If I make some replacement tensioner pulleys in billet aluminum with field replacable bearings for D2's to replace the plastic ones with the bearings cast into the pulley is there any interest in having one? I'm looking to be able to carry one set of bearings on expedition instead of one for idler and a whole pulley for the tensioner, also the whole disposable mindset plaguing new vehicles (even when the rest of the design is archaic) if really starting to grate on me. I'm thinking about getting into rebuilding D2 hubs as well, perhaps try to come up with a way to make them home-rebuildable.

 

Dude you come up with some wierd ideas.[sm=wtf.gif]

 

Why would you think it is weird? Most tensioner pulley are metal and have replacable bearings, Rover just decided to pick one that wasn't. A friend has a lathe in his basement so spinning a couple shouldn't be too much work.

 

How would you propose to press in the bearings on the trail? Going to carry around a little shop press too?

I used to work for the company that I think made those pulleys. I know we made the tensioners. Are they causing problems?

LR isn't the only one to use plastic pulleys, they are very very common. The only production vehicle to use solid machined pulleys, that I'm aware of, is the Ford GT.

 

Sounds good to me. The plastic pulleys do break and I have not been able to find a metal one anywhere, aluminum would be even better. How much would it cost though?

The plastic pulleys should last a while and they're prettycheap and easy to replace if you have to (or even asa preventive measure, like every 50k miles).

 

You can put a bearing in with a socket and mallet easily enough. Looks like you want steel vs alu though due to having it seize in due to corrosion. I'm going to look at the GT ones though, happen to know if those are 7-groove? That could save some effort. Just an idea for now though but I'll ask my friend what it would cost to do.

 

You need to concern yourself with the spacing of the pully. Not all of them have the bearing centered on the pulley running surface. Most do, but not all, so pay attention to that.

In fact, IIRC, the 4.6L LR engine was one of the weird ones that was *not* centered.