Serpentine Belt Roller Wobble, 56k

A friendly Friday-Not-Friday reminder to look under the hood while the engine is idling from time to time. My ADD caught this runout almost immediately.

https://youtube.com/shorts/kGiHtHJSiws

New belt and roller ordered.

Great writeup by @06ltd about swapping the belt: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-tacoma-serpentine-belt-replacement.712582/

 

Great catch. You most likely stopped serious damage from happening!

 

If you take the belt off and spin the idler roller and there is no noise from the bearing it is likely ok. New roller will have some similar play as your existing one.

 

1. How many miles on the truck?
2. Do you still have the original belt?

 

TSB009820 from Toyota states that “slight wobble of any tensioner or idler roller is normal”

 

uh, 56k parts on order

 

That roller did not have that runout earlier this year.

 

I replaced my belt at 40k miles because I developed a chirping noise that is addressed in Toyota Service Bulletin 009820 that references the roller wobble

 

Eventually it will require replacing and I would do the same as OP. Rather inexpensive fix and could prevent other things to exacerbate.

 

My neighbor's '19 had the chirping noise which was from the tensioner which failed on a roadtrip.

My top driverside roller is not making any noise.

 

Yep.

 

From Toyota bulletin:

 

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10182963-9999.pdf

"1. Confirm the condition exists. Does the vehicle exhibit a chirp noise from the main accessory drive belt?
 YES — Continue to step 2.
 NO — This bulletin does NOT apply. Continue diagnosis using the applicable Repair Manual."

Mine has never made any of these noises.

 

I prefer to replace things on my time and give away some useful hours remaining on the part then to have something happen at some inopportune time when I’m traveling. Like many do here, we evaluate changing things based on the weather. I much rather replace things when I can schedule them around good weather. Today in CT is a good time for some impromptu fixing. We’ll be in the low 50’s!

 

“Slight” is such a subjective term.

 

Yep! And I'll have the OEM used belt with me in the future.

 

Post another video with your new roller so readers can compare the wobble or runout just for reference

 

All you need to do is look at the roller directly behind it in the vid. That shows you everything you need to know.

 

That's the only way!