I thought some would get a kick out of my story from the other day. I was hauling tractor to work, about 12-13k not to big. I was doing about 65 down the freeway though downtown Sacramento, ca, (any one from the sac area, I was before the I-5 50 interchange heading south on 5) and I hear something boucing under the truck like little rocks, but it sounded really odd. Then my voltage meter drops to 12 and my battery warning light come on, and I have no power steering or power breaks. To top it off the area of the freeway I was driving had no room on the shoulders to stop. Luckily there was an offramp that I was able to get to before I went to far and got to the point where I was going to be really screwed. I was able to down shift, use trailer breakes and what truck breakes that I had and get to a stop in downtown Sacramento.
Obviously by now you can guess that I lost by fan belt. The crazy thing was how I lost the belt. The damn idler pulley FELL OFF!!! Not the tensioner but the little one that just sits there by itself guiding the belt.
Anyways, it was an exciting ordeal to say the least and thought some would like the story.

Thank God you made the off-ramp, you probably would have shut the state down.

Man not a good place to have that happen, the boat ramp section in downtown only has a few spots to get off. good thing it wasn't backed up like it can get. Glad to hear you got it stopped safely.

That is a very uncomfortable situation. I had a similar situation happen to me about a month ago. The pulley fell off and shreadded the belt when it did come off. If it was one of the one's below the altornator, change both of them. The other one will fail soon and that one will also take the belt with it. Trust me, I know. Jutst my 2 cents.

I talked to a guy at the local dealership and he sid it is common for these trucks for the idler pulley to fall off. He said if I plan on taking any long trips to take one as a back up.

That sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen... Glad noone got hurt

Been there, done that at 100mph at the drag strip. Verrrrry interesting trying to slow down and turn. Mine was a weak tensioner. I always carry a spare belt just-in-case, but that obviously wouldnt have helped your situation.

Glad you made it to the shoulder safely.

Black locktite will fix that "idler falling off" problem ;)

When mine fell off , it broke 4 blades of the fan , dented the alternator pulley and broke the center wire going to the cam sensor. The fan belt never fell off , it was running around the bolt thats in the center of the idler pulley. Truck kept running but when I shut it off , it would not start because of the broken cam sensor wire. I had to replace the sensor and connectors. Charlie

When mine fell off , it broke 4 blades of the fan , dented the alternator pulley and broke the center wire going to the cam sensor. The fan belt never fell off , it was running around the bolt thats in the center of the idler pulley. Truck kept running but when I shut it off , it would not start because of the broken cam sensor wire. I had to replace the sensor and connectors. Charlie

im surprised it didn't stall out right then and there with the cam sensor not making good contact

i guess im gonna be checking my idler pulley on my truck weekly from now on

Wow definatly not something i would want to happen to anyone while towing no power steering or brakes.......On a side note I think braking power would stay the same seeing as tho it's hydroboost?

mine froze and threw the belt...nice sensation not being able to steer or stop isnt it?

be nice if they used a better bearing...... I drove 20 miles like that to get nearer to a parts store. GM dealer there told me it was 60 for that pulley....got it at a parts supplier for 11.

Got home and changed all 3.

Hmmm I did not notice any more idle pullies on the system. Was I just that blind? I saw the one that fell of of course and the tensioner but is there another idle pully? How did you other guys pullies fall off? The outside part of the pully fell off of the inside of the berrings. the bolt and the iner part of the pully was still in the block solidly.

there is 3, one is the tensioner....mine froze and snapped the belt, never fell off.

In the rust belt, the cheap as snit bearings Chevy uses rust and freeze commonly. The non-rust belt areas take longer for the cheap as snit bearings to fail, but they are so cheap they will fail!


If you are hearing funny noises from the front of the engine, you should take off the belt and hand rotate the pulleys. If there is any gritty feeling or drag, replace them or they will fail --- nearly always when towing a heavy load down a big hill with a sharp off camber switchback in the rain at night. At least that's my normal luck.