DIY: Replacing the Bearings in the Idler & Tensioner Pulleys

I went with this brg for the tensioner. Zero issues.

5203-2NSL Nachi Double Row Angular Contact Bearing 17x40x17.5 Sealed

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045DWDJE?ie=UTF8

 

No adapters or reducers needed. For the tensioner, all of those look good. The Nachi bearing I installed is going on 70K and doing well, but these three all look good. Go by price.

When I initially created this thread, I needed reducers because 10mm ID bearings were not available, not even from a Toyota dealer. Now, they are readily available.

 

Sounds easy enough for the bearing swap. Thanks again for the help

 

Could someone point me at what they think is the best video on R/R of the serpentine belt on late 2nd gen 4.0 v6. Things look OK at the moment but like to be prepared for what will need to be done in the future. I already have a new belt in my parts inventory so i am prepared. How to you lock back the tensioner when you do this.

 

That was exactly what i was looking for. Thanks.
Will probably just use a 1/4 inch drill bit for the task.

 

I used the same bearing and it squealed like hell. Had to press it out and press back in the old one. I just got another bearing from Roda Victoria USA and it's different than what was advertised. I really wish there was a better plug and play solution for the tensioner like the idlers.

 

That sucks, I wonder if it was a knockoff Nachi, I don't know what the knockoffs look like but I've heard some countries aren't above knocking off japanese bearings. At the time I replaced all the other idlers and tensioner pulley brg, the serpentine system quieted down so much I can hear the injectors ticking again at idle. I didn't realize how noisey it had gotten until the noise was gone.

 

There is at least one that I know of - Febest #

$44 0187-GRJ200 OEM 16620-31012

0187-GRJ200. I got one as a backup to my Nachi bearing. The potential quality issue is the Febest pulley uses a China bearing. The reviews on Amazon are positive, but I would rather go with a Japanese bearing.

 

The rodavictoriausa site has the following 6302rmx bearing

I gather this is just a cheap chinese replacement and not worth using?

https://rodavictoriausa.com/producto/6302rmx-toprol-idler-pulley-bearing-for-toyota-lexus/

The koyo version is currently out of stock.

https://rodavictoriausa.com/product...ng-for-toyota-lexus-idler-pulley-10x42x13-mm/

 

Would this idler pulley work on the tacoma (for the single 6302RMS versions)

https://rodavictoriausa.com/product...belt-idler-pulley-koyo-pu107013armxy-6302rmx/

Its the same 70 mm in diameter but 32 mm wide vs 33.5

At $48 it is cheaper that all the rock auto replacements and has a koyo bearing...

 

When replacing the idler tensioner pulley on a 2007 tacoma v6 the pulley removed from truck had a 17x40x24mm bearing in the pulley which matches the pulley and bearing labeled as Gates 36174 made in Canada B1804 and available on Amazon as

$42 Gates 36174 Idler Pulley

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001FHQZDI?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title on Canadian Amazon site or the USA site as

$42 Gates 36174 Idler Pulley

https://www.amazon.com/Gates-36174-Idler-Pulley/dp/B001FHQZDI?crid=1JJVVG2X9G1CE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NteVak3dZknVwoqcVtgtGSL6vxbsIgfedOmiA2Te1VanfVlklm2xTHfBG15XFzzrOSJdx_RYTA6A15vV6SMwqs6mljYvgN8t6B6hueGjYhtmQHdNrebqF75NfHR8aXjBLeknFpf4XTj8gl2rzcrjufDS5q-lFZmyLUyNinMVd76DczwIfwkCDu9f-1Dh_Zrls3c5gd2ggY4BPVcVIP_88vIir6LVlonm7-4UOZHjdMM.ECNMX0c9RZNeMIndJQC_ncv2DEiTGYA_3bPamldATLs&dib_tag=se&keywords=36174+gates&qid=1746455444&sprefix=36174+gates%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1
Just take out the supplied bolt and spacer and reuse the original left handed tensioner bolt

 

@thornett I doubt the 36174 sold in the US has different specs from the Canadian one. We have covered this bearing before, that you lose thread engagement with this bearing because the ID is wider than oem, which in my 07 measured 17.5mm wide, not 24. If you had a 24mm wide bearing, maybe it had been replaced.

 

The bearing that came off my 2007 tacoma is indeed a 24mm deep bearing. Can't say if original to truck since haven't owned since new. I purchased the replacement pulley/bearing mentioned early in post as

$44 Febest 0187-GRJ200 OEM 16620-31012

Febest 0187-GRJ200 and also two 17x40x12mm bearings to hedge my bets if might have to press into the old pulley. The pulley and bearing show up tomorrow. But in going through and replacing all the pulleys whilst doing the air compressor pump the

$42 Gates 36174 Idler Pulley

Gates 36174 matches exactly what came off my trucks tensioner assembly and was/is also used in position No1 idler in this image.

 

@thornett based on the belt wear on that pulley, it is definitely not oem. The belt wear should be centered. It is working for you but, if my truck, I would change it. The bearing should last a long time. My concern has always been the loss of bolt thread engagement with the wider ID of the bearing.

 

Thanks for the help I'll let you know when the

$44 Pulley Idler Febest 0187-GRJ200 OEM 16620-31012

Febest 0187-GRJ200 shows tomorrow and all is well again! I also ordered earlier a 17.5mm wide bearing in reading that people were just pressing it into their old pulley. But when tried that approach with the pulley that came off my truck it was clear was never going to work so started wondering what was the issue. Never crossed my mind that it had been swapped out with the somewhat right but wrong pulley.

 

@thornett To clarify, the belt wear will not be exactly centered. I usually see 1-2 mm wear from inside edge. I have the Febest as a backup. Since that is a Chinese no-name pulley/bearing, consider swapping out the bearing for a good quality one. I’ve never measured what size bearing the Febest has.

 

Seems like the best price for the tensioner pulley bearing In Canada

https://ohcanadasupply.ca/bearings-seals-and-hub-assemblies/bearings/nac52032nsl

 

The

$44 Pulley Idler Febest 0187-GRJ200 OEM 16620-31012

Febest 0187-GRJ200 showed up and the inside diameter of the bearing was correct but the depth of the bearing didn't allow the bolt to fully tighten in the tensioner. So think the tensioner assembly was replaced at some point and it's not oem. Ended up reusing the pulley that was on the tensioner and pressed in two 12mm thick bearings to make up the 24mm bearing required.