WHO WOULD OF IMAGINED !! WOBBLING IDLER PULLYS NORMAL !!

So after installing a tranny cooler that greatly reduced my trans temps - I noticed that both of my idler pulleys have quite a bit of "play" in them and are noticeably "wobbling" against the flat side of the belt, which in my opinion is a recipe for belt noise and wear. That would be totally unacceptable in my shop - but not in Toyotas shop. As explained to me by the service manager - they are designed that way !! Now with only 3000 miles on the truck - I am not hearing any belt nor bearing noise, but REALLY - pulleys designed to wobble.

I had them pull a brand new Tacoma into the shop, and wow - both of those pulleys were wobbling. My advice to you guys - If your Idler Pulleys are running true - Get to your dealer, cause you might have a potential problem !! I really can't believe it. Although they did make the decision to discontinue the external Trans. cooler with the towing package, so why not wobbling pulleys too.

Maybe I'm just being a bit too picky - but if I saw that in my shop during a belt replacement - I would would for sure replace the Idlers only to cure nothing. I was not able to upload my short video of it, but since it is normal - just look at yours and see if you agree. Regards Scott

 

Mine have some play and after looking online so does pretty much everybody else's. Do they have an excessive amount of play? is your belt running straight for the most part?

 

Yes on the belt running straight. Just seems really odd to me to watch something wobbling across the flat of it. Dealer says it is within specs. but I don't agree. Guess I'm just old school and like to see things running true. No reason they shouldn't in my opinion and just grabbing it produces at least a 1/16" of play. No need for that either.

 

Mine has been like that since day one. No noise, no issues. 70k miles.

 

That's what I needed to hear !! Thank-you Skydvrr !! Regards Scott

 

I don't know if it has to do with the wobble, but I did have to replace my belt at 46k miles. Squealed like a pig..thus how I found out I had wobble in my pulleys...thinking that might be the issue.

 

Mine wobble and have since the beginning. I get belt chirping at temps at or around 100F. It’s quiet most the time. IDGAF as my truck is a raspy jaloppy and eats dirt for breakfast. But I’m looking at a belt and pulley replacement soon I think.

 

That is for sure a culprit of belt noise Did you replace the idlers - only to find the new ones to have play in them ???

 

Nah, havnt replaced anything yet. I heard the noise, saw them wobbling and asked around, found out it was normal and have just been keepin an eye on the belt. Doesn’t look worn at all to me so I’m rocking a free bird under the hood.

 

I’ve heard an aftermarket belt, w/o pulley replacement, has fixed the issue for many.

 

I'm starting to wonder if this is where my chirping is coming from, its very faint, cant hear it with the hood up engine noise drowns it out, only in the cab without any other noise and it increases as i accelerate.

 

Please clarify.....

The 'wobble' is due to axial play or radial play?

 

I guess i'm comfortable for now and if noise comes down the road - I will source a solution then. As you can see from my vehicles in my member photo - noise is part of my vehicles - breakdowns try to be avoided !!

 

I don't think I know the difference - but with the amount of play that can be felt by simply grabbing the pulley (with the truck NOT running) - I'm believing the wobble is stemming from that and not bent or warped.

 

Axial play will be parallel to the shaft. Will the pulley move in and out along the shaft?

Radial play will be at 90* to the shaft. Will the pulley move up/down & sideways on the shaft?

 

After reading bad reviews on most of the aftermarket brands for our truck, I went with OEM and it did fix my noise issue.

 

Hmmm Without disconnecting the belt - I'm just going with a pretty good amount of play when I grab it a the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. In any other vehicle - I would replace it with tolerance like this one - but apparently NOT in a Tacoma - where things are designed this way. 2021 and they don't want a simple pulley to run true ?? Whats their thoughts on other bearings ??? I'm placing this in the lessons learned section of my brain.

 

I see some of you have off-road avatars. Don't forget dirt, dust, mud, and water will all play into this as well. Street queens probably won't experience the same wear and tear on the belt/pulleys, pulley play or not.

 

Neither Toyota made the pulley egg shaped for some unknown reason .

 

Hi Never did I suggest that it is "egg" shaped. They just have excessive play in the bearing area causing them to wobble across the belt. Sorry if I mislead you.