I think my belt broke ... dark out. Lost power steering after taking a turn ---

alwayscode390 · Dec 12, 2012

I drove the Viper for about 60 miles today. Got 1/4 mile away from home ... made a left turn off the highway and heard a slight quick SCREECH sound.

I felt a small tug in the steering wheel like my tire contacted the inner fender well.

Went to make a right hand turn into my home, and I have NO power steering now.

The idle didn't change, and my headlights didn't dim.

There was no constant screeching.

Its pitch black out , so I didn't even open the hood yet ... I will do it in the morning.

Is it common for a belt to jump the teeth? It may be the stock belt , so it may have snapped?

Either the belt, or the power steering pump failed (or would I not be able to turn at all?).

Just figured I would ask on here so I had a head start of where to look tomorrow.

Any tricks to a belt installation?

If I need to drive it 5 miles to a mechanic ... will I have any problems driving it without power steering besides it just being hard to turn?

THANKS

---

EDIT: Its a 2001 GTS with 23k miles on it.

K930 · Dec 12, 2012

Power steering pulley break?

speedracervr4 · Dec 12, 2012

Gonna need a 15MM long wrench (Can use two wrenched for leverage) or socket with breaker bar to move the tensioner in order to get the belt on. The power steering pulley is probably shot and should be upgraded with a Billet one like Roes. Keep in mind the Water pump and Alternator is ran off that belt so I'm not sure if it's a great idea to drive it to far.

dave6666 · Dec 12, 2012

The best bet is to buy a tensioner tool. There is marginal clearance between the tensioner and the aluminum chassis brace, and the tools are designed to be thin in that respect. I made my own, but I'm crafty that way. The belt routing should be on the sticker under the hood on the driver side. +1 on don't drive the car w/o the belt. Not worth it.

speedracervr4 · Dec 12, 2012

Sears, Harbor freight, and Northern tools have the tensioner tool...thinking about it I need to buy one.

alwayscode390 · Dec 12, 2012

I noticed the steering wheel felt really tight ... but I thought it was the "racecar feel". Is it supposed to be pretty tight when turning it?

So sounds like I need to get a tensioner tool ... and an upgraded billet power steering pulley from Roe?

Might as well get a replacement belt also ... any recommended ones? Anyone know the belt number off hand?

Ill do a search later if I need to , thanks guys!!! ---

plumcrazy · Dec 12, 2012

this is why i love my flashlite app

denniskgb · Dec 12, 2012

alwayscode390 said:
I drove the Viper for about 60 miles today. Got 1/4 mile away from home ... made a left turn off the highway and heard a slight quick SCREECH sound.

I felt a small tug in the steering wheel like my tire contacted the inner fender well.

Went to make a right hand turn into my home, and I have NO power steering now.

The idle didn't change, and my headlights didn't dim.

There was no constant screeching.

Its pitch black out , so I didn't even open the hood yet ... I will do it in the morning.

Is it common for a belt to jump the teeth? It may be the stock belt , so it may have snapped?

Either the belt, or the power steering pump failed (or would I not be able to turn at all?).

Just figured I would ask on here so I had a head start of where to look tomorrow.

Any tricks to a belt installation?

If I need to drive it 5 miles to a mechanic ... will I have any problems driving it without power steering besides it just being hard to turn?

THANKS ---

What year is your viper and how many miles?

alwayscode390 · Dec 12, 2012

Sorry about that , I usually have that in the first post.

Its a 2001 GTS with 23k miles on it.

Car only got 1k miles put on it from 2007 - 2012 though ... then I bought it and put 2k miles on it in a week on the drive home, lol ---

denniskgb · Dec 12, 2012

Thank you. So sounds like i should look into power steering pulley upgrade too? i have 28k miles on mine. Now the question is it a common reoccurring problem with this generation?

alwayscode390 · Dec 12, 2012

Looks like Roe has the aluminum bracket, metal pulley, and a new belt for $215 + shipping ... about what I was expecting this was going to cost.

Are they the only one with a kit like this?

Roe mentions on their site that these parts "always seem to break at the worst times, causing you to be towed home" ... seems like a common issue. The pulley is actually plastic I guess, ***

They make it seem like an easy install though. Can this all be done from the top of the engine bay with the hood up ( no need to be jacked up? ) ---

speedracervr4 · Dec 12, 2012

Yea it's a common issue, I'm not sure if anyone else offers the bracket and pulley. I have both the bracket and pulley. It can be done without jacking the car, but you may need a pulley puller to separate it from the pump. May just be a broken bracket or belt though.

speedracervr4 · Dec 12, 2012

Looks like Ipsco and snakeoyl also have pulleys/brackets.

alwayscode390 · Dec 12, 2012

speedracervr4 said:
Looks like Ipsco and snakeoyl also have pulleys/brackets.

Awesome ... its nice to have options

... I will look into those also , THANKS !!! ---

GTSHolgi · Dec 13, 2012

I have recently purchased the pulley and bracket from Ipsco but have not yet installed it (car is in hibernation mode but I plan to install it before next spring). the Ipsco parts seem to be of very high quality...

I am also thinking to replace the belt at the same time. luckily, have not had any issues so far ('98 RT/10 with 15k miles) but have read about this and wanted to avoid making the same experience as some of you.

You must be registered for see images attach

alwayscode390 · Dec 13, 2012

Those look great ... and will the be the route I go.

How did you purchase them? I sent an email lastnight ... is that how you order?

Thanks for the pic and help

---

Fatboy 18 · Dec 13, 2012

alwayscode390 said:
Those look great ... and will the be the route I go.

How did you purchase them? I sent an email lastnight ... is that how you order?

Thanks for the pic and help ---

There are Vendors that sell the Ipsco parts, or you can get them here
http://www.ipsco.org/Viper.htm

denniskgb · Dec 13, 2012

Fatboy 18 said:
There are Vendors that sell the Ipsco parts, or you can get them here
http://www.ipsco.org/Viper.htm

thank you for the info i will definitely look into it. makes a lot of sense. ipsco pricing seems really good too.

dave6666 · Dec 13, 2012

alwayscode390 said:
"always seem to break at the worst times, causing you to be towed home"

As opposed to a good time for an accessory bracket or pulley to break, leaving you stranded and liking it? lol

The Ipsco pulley is sweet because it has the tapered hub and does not have to be pressed on.

K930 · Dec 13, 2012

I just did the billet pulley/bracket update on my 2000 GTS with 33,000 miles.

The pump and bracket are easy to remove from the car. Removing the pulley from the is NOT! I bought a puller and it would not budge the pulley at all. The threads started to strip in fact.

I was forced to break the "spokes" of the pulley with a hammer and cut the hub of the pulley off the pump shaft with a Dremel. Took a long time and was somewhat frustrating.

Once the old pulley is off, installing the new one is easy. Reinstallation in the car is easy as well. I threw a new belt on as well.

CEJ · Dec 13, 2012

HF sells a puller that is 1) cheap and 2) effective. A 24" crescent wrench and long breaker bar made removal very easy. Otherwise, that pulley is tough to remove with shorter wrenches.

IPSCO makes great stuff.

Ratical2 · Dec 13, 2012

That tug that you felt was most likely the PS Pulley breaking and that is why the belt is off. It happen to me twice before I upgraded to IPSCO. The job is straight forward if you have the right puller. I did it on mine and Maurice's car.

Do a search for Power Steering Pulley and you will get many many hits.

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads...lesson....another-Power-Steering-Pulley-Story!

K930 · Dec 13, 2012

The puller that I used was identical to the HF unit. The lip on the pulley hub bent from the pressure exterted on it from the puller. Eventually there was nothing for the puller to grab on to! Totally seized.

See this thread: http://forums.viperclub.org/threads...lley-amp-Bracket-Replacement-Guide-amp-Photos

Anyway, if you're lucky it will pull right off. If not, a Dremel is your friend.

IPSCO is the replacement I installed.

Stonep185 · Dec 13, 2012

Very easy to put on and has good instructions along with some threads here on the forum. Autozone or Orielley's had the correct puller for rent. The job can be done in a couple hours from the top without jacking up the car. The hardest part was getting the rubber hose off the pump. Have some plastic bags, rubber bands, and zip ties handy to keep the area oil free and hoses out of your way. Taking the air filter box out is a must to maximize work space. I used a 24in torque wrench to reach the tension pulley. Also check your tensioner pulley for wear. Mine just gave up the ghost.

Fatboy 18 · Dec 13, 2012

Cut my old pulley off with a Hacksaw, (pump still mounted on the car) took a while but was careful not to damage anything around the car and the pulley shaft. Because its pressed on, when you get very near the inner edge of the sleeve you are cutting you will start to see it splitting apart, at this point you can use a flat headed screwdriver in the cut to pry the sleeve off the shaft

I just kept cutting little bits off untill the sleeve came away

Note: Change the Power Steering Bracket too

alwayscode390 · Dec 13, 2012

Just went out to look at the situation.

The power steering pump pulley is wobbly at the shaft ... its not cracked or anything ... and the bracket is still fine.

Kicked the belt completely off.

The belt is a Mopar belt # 7pk2059 ... is that the one I am going to want to get again, or will the 7pk2060 that Roe sells be just fine?

Im about to put my order in for a pulley, bracket, and belt.

Thanks everyone!!! ---

speedracervr4 · Dec 13, 2012

I would think the one Roe sells would be fine, but it might be worth a call to Roe.

alwayscode390 · Dec 13, 2012

Is the 7pk2059 1" shorter than the 7pk2060?

If so , maybe my belt was too tight on there and that caused my issue in the first place? For it to get wobbly at the shaft almost looks like it just needs to be pressed back on.

Im not going to chance it with the pulley ... but I am just trying to figure out my original issue.

I can find the 7pk2060 , but not the 7pk2059 anyway.

Thanks

---

denniskgb · Dec 13, 2012

Fatboy 18 said:
Cut my old pulley off with a Hacksaw, (pump still mounted on the car) took a while but was careful not to damage anything around the car and the pulley shaft. Because its pressed on, when you get very near the inner edge of the sleeve you are cutting you will start to see it splitting apart, at this point you can use a flat headed screwdriver in the cut to pry the sleeve off the shaft I just kept cutting little bits off untill the sleeve came away

Note: Change the Power Steering Bracket too

Oh i see that is how you escaped from Alcatras :lmao:

alwayscode390 · Dec 13, 2012

I just got a reply from Sean, the numbers are in MM ... so the belt they sell will be a good replacement. All parts ordered, now onto the tools!!! ---

I think my belt broke ... dark out. Lost power steering after taking a turn ---

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