Looking for long term fix for alternator belt idler bearings

[vehiclegangster]

Been doing some maintenance on my Case IH Magnum 275 and ran into a familiar headache with the alternator belt idlers up front. The bearings are starting to sound obviously tired and I'm debating the best fix for it. I know Case will happily sell me the whole idler assembly for a price that makes my wallet cry, but from the looks of it the pulleys themselves are fine, it's just the bearings crying for replacement I guess.

Has anyone here put in new bearings instead of swapping the entire idler? and if so, what bearing numbers did you use and how much wrestling was involved getting the old ones out? I've heard people going to a local bearing house and matching them up for a fraction of OEM cost, but I'd like to know if that's truly an easy deal or if we're talking about custom sleeves, shims, or a few choice words to get things seated.

I'm also open to hearing about upgraded bearing options please or anything else that holds up better coz the last thing I want is to be swapping them again mid season

 

[TeaPotential93]

I changed just the bearings on my Magnum 275 idlers and saved a lot of money. I used 6203-2RS bearings, they're easy to find at most bearing stores. To remove the old ones, I used some heat and a press, but didn't need any special parts or shims. If you want them to last longer, try high-temp or sealed ceramic bearings. Much cheaper than buying the whole part from Case.

 

[J4hnny.D]

I've replaced just the bearings on a few Case idlers. You can usually get standard deep groove bearings from a local supplier that match the OEM size. Pressing the old ones out and the new ones in is straightforward if you have a bearing press or even a socket setup, just go slow to avoid damaging the pulley

 

[Shion_Uzuki]

Way cheaper to go to a bearing house. Bring the old one in, they'll mic it and hand you a sealed equivalent. I've swapped them with just a bench vise and sockets as a makeshift press. Not as clean as a shop press, but it worked fine.