How To Replace Toyota FJ Cruiser Alternator | BIFB Short

1. Your belt is on the wrong side of the tensioner

2. You skipped the parts that we need to see. I was wanting to see how you remove the 10mm bolt on the bracket on the alternator in the back. I can't get a grip on it with a ratchet – space is too narrow. And a wrench won't work either.

3. Thank you so much 💓 I followed your video step by step and successfully installed my new alternator.
   A couple points to all…
   1) you DEFINITELY need a breaker bar for the 14mm bolt on the bottom of the alternator. You have to have that leverage to torque that sucker loose. 20-30 bucks if you don't have one. I got mine at Napa for 32. You may find cheaper, but I live in a small town and I got what they had.
   2) its ALOT easier if you have a buddy help when pulling the tensioner while you remove/replace belt on the alternator. Just my opinion.
   3) took us literally an hour start to finish.

   Thanks again!!!!

4. Excellent video.

5. ****please read****
   Though this is a helpful video, it’s NOT the same for every FJ year. I think it covers 07-08? Not sure about the others. But for 2011 models, this isn’t fully correct. There is a THIRD bolt that holds the alternator onto the engine that’s on the BACK side of the alternator that’s a real pain in the ass. It’s a size 12. I’m still trying to figure out how to get out off.

6. Good Video thank you

7. 13 years with my 2007 FJ Cruiser and replaced my alternator 3x, two front calipers replaced 2x. Water pump replaced 2x, I dont do off roading, I dont know if this is normal wear or it just FJ is suck on parts 🤷‍♂️

8. Hey man. I'm not a mechanic by any means, but this seems so easy. Bout to try and replace mines in my 07 fj so wish me luck. Thanks man.

9. Thanks for posting this. I just changed out the alternator on my son's 2007 FJ. The only gripe I have is who the hell puts alternator bolts on so tight that one needs a breaker bar to get them loose? I guess Yoshiro at the factory got paid extra for working the impact wrench on those bolts. I could see if they were head bolts or suspension bolts…but alternator bolts? That was a bit ridiculous. But the new alternator is in and charging the system, so my son and I are happy!

10. My 2010 had an extra bolt and "L" bracket on the back of the alternator. It is very hidden and took awhile to find.

11. Thanks for the video changing my alternator tomorrow on my 2007 Toyota FJ

12. Stripped ass bolts

13. Hey Bro- great vid and excellent cinematography. After watching I changed out the alternator in my '07 FJ in about an hour. Thanks again man.

14. great vid man. I used this blue print to change my FJ's alternator with ease. thanks again for the concise delivery. And 'F' everybody with the issue with the belt. honest mistake.

15. ✌

16. I have the exact FJ. The best write up I have seen on a repair. GREAT job. I will stop here first next time. The fact he has the tools needed listed and has great video angles is perfect.

17. At 2:58 in the video a screw is mentioned that needs to come out.  I'm about to make your life so much easier for both the removal and install of this screw… don't try to get it from under the hood, rather look inside your wheel well.  You'll see it right next to the UCA.  Knowing this will save you a lot of time and frustration (both of which I faced not knowing you could so easily access it from the wheel well.  Hope this helps.  Other than this one piece of missing info, this video was great and made my alternator replacement much easier.

18. I love watching your show, I know I'll never work under a hood it still intriguing to me. You really helped me my car was doing a lot of whining. I had know idea it was my alternator. My battery was draining. Now I know why thanks to you buddy.

19. Thank you!!!!

20. So many idiots out there, its a wonder good guys like this even take the time to try and help. Before you post up a stupid comment about the negative terminal or the belt or the later FJ bracket, try reading a few posts first. There would be like 10 comments below if people would just read before running there mouths. Thanks B. for Build, anyone with half a brain can follow your instructions.

21. I think you installed the belt wrong. I bet you figured it out shortly after.

22. Great video, EXCEPT, from 2011-14 4X4's there is another bracket behind the alternator and another wire harness bracket on the back of the alternator. Be careful what you include on your videos if you're not sure whether they are all the same or not.

23. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. Very Well Done Instructional Video !!

24. Hey bro, I owe you a beer or three. If you're ever up in western WA let me know. Excellent f'in vid!

25. Can you do a fj Cruiser header change!?

26. I just finished this and have a couple of additions. First if you can weed through all 900 comments about the terminal order (please read the comments before adding a new one), Princess Jonna Farms has good advice on the sockets to use. At the 2:37 mark of the video an inverse T bracket above the alternator makes it's first appearance. The only point I can tell of this bracket is to remove your knuckle skin when you try to remove the 10mm mounting screws. I took the bracket off before removing the screws.
    I removed the top 14mm bolt of the alternator first and then the bottom. Once it was off and the alternator swung down it occured to me it would have been better to remove the bottom bolt first and then all the tension and weight of the alternator wouldn't be bearing down on the bottom bolt (that was a gotcha on the last alternator I changed @ 1995 also). One might want to try the bottom 14mm first and see if that makes an easier go of getting those bolts off.

27. Thank you for this video! It saved me lots of time and money on a road trip. Took me about 1 hour with a basic ratchet set.

28. Been getting a whine from my FJ when idle and it increases upon acceleration. Could this be the alternator?

29. Thanks for the tutorial, Cris, regardless of the minor critiques. I wouldn't have attempted this repair without it – saved me hundreds in labor. Although, the heads on both mounting AND cable harness bolts stripped out completely 🙁 …Harbor Freight bolt extractor sockets to the rescue!!!! Replaced mounting bolts with ones with larger heads along with some anti-seize compound. Also, I found you can access the cable harness bolts more easily from the wheel well.

30. Was brought to this video by whiny alternator noise and low charging system voltage. This video is pretty helpful, barring any belt routing issues.
    Just to be sure, bring your alternator to a shop that can test your alternator to verify it’s bad and check your battery as well.

31. The upper and lower alternator bolts are the same size; 10 mm x 1.25 x 70 mm type 10.9.

    Removal of the lower alternator bolt can be quite challenging (using a deep socket is a good tip). A standard 14 mm socket doesn’t allow enough length for a wrench to be applied. Use of extenders allows for pivoting of the socket which irrevocably rounds off the bolt head. Standard 3/8 and 1/2 inch socket wrenches aren’t long enough to leverage the needed force to remove the bolt. Breaker bars also may not be useable due to a narrow work zone.

    I used a 14 mm standard 6 point socket 1/2 inch drive and 3 inch extender and despite my best efforts rounded off the head of the bolt (and dang near lost my cool). I blind sprayed penetrating oil over the mid body of the alternator blind aiming for the nut of the lower alternator bolt. I waited an hour then tapped on a 9/16:10 mm Irwin bolt extractor on the rounded head (5 socket kit purchased at Lowe’s for $20). I also used a long ratcheting 1/2 inch drive torque wrench with a 1/2 inch to 3/8 inch adapter. The ratcheting wrench gave me the ability to turn the bolt in the narrow work zone that the breaker bar did not allow. To my pleasant surprise the bolt extractor removed the bolt very easily (I think the penetrating oil deserves much of the credit, but I was very pleased with the extractor).

    I used the upper bolt in the lower bolt position. I could not find a 10mm x1.25 70 mm bolt and used a 10mm x 1.25. X 60 mm type 8.8 bolt in the upper hole (which threaded without difficulty but had a 17 mm bolt head rather than 14 mm). On further research I’ve learned that metric 8.8 is equivalent to standard 5 which means it will not tolerate vibration and will have an increased likelihood of cracking I will need to find a metric 10 mm x1.25 60 – 70 mm type 10.9 in the near future gl avoid more problems.

    Also, a note of caution to triple check th path of the serpentine belt prior to test run. It would be easy for the belt to be 1/2 over a pulley.

32. any tips how to replace the fanbelt?

33. well done Sir! thank you so much.

34. Great job. My 2008 just died on the side of the road. Had the ole lady grab a new battery, installed it and the friggining horn kept on honking. Had to pull the fuse just to hammer to the auto parts store to grab the alternator. Made it home, having a beer and gonna go tackle it before we get 18" of snow tomorrow. So, in advance thanks. Did you have the illustrious horn honks as well?

35. outstanding, task well done.

36. BIG help thanx

37. Slow down when talking…you are talking way too fast and too much. I'm no expert, but I've always removed the negative terminal first, than the positive terminal.

38. Thanks for posting this video. My 07 alternator went out last night. Your video was a lifesaver, picked up a new alternator. I installed it early this morning and the FJ is back on the road.

39. ohhh nooo the belt lmao

40. instead remove negative first to prevent inadvertently grounding the tool.

41. Thanks for sharing! My alternator died after 11 years today, gonna do the job this weekend.

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