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23 year Ranger veteran
Joined: Sun Oct 22nd, 2017
Posts: 371
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FWIW......my squeaky belt *career* began at 36,4XX miles (For warranty purposes, wasn't that convenient?). Items addressed:
* Alternator. First replaced bearings (no dice), then had the commutator reground and installed new brushes (one of about three different sets, all in a quest to stop noise). No dice. Problem came and went for maybe another 30K miles. Problem solved with a new NAPA alternator with a lifetime warranty.
* Tensioner idler pulley replaced.....took care of problem for a few weeks.
* Replaced Motorcraft belt with a Dayco (fail) and then with a Gates (fail). Reversed belt directions (fail). There was no belt contamination. None of these provided a permanent fix.
*Meticulously cleaned each drive pulley when belts were swapped or reversed. Never found any debris that could possibly have anything to do with slippage.
* White gloved each pulley for damage/wear that could in any way contribute to the problem. Found nothing. Sanded WP Pulley with #600 along the way; no fix.
* Verified all accessory pulleys were in plane (they were and are).
* Verified the harmonic balancer rubber wasn't tearing and subsequently that it wasn't shredding the belt drive pulley (it wasn't).
*Repeated efforts to pinpoint noise source defied diagnostics using a piece of hose as a stethoscope, the same was true when using a metal rod or a screwdriver.
*** And then I bought a Gatorback. Absolutely could not find it locally nor even 300 miles/4hours away (Seattle). Best $30 ever spent.
I probably left out a few of the many things tried and looked at. This problem went on and it really sucked.
____________________
-Bill
04 Ranger FX4 Level II, several mods