Don't forget the idler pulleys!

[deeter16317]

I took the idler pulley off my Subaru today (97 OBW, 140k)...found the bearing dry of grease. Cleaned it out with a little kero, and "repacked". Should be good for a few more miles.

I know most of us probably never think about the idler pulleys, but being a sealed bearing; they have a finite life expectancy.

 

[Pablo]

I had one die on a 22RE at around 75K. Made a real nasty racket. Cool thing, it's a standard bearing. Press the old one out, new one in - viola - avoid trip to the armed guy behind the Toyota parts counter.

 

[Chris142]

Replaced both of them on my Jeep before 100K. Cant replace the bearing, gotta replace the whole idler.

 

[daman]

I do that all the time but use a needle greaser on my grease gun,insert it in between the inner race and dust seal 1 or 2 pumps and she's good to go.

 

[wirelessF]

Come to think of it, I should do it on my toyota truck. How did you guys regrease the bearings?

 

[simple_gifts]

Oddly my 2003 still uses V-belts.

 

[Dieseldoctor]

Curious how u guys are repacking these bearings.. i've tried using the needle on sealed bearings ends up leaking and causing grease all over the belts... ne pics?

 

[Kestas]

The seals are ever-so important. If you can't repack the bearing without maintaining the integrity of the seal, then the bearing cannot be serviced. I've seen the tiniest imperfections on a sealing surface result in horrible grease purge.

 

[Nick R]

Yeah, I gotta replace my idler pulley ,it's been squeaking for a while and rarely, but sometimes sounds like it's full of gravel.

 

[caravanmike]

why don't they make idler bearings with zerk fittings?

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
why don't they make idler bearings with zerk fittings?

No room

 

[Quest]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
why don't they make idler bearings with zerk fittings?


LOL! That's because the likeliness of morooones over-greasing those bearings are high.

Q.

 

[deeter16317]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
why don't they make idler bearings with zerk fittings?


The bearings are small, require little grease, access is difficult, added cost; just to name a few.

Don't get me wrong, they are cheap enough to just buy a new one...but if I can get half again the life out of it by performing a little maintenance, why not? Even if I only get an extra 10k out of it, its still another 10k.

 

[daman]

The last ime i had to buy a roller bearing was probably 20 years ago,like i posted above, remove the pulley give it a pump or two using a needle greaser slap it back on and it's good to go for another 5 years.

 

[deeter16317]

Originally Posted By: Dieseldoctor
Curious how u guys are repacking these bearings.. i've tried using the needle on sealed bearings ends up leaking and causing grease all over the belts... ne pics?



Probably not the most ideal, but it works for me.

The seals just pop out with a small screw driver inserted along the outer edge (they look like a rubber-coated, and very thin, washer). Make sure you don't get crazy and bend it.

I then wash the old grease out, and then I use a grease hypodermic needle to place grease in all the voids between the balls.

The seals need worked back in place by hand (no tools needed)...make sure they seat in their exterior groove and that the seal lip is over the inner race.

 

[Scdevon]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
why don't they make idler bearings with zerk fittings?


Because they're "lubed for life".

"Life" means 50,000 miles to a car manufacturer. Kudos to the O.P. for subverting the planned obsolescence of this part.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Scdevon
Originally Posted By: caravanmike
why don't they make idler bearings with zerk fittings?


Because they're "lubed for life".

"Life" means 50,000 miles to a car manufacturer. Kudos to the O.P. for subverting the planned obsolescence of this part.


Another way of looking at it...
Life means the life of the part which usually dies because of a lack of lube.

 

[deeter16317]

I have a spare idler pulley for the truck that I could take it apart and show how its done...pretty simple actually, once you've done it. Its not something that takes special tools or a lot of effort, just some patience and attention to detail.

I can't complain...the truck has over 200k on its idlers (greased both at 200k, currently 212k) and the Outback has 140k on its single idler. So they do last a while even being "lubed for life".

 

[SteveSRT8]

we run a fleet of trucks and routinely lube our idlers and tensioner pulleys with Amsoil Gear Oil.

I have some with 250k miles on the original parts.

 

[RnR]

What's a: "grease hypodermic needle" - something commonly available?