My power steering was a little unresponsive at lower RPM's, occasionally it was harder to turn. Once or twice the belt squealed over the last month. Then today I started the car, it would not initially turn over (nothing happened when I turned the key, like the engine was locked up). 2nd start attempt worked. Then 20 seconds later I was pulling out of my driveway, when I decided to pop the hood because the power steering was totally gone. Turns out the serpentine belt worked its way totally off the pulleys and was wrapped around the radiator fan area between the pulleys. So I got a new belt from my local NAPA, (got jack stands and a floor jack since I was there, anticipating I might try to change out the shocks myself. Hard to go to NAPA and only get one item. Plus they were sale items!). Belt change took about 10 minutes. Success!! No belt squeal, but it was not doing the noise hardly at all anyways. The real test, driving the TJ, and it the power steering responds well.
Now the belt likely needed to be changed as routine maintenance, so done. Not sure why the belt came off, maybe it was totally stretched out because of age and jumped off the pulleys. It was not severed or cut. The auto tensioner seemed to tighten the new belt up appropriatly. I did notice some play in the pulley attached to the power steering pump prior to installing the new belt, IS THAT NORMAL? If not I assume the PS Pump might need to be replaced to correct this slightly loose pulley wheel. No leaks, and only 59k on the odometer, but it is a 19 year old TJ so replacing parts is just part of the ownership experience on a vehicle with some age, even if it is a creampuff.
SO here is the rub.......while I know I was having some power steering lag, and a squeal a couple times, yesterday I took the TJ into and across a 19 acre land tract to inspect a real estate listing (I'm a Realtor), rolling hills, and the grass and overgrowth was 4 feet high. Nothing bigger than an inch diameter, tall grass and tall weeds, I suspect vegetation may have gotten up in the fan area and maybe helped the belt off over the next 10 miles as I drove home??..... maybe the vegetation made the belt slick yesterday, and this morning it came off???? Could just be a coincidence who knows.
For now I will see how the next couple trips go. Maybe a PS Pump replacement in my future.........
This was the before picture, as I thought about taking the TJ into the countryside.
Now the belt likely needed to be changed as routine maintenance, so done. Not sure why the belt came off, maybe it was totally stretched out because of age and jumped off the pulleys. It was not severed or cut. The auto tensioner seemed to tighten the new belt up appropriatly. I did notice some play in the pulley attached to the power steering pump prior to installing the new belt, IS THAT NORMAL? If not I assume the PS Pump might need to be replaced to correct this slightly loose pulley wheel. No leaks, and only 59k on the odometer, but it is a 19 year old TJ so replacing parts is just part of the ownership experience on a vehicle with some age, even if it is a creampuff.
SO here is the rub.......while I know I was having some power steering lag, and a squeal a couple times, yesterday I took the TJ into and across a 19 acre land tract to inspect a real estate listing (I'm a Realtor), rolling hills, and the grass and overgrowth was 4 feet high. Nothing bigger than an inch diameter, tall grass and tall weeds, I suspect vegetation may have gotten up in the fan area and maybe helped the belt off over the next 10 miles as I drove home??..... maybe the vegetation made the belt slick yesterday, and this morning it came off???? Could just be a coincidence who knows.
For now I will see how the next couple trips go. Maybe a PS Pump replacement in my future.........
This was the before picture, as I thought about taking the TJ into the countryside.
