[bsouth19]

I am replacing the drive belt, tensioner and 2 idler pulleys on my 2016 F10. The upper idler pulley is right behind two aluminum brackets that don't have a lot of wiggle room as one end is connected to a riding piece of tubing. I dont have room to get a 90 degree driver in now is it enough space to get a ratchet and socket in.

Is there a specific tool people have used to get this bolt free and reinstalled?

[s_ribs]

I just did this and was able to use a 3/8" ratchet with a short extension. IIRC torque spec on both, upper and lower, idler pulleys is 60nm. Tensioner is a lower torque spec (like 40nm?? didn't relook this up).

Question- did you pull the fan/shroud assembly out? I had plenty of room to do get a wrench in there. The only annoyance on the upper pulley is those alluminum support brackets for the two hoses.

[bsouth19]

I did take the fan shroud out and have plenty of space. Agree everything else looks pretty straight forward with the upper idler as the exception.

My torx bit is so long that it hits brackets even before its engaged in the bolt. Did you sneak the short extension between the brackets or did you kind of push them one way or another?

[s_ribs]

My T50 bit looks pretty standard in size, close to 2" long. I used the shorter ~3" extension with it. As I recall the torx bit was under those brackets and they actually pushed against the bracket as the bolt came out. On the way back in I was able to screw it all the way in by hand, and just jam the bit in to torque it.

[bsouth19]

Thanks. Let me go take a photo to show you what I'm up against. Maybe some how we had a diff configuration or I'm misunderstanding you're approach

[bsouth19]

hard to capture correctly without an extra pair of hands.

one photo shows the bit perpendicular to the idle front surface. the bit wont fit between the brackets and pulley, nvm with a ratchet attached. the brackets done have much play otherwise id try to split them left and right and get the tool between them.

the other photo shows the angle of attack i need if i use an extension from the side. obviously that wont engage in the bolt to remove it.

does this look like what you encountered?

[s_ribs]

I did have to force it but I wonder if there might be a slightly different shape to the torx socket. Above picture is mine and there is clearly marks from those brackets.

EDIT: now that I'm thinking about it more, I did angle in to get the socket in the bit and then levered it over until perpendicular to the bolt. This pushed the brackets over enough. It did take some force but nothing that concerned me. Once the bolt was out far enough the pulley did contact those brackets and added just a bit of tension while wratcheting.

[bsouth19]

Originally Posted by s_ribs

EDIT: now that I'm thinking about it more, I did angle in to get the socket in the bit and then levered it over until perpendicular to the bolt. This pushed the brackets over enough. It did take some force but nothing that concerned me. Once the bolt was out far enough the pulley did contact those brackets and added just a bit of tension while wratcheting.

I went out and got a longer torx bit and did exactly what you described above. Pushed the bit in from an angle and pushed the brackets out of the way. I was able to break the bolt free and get a new idler in.

you bailed me about of a jam, thanks for the photo of your socket. Glad i decided to post and glad you had just done this!

[s_ribs]

Great, glad I could help! Good idea on the longer torx bit, I'll bet that worked great in this spot.

[poverty.f10]

Glad it worked! There is actually a bolt that secures those hoses to a bracket and you push them out of the way to get that pulley. Ran into this issue myself.