Hey everyone,

I have been using the AC less recently, like most folks, and a week ago my AC compressor pulley started to squeak a little on start up. It’s gotten progressively worse and as of today it moans and groans all the time.

With the AC on, the clutch engages and the noise and subsequent friction vanish entirely.


Has anyone had one fail this way before?

Is it possible to replace just the pulley/ clutch assembly and not the entire compressor?

Lastly, and most importantly, do you think I’ll be okay off-roading tomorrow if I leave the AC on?

 

The clutch is different from the front bearing. As long as the front bearing is ok you can drive the truck with the AC off. Remove the belt and see if you can wiggle the pulley at all, if there is any play at all it needs to be replaced. You can replace the clutch without changing the compressor. There is one bolt in the middle of the shaft holding the faceplate on and one snap ring that holds the clutch assembly on. Relatively easy swap.

 

@Extinct would the fact that the noise goes away when the AC is on indicate the front bearing is okay?

I’ll pull the belt in the morning and get a better look at the pulley.

It seems to me like whatever is responsible for disengaging the clutch is what has failed. Like the throw out bearing would on a manual transmission.

Am I totally off base there?

 

Probably not the bearing as it spins all the time, sounds like something in the clutch. You can remove the front bolt and faceplate and run without that to see if it changes the noise.

 

@Extinct thats what I was thinking. When I spin the 10mm bolt on the clutch the clutch just turns, albeit with a lot of friction. How do you hold it in place so the bolt can be loosened?

 

Impact or if you don’t have that vice grip

 

@Extinct just got it off with a vice grip. The pulley spins freely. It does kind of sound like there is some dirt or just as it kind of crackles a little as it spins, but it has no play. The clutch was most certainly the source of the noise.

When I pulled the clutch off I immediately noticed dirt and grime, I guess from the clutch wearing over time.

The pulley spins as of more freely than the other pulleys, so I feel confident it will be fine without the ac clutch for today.

 

Crackle sound is not the bearing, it’s some left over debris from the crud inside the clutch that’s contacting the pulley. Shouldn’t be an issue, cleaning it off best I can.

 

Scratch that. Cranked it up and there’s a nice little squeak coming from the pulley.

stops if I spray some WD-40 on the backside of the pulley.

should I put the AC clutch back on and run AC on? That stops the squeak.

or, should I just hit it with WD-40 and drive it?

last option. Not drive it?

 

Found the AC delete belt at AutoZone. Duralast 700 k7.

stuck that guy on their and I’m good to go. Ready to get this ting in the dirt!