A power steering belt can come off in a hurry, and without it your car will be hard to control. Here’s how to put it back on.
Identification of the Part to be Replaced
One of the most common problems with power steering systems is a worn or broken belt. The belt helps to turn the pulleys that power the pump that moves the fluid in and out of the power steering system. When the belt breaks, it can cause reduced power and ultimately, a failure of the system.
If you suspect your power steering belt is broken, there are a few things you need to do before getting it replaced. First, identify which part of the belt is broken. Next, check for signs of wear on the pulleys or housing that hold the belt in place. If everything looks good, you can replace the belt without further problem.
Removal of the Old Belt
If you have a 2006-2010 Toyota Camry, LeSabre, Avalon or Lexus ES350, then you will need to remove the power steering belt. The following instructions will show you how to do this.
First, drain any extra engine oil that may be in the system by removing the dipstick and pouring it into a clean container. Next, remove the screws that hold the cover on the front of the engine bay and pull it off.
Once the cover is off, locate the power steering belt tensioner pulley andpull it off of its mounting bracket. You can also disconnect the power steering pump if desired.
Next, locate the power steering belt itself and unthread it from the tensioner pulley. Be sure to keep track of which end goes where; you’ll need it later on.
Now that the power steering belt is unthreaded, take note of how many turns are on it (this will help determine when to replace it). Next, place the belt on your work surface so that one end is facing you and align the notches in one end of the belt with those on the tensioner pulley. Thread one end of the belt through these notches
Installation of the New Belt
Installing a power steering belt on your car or truck can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and instructions, the process can be a breeze. In this blog post, we will show you how to put the belt on your car or truck in just a few easy steps.
First, make sure that you have all of the necessary tools: a Phillips head screwdriver, a socket wrench, and a T-bar clamp. Next, remove the old belt by unscrewing the bolts that hold it in place. Once it is removed, you will see the tensioner pulley and the motor sprocket. Place the T-bar clamp over the pulley and tighten the screws to hold it in place. Next, remove the motor sprocket by unscrewing it from the shaft. Finally, remove the tensioner pulley by unscrewing it from its shaft.
Now that all of the parts are out of the way, it is time to install the new belt. First, place one end of the belt around the tensioner pulley and fit it snugly onto the sprocket. Make sure that both ends of the belt are equally tight. Next, place one end of the belt around the
Adjustment of the Pulleys and Sprockets
The power steering belt may need to be adjusted if it feels tight or if the vehicle pulls to the left or right when driving. The adjustment procedure is as follows:
1. Disconnect the battery cable.
2. Open the hood and remove the upper pulley cover.
3. Loosen the two bolts that hold the lower pulley on and remove it.
4. Loosen the three bolts that hold the gearbox sprocket on and remove it.
5. Rotate the gearbox sprocket so that its shaft is parallel to the ground and reattach it with the three bolts.
6. Rotate the upper pulley so that its shaft is perpendicular to the gearbox sprocket and reattach it with the two bolts.
7. reconnect the battery cable and close the hood
Finishing Touches
If you’ve followed the steps in this article, your belt should now be on correctly and properly tensioned. However, there are a few final steps you may want to take before reinstalling the cover.
1) Check that all bolts and screws are tight. If they’re not, tighten them until they are.
2) Reconnect the power steering fluid hoses. There are two on each side of the engine.
3) Reinstall the cover plates if necessary. Make sure everything lines up and snaps into place (you can use a torque wrench to make sure).
4) Reconnect the battery cables and fill up the reservoir (if applicable).
5) Turn on the engine and guide the belts around the pulleys. Do not overtighten them!