A power steering belt is an important component of your car’s power steering system. If the power steering belt is loose, it can cause the power steering pump to work harder and eventually fail. In this article, we’ll show you how to tighten a power steering belt so that you can avoid these problems.
What You Will Need
In order to tighten a power steering belt, you will need the following:
– A socket wrench
– A ratchet
– A new power steering belt
– A torque wrench
First, use the socket wrench to loosen the bolt that secures the power steering pump pulley. Next, use the ratchet to loosen the tensioner pulley bolt. Then, remove the old power steering belt and install the new one. Finally, use the torque wrench to tighten the bolts back into place.
Step One: Locate the Power Steering Pump
Before you can tighten the power steering belt, you need to locate the power steering pump. The pump is usually located near the front of the engine, and it has a belt that goes around it.
Step Two: Remove the Old Belt
Once you have located the power steering pump, you need to remove the old belt. To do this, you will need to loosen the tensioner pulley. The tensioner pulley is what keeps the belt tight, and it is usually located near the power steering pump.
Once you have loosened the tensioner pulley, you can remove the old belt and throw it away.
Step Three: Remove the Old Belt
Now that the power steering pump is free from the vehicle, you can remove the old belt. Use a wrench to loosen the tensioner pulley so that you can slip the old belt off of the pulleys. Inspect the old belt for cracks or wear and tear. If it looks damaged, it’s best to replace it with a new one.
Once the old belt is off, clean the pulleys with a rag before installing the new belt. Make sure that there is no debris or dirt on the pulleys that could damage the new belt.
Step Four: Install the New Belt
Now that the old belt has been removed, it’s time to install the new one. Begin by routing the new belt around the power steering pulley. Make sure that the belt is tight against the pulley and doesn’t have any slack. Once the belt is in place, move on to the next pulley and repeat the process. Continue until all of the pulleys have been wrapped with the new belt.
Once all of the pulleys have been taken care of, it’s time to tighten up the new belt. To do this, you’ll need to adjust the tensioner. The tensioner is what keeps the belt tight against the pulleys. To adjust it, simply turn it clockwise with a wrench until it’s tight. Once it’s tight, give the belt a tug to make sure that it’s not going to slip off.
And that’s it! With the new belt installed and tensioned correctly, your power steering system should be good as new.
Step Five: Adjust the Tension
If your power steering belt is too loose, it can cause the pump to work harder and eventually overheat. To adjust the tension, first loosen the adjusting bolt on the power steering pump. Then, turn the tensioner pulley clockwise until there is enough tension on the belt to prevent it from slipping. Finally, retighten the adjusting bolt on the pump.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to tighten a power steering belt, it’s time to get out there and do it! This is a relatively simple task that can be easily completed in less than an hour. With the right tools and a little bit of elbow grease, you’ll have your power steering belt tight and working like new in no time.