[sixty3]

It’s been posted a lot, but I need to replace the ACC belt on my 17 YOs Lightning. This doesn’t look like the most fun job on a 2000 Lightning. We’ve had the truck for 18 months or so, looks to be original caged lower pulley so that has to be removed to replace the ACC belt, right?

wish me luck.

 

[Struck in AZ]

You are correct...cage has to come off and remember that the center spindle on the pulley, which is a 14mm Allen if I remember correctly, is reverse threaded.

 

[sixty3]

You are correct...cage has to come off and remember that the center spindle on the pulley, which is a 14mm Allen if I remember correctly, is reverse threaded.

Yep, read that as well. I wish the ACC belt would have bit the dust when it was a bit warmer outside!

 

[cbxer55]

Let me throw a little help your way. Instead of jacking the truck to take the caged pulley off, remove the shroud and fan. Then you can do the job from above. First you must remove the plastic cover on top of the radiator. Then put a large adjustable wrench on the nut on the fan, and whack it with a large mallet toward the passenger side. It will come loose, might take a bunch of whacks but it will come loose. Then there are just two bolts that hold the fan shroud on. Remove those, then take out the fan and shroud at the same time. Now you have all the room in the world to work on the lower pulley from above. Since the lower pulley is reversed threaded ,when working on it from above, you will loosen it towards the driver's side when working on it from above.

A friend of mine and me did mine from the bottom. But since, I've had to take off t he bolt-on pulley twice. I always go ahead and remove the fan and shroud to do this. Plus, when working on it from above, you can use a longer tool to remove that stupid stock pulley. A long breaker bar, with maybe a piece of pipe over it to extend it's length. If you do that, it should be a snap to get the pulley off.

 

[cbxer55]

I'll be helping another friend do his lower pulley some time next year, likely. He finally has a place with a garage and a beater vehicle to drive, so he doesn't have to daily his Lightning any more. His fan shroud his trashed. I bought him one off the classifieds here some time ago. So when we do his lower, we'll be replacing his shroud as well.

I would buy another lower pulley set up so you can toss the stock POS in the round-open-top file. Don't put it back on. LFP sells pulleys for bolt-on adapters including a stock size pulley if you are not wanting to up boost. I've been running a two pound lower since January 2011 with no tuning. Computer can handle two pounds over stock with no problems.

 

[sixty3]

I'll be helping another friend do his lower pulley some time next year, likely. He finally has a place with a garage and a beater vehicle to drive, so he doesn't have to daily his Lightning any more. His fan shroud his trashed. I bought him one off the classifieds here some time ago. So when we do his lower, we'll be replacing his shroud as well.

I would buy another lower pulley set up so you can toss the stock POS in the round-open-top file. Don't put it back on. LFP sells pulleys for bolt-on adapters including a stock size pulley if you are not wanting to up boost. I've been running a two pound lower since January 2011 with no tuning. Computer can handle two pounds over stock with no problems.

Yeah, the kid can drive something else for a bit, I will probably get a new pulley instead of putting the old one back on, just wish it was easier to change the ACC belt than this.

 

[cbxer55]

Yeah, the kid can drive something else for a bit, I will probably get a new pulley instead of putting the old one back on, just wish it was easier to change the ACC belt than this.

True. But once you put on a bolt-on lower setup, changing the back belt is a breeze. And as I said, if you work on it from over the top instead of underneath, with a longer tool since you now have the room, the stock pulley should come off fairly easy. Mine wasn't that bad, even from the bottom. Wear ear plugs. When the sucker finally lets loose, your neighbors will hear the "CRACK!!"

 

[cbxer55]

In case you don't have a long crescent wrench, I bought mine from Harbor Freight. Wasn't expensive. I bought it specifically for removing the fan. I don't have any other use for it.

 

[sixty3]

Don’t I still have to work from under the truck to get a wrench to lock at the transmission? Thought I had read where I’d need to do that to get the lower pulley to come off.

 

[Struck in AZ]

Don’t I still have to work from under the truck to get a wrench to lock at the transmission? Thought I had read where I’d need to do that to get the lower pulley to come off.

Motor does need to be locked...usually done with a strap on the flexplate/torque converter bolt.

 

[cbxer55]

Don’t I still have to work from under the truck to get a wrench to lock at the transmission? Thought I had read where I’d need to do that to get the lower pulley to come off.

Yeah, unfortunately. A wrench might work. Or maybe you can find a local shop to fab up the proper part. LFP includes it with their pulley kit though. My friend bought the kit, and I was surprised to see one of these in it. But you will be able to use a longer device to remove the pulley from above. All being equal, the longer you can make the device, the easier it will break free. You could take a typical 18 inch breaker bar, put a piece of pipe over the handle, and make it three feet or more. Crack, off comes the pulley. Instead of laying on your back, feet on the driver's side tire, trying to break it free with a shorter device.

 

[Struck in AZ]

You can go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get a piece of galvanized back strap and double-up on it if you need to...I used this and one piece of it cut to length worked just fine.

 

[L82brake]

I just replaced my belt and was just as concerned as you are. First of all, its way easier with a lift from the bottom. Find a friend with one, I highly recommend it. Post where you are and see if someone will let you use their lift for a hour or two. Also, there are places that will rent you lift time. Look around, this job warrants it.

First I bought the hex socket:

Titan 15614 1/2-Inch Drive x 14mm Hex Bit Socket - - Amazon.com

Titan 15614 1/2-Inch Drive x 14mm Hex Bit Socket - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Then I bought an offset box wrench to grab one of the converted bolts. It didn't work, it slipped too easily. Luckily my buddy with the lift had a shorty socket. Just a 14 mm socket that was 1/2 as deep and a normal one. That worked perfectly. And Two people worked for us. One that held the converter and one that cracked the hex. I had a breaker bar with a 2 ft pipe. When it popped it was really loud, I thought he broke something. Took 2 hours taking our time. Good luck!

 

[L82brake]

Plus, when working on it from above, you can use a longer tool to remove that stupid stock pulley. A long breaker bar, with maybe a piece of pipe over it to extend it's length. If you do that, it should be a snap to get the pulley off.

^^^^ this. Let me add, youre not leaning over the car to get leverage. From the bottom, you can put all your body weight on the bar.

 

[cbxer55]

I am fortunate that I have a friend with a transmission shop a mile away from where I live. If it's not being used, I am able to use his lift. Usually, he or his son help me with whatever I am doing. And so I apy them both some folding cash for the opportunity. Recently put the mag-hytec deep transmission pan on my L. Paid the business owner $100 for use of the lift, and his son $40 for helping me out a bit.

 

[SMOKE]

Don’t I still have to work from under the truck to get a wrench to lock at the transmission? Thought I had read where I’d need to do that to get the lower pulley to come off.

They had a tool/bracket that locked onto the flywheel so engine wouldn’t turn while taking stock harmonic balancer off, it came with my 4lb pulley

 

[cbxer55]

They had a tool/bracket that locked onto the flywheel so engine wouldn’t turn while taking stock harmonic balancer off, it came with my 4lb pulley

I posted a blueprint of said part up above, in case you don't read all prior posts before posting yourself. And also informed him that the LFP pulley kit comes with said part.

 

[sixty3]

Well, looking at the pulley this morning, it’s not stock, but still caged. I’ll have to pull it to make sure I order the same size as is on there now, still want to get rid of the cage I think though.

 

[Struck in AZ]

Well, looking at the pulley this morning, it’s not stock, but still caged. I’ll have to pull it to make sure I order the same size as is on there now, still want to get rid of the cage I think though.

Can you post a picture of it...if it's not stock but still caged it's likely one of the JDM caged pulleys and you are going to absolutely destroy that thing taking it off. The center spindles were made of some crappy metal and most have had to cut, torch or grind those things off.

 

[sixty3]

Tough to get a decent shot of it while it’s still in.