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Chevrolet Silverado 2007-2013: How to Replace Serpentine Belt

Like your skin, rubber dries and cracks with time-it's a fact of life. Combined with intense engine heat, even the toughest belts can fail, so don't wait too long to inspect your truck's serpentine drive belt.

By Keith MacDonald - June 4, 2015

This article applies to the Chevrolet Silverado GMT900 (2007-2013).

The engine's serpentine belt is a belt that runs off the crankshaft pulley and powers the engine's accessories, including the power steering, air conditioning, water pump, and alternator. When the belt fails, those accessories go by a wayside.

This is one of those preventive maintenance operations that you've always dreaded. But in reality, the ease of removal and replacement of a serpentine belt on your Silverado is easier than changing an old power steering belt on a '68 Pontiac. Honest!

Materials Needed

  • 16mm socket with a ratchet
  • 1/2" ratchet or breaker bar (optional)
  • Serpentine belt

Step 1 – Open the hood and locate the tension pulley

Release the hood and inspect the serpentine belt. If it needs replacement, then locate the tension pulley. The tension pulley is located on the left side of the engine, it has a 16mm bolt at the center of it.

Figure 1. The tension pulley is spring loaded, and is located on the left (facing the engine).

Pro Tips

  • Checking in with service advisers and fellow Chevy truck owners, most agree that you should replace the belt before 120,000 miles, even if the belt looks okay.
  • Using a 1/2" ratchet or 1/2" breaker bar with a 16mm socket will give you extra leverage power when you pull to relax the belt tension.

Step 2 – Remove the old belt

Remove the belt by pushing downward on the ratchet handle. Then, slide the belt from the alternator.

Figure 2. The spring loaded tensioner will release the belt easily!

Tip

While the belt is off, inspect all of the pulleys. Check to ensure that they are noise-free and spin easily. If you see any pulleys binding, they need to be replaced.

Step 3 – Install the new serpentine belt

Hold the belt on the alternator with your right hand while snaking the belt around the crank, water pump, and idler pulley. Then, pull down on the tensioner pulley with your ratchet and slide the belt over it.

Figure 3. Slip new belt around the pulleys.

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