Drive Belt Idler Pulley Bearing.

Hi All, just replacing my original alternator and while I have access, noticed the idler pulley bearing is on it's last legs. Has anyone managed to replace the bearing only? Have noticed Simon Autos has a complete assembly at close to 180 Euro's....ouch!

Any thoughts/options or previous experiences would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Matthew.

Hi unfortunately car manufacturers sometimes get special baring made which are not standard sizes and you cannot Repare the part, you have to pay the money that’s why they did it.
The idler bearing on the 610 is different but the outside di of the bearing was standard but the inside was to big, I cut the bearing of and had the shaft ground down to a standard size, to get around the problem.
This is now very common on all modern cars, so the parts that cost nothing can be sold at massive markups once the cars are out of warranty. I think most people are starting to getting wise to this now, and in general the cars second hand values drop like a stone out of warranty.

Last year I purchased one of these, new from Europe, £150-ish.
Personally, I think Stuarts suggestion of adapting the original to take a standard bearing is the way to go.....wish I had thought of that last year.

Yeah, mine is the same, spins fine and there's only the merest hint of play but it does make a horrible dry sound.
I'm reluctant to pull it apart until I have a plan B in place, it's been lying on the "workbench of doom" for a few weeks now waiting on me remembering to measure it up.

Considering the idea of having it machined and/ or sleeved to try to fit something to it.
I'm weighing up the options to adapt the bracket to fit one of these, perhaps have mine cut down and have a boss welded in to screw it onto, 90mm is near as dammit original diameter.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRANSIT-CONN ... 1438.l2649

Hi all, thanks for the replies so far.

I've dropped the assembly off at a local Engineering firm - they will be in contact in due course! Once 'we' have a solution, I'll post the outcome - ultimately it may be cheaper to purchase the Simon Auto 180 Euro assembly and it may still come to that but also once completed locally it should be interchangeable again.....in another 30 years - hang on a minute!

Just as an update, piece of scrap 6mm steel plate from a friend, half an hour with a grinder, a drill and a 10mm tap and the Transit wheel I posted above is perfect, sits at just the right height for the belt with the spacer which comes in the box with it.

Having some pc issues but will post pics later.

I realise it isn't original if that matters to you, but at an overall cost of a tenner, works for me..

Any good to anybody?


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132806718351

Evening All - and apologies for not replying sooner. After some research with various bearing companies the original bearing assembly is 'special' and individual components are non existent, the Ebay special @ £75.00 came up just in time and worked a treat. This is the same item that Simon Autos sells but at a vastly cheaper price - not sure why though?? Either way sorted now and thanks for everyone's help. I had my alternator rebuilt at the same time at £60.00. Total cost £135.00 - happy days! Tip for removing the alternator is to remove the exhaust silencer first, if your half confident with the spanners then both jobs are straightforward and can be completed without jacks/ramps etc. Lee if your reading this, thank you for your time looking for bearings and also for the price of the alternator - my local auto-electrician came up trumps a few days after we spoke saying that it was ready for collection, I had no choice! Thanks again.