Idler pulley

[Zoro]

Heard a moaning and groaning coming from under the hood of my '84 wagon and it turned out to be the idler pulley. Anybody have the correct part number?

The only pulley I can find is this one:


The type of idler pulley on my Eagle is like this one with the fixed stud:


Is the OEM kind still available or do I have to convert the open style over? If so what's the best way? Thanks!

[mach1mustang351]

Easiest way to convert would be to go to the hardware store with the new pulley and get a shoulder bolt the right id for the bearing. I consider this the ideal fix because now your rig will accept a readily available part. I dug through a book and also came up with a p/n for just the bolt. Should be a 45920. This is a 4 seasons type number.

[BenM]

I believe it is 6203-2RS for Wagner.

[TLC87Eagle]

I used the original bolt from the factory pulley. You can cut off the front of the original pulley with a cutoff wheel to liberate the bolt, and then use the pulley available at the part stores. If you have the right equipment, you can press the old bearing out from the back, and press in a new bearing with the bolt around it. Cause basically only the bearing is bad, and is only about $2 front sources online or supply stores.

I can dig up the part number for just the bearing if you want to go that route. It is also the same bearing for the lower idler pulley (with A/C), which is easier to swap out since that pulley is not closed on the front.

Or like I said you can cut out the front of the original pulley to get the bolt, and get one the in the first picture from RockAuto (the Cheapest), or pay a little more at local part stores.

[Zoro]

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna get the new part store pulley and get a shoulder bolt from the hardware store.

On a side note I did find 3" US Made V belt pulleys on the shelf at Tractor Supply and Murdoch's but they were 5/8" wide whereas the Eagle pulley is only 1/2".

By any chance would too much belt tension shorten the lifespan of the idler pulley? I replaced the ALT/AC belt 2 months back and now the pulley went.

[SpreadEagle]

I would say yes. Tension on a pulley is tension on the bearing. Especially if not lined up directly. Old pulley extra tension... Force is going to look for a weak spot.

Just my 2 cents..

[Zoro]

I would say yes. Tension on a pulley is tension on the bearing. Especially if not lined up directly. Old pulley extra tension... Force is going to look for a weak spot.

Just my 2 cents..

Guess it makes sense.

[Zoro]

Just got the AZ pulley today. Surprisingly it's made in the USA and appears to be built better than the factory unit. Still need to get the bolt, install it then snap some photos.

[eaglebeek]

@Zoro...I'll be interested in your pics when you post them. I drilled a hole in the end cap on my pulley and installed a grease fitting, then pumped it full of grease to silence it. I'm sure I'm gonna need a new one soon. In fact, I keep one I snagged from a junkyard Eagle in the spare tire well just in case the pulley now on the car fails.

[Zoro]

@Zoro...I'll be interested in your pics when you post them. I drilled a hole in the end cap on my pulley and installed a grease fitting, then pumped it full of grease to silence it. I'm sure I'm gonna need a new one soon. In fact, I keep one I snagged from a junkyard Eagle in the spare tire well just in case the pulley now on the car fails.

AWESOME IDEA! Unfortunately the replacement pulley from AZ is a sealed unit. On a side note some Wagoneers with dealer installed AC in the 70's had the same idler pulley if you're looking for junkyard spares.

[Zoro]

OK. Got my new pulley installed today. Took a bunch of cell phone photos which I will post later.

When I relieved the tension from the belt the pulley fell off the hub. It was much worse than I thought! There was not even a single ball bearing to be found.

I reused the hub and the bolt for the new pulley. The bolt part ain't necessarily long enough so I couldn't reuse the lock-washer so I substituted with red lock-tite. Anybody know where to get one of those flat sided bolts?

There was a good bit of play between the bolt and the inner part of the bearing so I pressed in a bronze bushing to take up the slack.

Got it all installed and it seems to be working great. Will post pictures later.

[Zoro]

Here's the photos.

OEM pulley after removal, no ball bearings to be found


OEM pulley next to AutoZone replacement pulley




New pulley with OEM bearing stud, note the gap


Brass bushing pressed into bearings on AutoZone pulley


New pulley bolted up using OEM bearing hub and stud


Final installation


In the final photo the pulley sits a tad bit crooked but then again that's always how it sat on the OEM one as well, the photo makes it look WAY worse than it actually is. There is one spacer that came off the OEM pulley that was reused on the back of the new pulley to space it between the bracket and pulley. Last but not least I couldn't reuse the OEM lock washer so I had to use red Loc-Tite on the nut. It's on there tight and no issues.

[vangremlin]

Nice work and thanks for the pictures!

[mudkicker715]

Worthy of the pedia when its back. nice job

[Zoro]

Nice work and thanks for the pictures!

Thanks and no problem.

Worthy of the pedia when its back. nice job

Thanks! When the EaglePedia is back up I can give a more detailed write-up with part #'s if wanted.