2.3L ('83-'97) Serpentine Belt Tensioners 1990 2.3L

[Nubs]

Hi All! My truck is a 1990 Ford Ranger 2.3L with a 5 speed manual. I've been working on fixing it up lately, and would like to know how in the world do we take the Idler and A/C pulleys off of the brackets they're installed to.
It looks like some sort of a ring holds them on from the back and from the front I have no idea other than maybe they're pressed on somehow? I'd surely appreciate some insight onto these if you have it. They're not spring loaded or anything, they're just basically you tension it manually and lock the bolt down. You guys have any ideas?

Thanks!
Nubs

 

[corerftech]

You must buy a new bracket for the 1990 (I have same year) with new pulley for tensioner. The pulley is forged in place (stud peened over) to make the bearing or wheel non-replaceable unless you drill and weld a new replacement in.
The replacement pulley is hard to find and most specified are wrong! Watch for the kink in the tensioner plate. When you see the link in the steel plate, that’s the one. Pay close attention to the backing plate picture and don’t trust local parts store websites. Find the mfgr part number that matches and hunt by part number.
Good luck on it.

 

[corerftech]

Gates 36155 is what I bought on Amazon and paid a pretty penny after receiving another gates “supposed to fit” part from Oriellys, gates 361xx. Close but way wrong— yes an oxymoron!

 

[Nubs]

Thank you SO much! I've been scratching my head over this for a month now. I found the AC Pulley with the bracket, but the Idler was eluding me!! You've made my day for sure! Thanks again corerftech! I love the idea of pulley only replacements, so I'm going to see what can be done to source a size appropriate pulley set, and see about making the old pulley / bracket set a pulley only replacement. Have a great day!!

 

[DonK]

Thanks for this info guys! Not what I was hoping for tho…

 

[JHwkHud]

Thanks for this info guys! Not what I was hoping for tho…

Thanks also, but no one I found has the bracket in stock. My pulley is not long for the world. Obviously no grease left in it as one can hear the bearings, and it chirps like mad under load.

DonK, did you find a solution? I'm thinking about drilling out the bracket and converting to a bolt-in. Thoughts anyone?

 

[scotts90ranger]

That's what I'm planning on doing since I searched for that bracket and couldn't find any that weren't almost $200...

I found a pulley with lips on the edges like the stock one, Duralast 231080 that looks promising

 

[DonK]

Thanks also, but no one I found has the bracket in stock. My pulley is not long for the world. Obviously no grease left in it as one can hear the bearings, and it chirps like mad under load.

DonK, did you find a solution? I'm thinking about drilling out the bracket and converting to a bolt-in. Thoughts anyone?

I have not. Found one on eBay for $250. Thought about doing the conversion to a bolt also. Mine is not as bad as yours but does have a deep grove in it.