I have some annoying squeeling and screeching that just started last week. It is not a constant squeel like my cherokee has, its intermittent, especially when I first start the truck. It always happens every drive, but by intermittent i mean: "chrip.....chir chirp chirp...... 2 minutes later... squeeeeeel chirp.."
LOL you get the point.
At first it was only while the engine was warming up, now it comes and goes as Im driving to. There are not cracks in the belt, I think it just needs to be tightened. How much freeplay should there be, I can pull it up and down with my hand fairly easily, I guess.
How do you tighten it? Where is the tensionor, ow do I access it, which direction do I turn it, and what size socket?

 

Auto tension, no way to adjust it. MIGHT be worn out, might also need a new belt or another accessory pulley.

 

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=79105

Rent the tool and change it out.

 

Do I get a cheap belt from autozone or do I get the gatorbelt or whatvever it is I remember hearing about?

 

Use what you want. The Gatorback belt will be the better belt. How old is your belt now?

 

I have no idea I just bought the truck about a month ago, there's 120,000 miles on the truck

 

Probably time for a belt. Mine was cracked at 110K miles. My old one used to slip when I drove through water or washed the engine. The Gatorback I have now doesn't slip at all. Well it is a new belt end tensiionor but just by look this belt will be hard to slip.

 

I say belt and tensioner. I was experiencing the same thing you are on my 3.0. The tensioner was worn out. $70 (tensioner) later and no more squeaking.

Definitely go with a Goodyear Gatorback belt.

 

Ok, Im swaping out the belt this weekend, I will get the gatorback as long as they stock them at autozone.
So all I have to do is get that tool, turn that bolt to the right and my belt will loosen so I can pull it off? Then i just put the new on on and turn the bolt back to the left until its tight again?
Or is it like when you turn the bolt to the right, the whole tensioner moves and swings back when you let go of the bolt? Or does the bolt itself back out and loosen the tension?

 

Turn the tensionor away from the belt then move the belt out of the way then release the tensionor slowly. Make sure you get the correct tensionor. Compare the two and make sure the new one has the proper alignment tab. When you go to put the but the belt on pay attention to the routing diagram sticker on your truck. I run it everywhere except the tensionor and alternator. Then I pull the tensionor away and run the belt through the tensionor and alternator.

 

Ok, so when you say you pull the tensioner away, you turn the bolt right, and hold it there with one hand and rout the belt with the other? or will it stay there

 

No. You turn the tensionor with the tool in the hole not by the bolt. When you turn it you have to hold it there.

 

ok, loosen the bolt, (turn right), then stick a thick flathead on some whole and pull it to the right and pull the belt off?

 

Nope. Rent the free tool and put it in the square hole. Turn the tensionor away from the belt and hold it. The only time you mess with the bolt is to take it off of the truck.

 

Here is the tool:



The hole where the tool goes is square and on the back side of the pulley(not a Ranger tensionor):



When you go to mess with it you will see wich way to take it off. I think you turn it toward the passenger side but I forgot. Just use common sense.

 

Alright awesome!!! Makes perfect sense thanks for the help I appreciate it man!!!
When I am pulling the tensioner, if it feels easy to pull (not too much resistance) that indicates that i need a new tensioner right? Auto zone has them for 33$, and idle pulleys for 17$. SShould I replace all of those parts at once? (I don't have the money to but if need be I could), or just try the belt first and see if that stops the squeak? It seams to squeel more when it is cold, not so much when its warm.

 

The new tensionor will definatly feel stronger than the old one.

Replacing everything is up to you. I replaced everything when I did mine because I had 110K miles on my truck. I still have a squeak but its my fan clutch and that will be changed out this weekend. The squeak could be anything.

 

In the tutorial Takeda linked he was saying to use just a wrench on that bolt to loosen the belts tension, I didn't see the tutorial until you linked it just now and I did the same thing he did to loosen mine. The only thing is I put a piece of skinny pipe over the wrench so that someone else could hold it down easily and out of the way while I messed with the belt. You don't NEED the special tool, it only makes it easier.

 

So it makes the job easier, its free to rent and you can get it at the parts store you will be at already. Hmmmmm

 

I'm not saying not to use it. Just if they don't have it or if for some reason he can't get it, it's still not too difficult to do without

 

I used a piece of .75 conduit and a socket wrench. Werkt four me!