My backhoe suddenly overheated and I discovered the fanbelt was totally missing. I had just roaded it about 5 miles to a family member to dig a hole. There's a Youtube that claims you can finesse a new belt by just moving the hydraulic pump slightly, rather than draining the hydraulics, pulling the pump/radiator etc. Any experience with this? I'll be working next to a half buried donkey, so a shortcut would be nice!
Well, there's really no shortcut as it were, it's a task. It's been years since I've worked on a Case loader/hoe, but if my memory serves me correctly, that coupler that connects the pump to the front of the crankshaft is a splined shaft on the pump shaft. You can remove the bolts that connect the coupler to the crankshaft, and, unless it's seized, you can slide the pump coupling side of the coupler forward on the splined pump shaft just enough to get a gap to slip a new belt through the gap. I could be wrong, but I seem to recall doing that.
This came up a while back on here https://www.ebay.com/b/Link-V-Belt-In-Industrial-Power-Transmission-Belts/181756/bn_7022280182
The 580E's have a serpentine belt. The pulleys have ribs on them that match the grooves in the belt. It would be best to use an OEM replacement belt. IMHO.
I did my best at just loosening the coupler as willie59 described, but between the tight access, big hands, and being in a field, I failed. I did a STUPID thing and was using a non-reversible ratchet box end wrench for the initial loosening, when I went a fraction of a turn too far and couldn't remove the wrench. So I've drained the hydraulic, moved the counterweight out of the way (by installing 12" bolts instead of the 4 1/2" ones) and am disconnecting the pump. Started raining before I could finish the stubborn fitting and input hose. Pump is unbolted and twists, but doesn't move in the coupler, so it might need some coaxing to move. Might not be raining all day tomorrow.
Yes, I failed to mention that's a very tight space, and for sure not a space for non reversible ratchet wrenches.
By removing the front grille & the metal plates/stone guards below, you will gain access to the two hydraulic pump mounting bolts. Once removed you can loosen the suction tube hose clamps & carefully withdraw the pump enough to disengage the spline from the coupling. Usually no oil is lost. Hopefully, the high pressure hyd hoses are still flexible enough to allow this to happen. If not, they may need to be removed & capped. Of course the loader frame needs to be raised & locked safely in position.
I can report I'm back operational. I drained the hydraulic fluid, removed grill, then replaced the bolts holding the counterweight on with 12"'ers and slid the weight forward, leaving enough clearance to disengage the pump from the coupler to install the belt. I did take the inlet hose off to allow enough play in the pump. My spline was really stiff, so I don't think the short-cut would have worked. If you try the shortcut, don't loosen the coupler bolts farther than necessary. If they lose their thread, you'll never get them re-started. And stay away from non-reversing ratchets