide on the belt for the last-pull.
From the bottom and from the top - position the belt around all the other pulleys except for the tensioner pulley. This part does take a few minutes
as you work that belt around and get it in position.
Now, here's the "kicker" get yourself the 21mm or larger combo wrench and slip the 14 into the closed-end of the 21. This is for extra leverage.
You will need to do this before putting the 14 onto the tensioner. Once you get it on the tensioner, you'll notice that the 14 is point at about 2-o'clock, and the 21 is pointing at about 12-o'clock. This will give you more leverage and more working angle as you crank the 21 clockwise.
Crank on the 21 wrench as far as it will go with your right hand, and with your left, slip the belt on to the tensioner pulley, that's it.
Make sure to visually check and double check that the belt is sitting on the pulleys properly and that no edges of the belt are sticking
out of the edges before starting the engine.
Bravo. I hope everyone follows your excellent instructions. No one could possibly take longer than I did, so please learn from my pain!
just an additional note - i saw on harbor freight the "S-Type Metric Obstruction Wrench". If I had as set of these, i bet it would have worked better on cranking that tensioner without having to use a second wrench for leverage. They also have a "half-moon" wrench set that would probably work just as well.
you dont slip any belts onto the tensioner pulley. Your confusing eveyrone
This belt is tighter than most. Took me ten minutes. I slid it onto the smooth, nonridged water pump pulley because its easier getting tje belt onto a pulley wiith no ridge. I used a long thin ratchet to pull the tensioner until it was bottomed out hard and i used two large long dull screwdriverlike wrecking bars to pry and walk the belt onto the waterpump pulley last with alot of effort.
Just wanted to add I too had difficulty reinstalling this serpentine belt . I had purchased the duralast brand from Autozone which was 49.41 inch . They didn’t have the continental brand which is 49.50 inch which I believe would of made a difference. But I ended up removing both alternator bolts and slipped the alternator under the belt and wiggle it back in place . All this is being done with the tensioner pulled back and strapped from the bottom while I work . I then bolted back the two bolts very easy but the bottom just takes like time cause I’m doing it manually. Then check belt alignment then release tensioner . But I strongly believe the issue is the belt length . If I had the continental belt I pretty sure I could of gotten on without removing the alternator.
Get some 99 cemt clamps from HD. Screed around with this forever, hours, trying to do from top. Was quite easy after deciding to take wheel off and accesss the two bottom pulleys. Started up top by using power cord sisor clamp to keep belt snug and correctly routed on the alternator pulley. Then from the bottom used a couple sping clamp to keep belt seated on main pulley. Then rout to compressor and snake up. Put one spring clamp on compressor pulley to make sure seated and some tension is there. . . Then up top removed the spring clamp from alternator for slack and slipped off alternator pulley routed belt under decompressed tensioner. At that point was able to have enough slack to feed belt almost over lip of alternator pulley . . . Pry bar to help push(nudge the helt over the rim of the alternator pulley was successt
What you did makes perfect sense to me. But you can fully expect some snarky person to say "You just weren't using the tensioner correctly!" Bullsh!t. For whatever reason, the tensioner on certain Rav4s do not function as they are intended. If anyone instantly popped theirs on, I will say "Good for you." But I'll then invite them over the next time my serpentine belt needs replacing and let them find out how *easy* it is on my vehicle! : )
I got into the problem just like you. It needs the proper tool for the job, and I figure out the best way is to access from the wheel!
Remove the coolant resevauor bracket 1 10mm screwed put open end through there and pull put the belt on tensioner with right hand .
NOTE: If you do rotate the crankshaft in order to get the serpentine belt onto the pulley, beware. Turning it one way is harmless. Turning it the other way is not recommended and can cause damage. Double-check this, but I believe the correct direction is clockwise when facing the engine from the front passenger wheel well.
I hear Hanon in the background. Anyways, yeah I hate the Rav4 tensioner assembly placement. You should try removing the assembly from 02 - 05 Rav4s. It's a nightmare.
Hello JR, thanks for letting us know from your experience
When putting on the belt, I believe you're supposed to crank on the tensioner just like you did when taking off the belt, this moves the pulley on the tensioner so you can slide on the belt.
You are right. In my case, I cranked the tensioner until the wrench nearly bent and it did not create enough slack to put the belt onto any of the wheels I could reach. The step which I become so seriously stuck on was the very thing that most videos quickly skipped over as if it was too easy to be worth mentioning. Maybe there's something wrong with my specific tensioner.
@@fu9793 when i put the 14mm onto the tensioner without the 21mm extension, the 14 is pointing at about 2-o'clock and i could only crank it to about 3-oclock by hand. when i added the 21mm extension on to the 14, i was able to crank it even more to create just enough slack to slip the belt on. so maybe the extension gave me just enough leverage. just an fyi, i used a continental brand belt from rockauto.
Mine will be finished on day 3......lol.... Thank you.
Thanks you for sharing. I feel your pain🎉
Damn, I feel you...
This took me 5 minutes. Without removing anything.
Honda Accord is much easier to work on!
Try doing that on my uncle's Bugatti's alternator & belt. 8 days.
3 days just to remove parts out. But save uncle $ 84,000. Uncle gave me $35,000 (used that for my child col educations)