Let's just say that whoever at Lexus engineering decided that 2 drive belts that require manual adjustment rather than a single serpentine belt with tensioners and idler pulleys should be...fill in the blank.

Replaced the drive belts a couple of weeks ago with a set of Gates belts. The beast has 98K and was beginning to get a little noisy.

Not the easiest job in the world - but not impossible. Worst of the project was getting a bolt loose that holds the power steering pump in place. It seemed to be in an impossible place to reach until I tried a 3/8 ratch with a 12mm deep socket - perfect length with a bare minimum of clearance. Just loosen it enough to move the pump or you will never get your socket out.

Yeah, I saved the labor cost. Yeah, I enjoyed it. But I hope I never meet the engineer in a dark alley.

 

yeah it is a pain.

Did you see this video? Did you go in from passenger wheel well?

 

Yeah, I believe I saw that video, and yes, you must go through the wheel well. I ended up relying on the RX330 repair manual for a couple of hints. What the video doesn't show (or at least I didn't think it did) was the bolt above the power steering pump that should be loosened. And, as stated in the video, there just isn't much room. For the alternator adjusting bolt, I ended up using a 3/8 extension, a 3/8 u-joint, and a 3/8 flexible head ratchet. My hands were too big for the space. I attacked this from above, below and from the side.

What was really needed was a complete removal of the passenger side fender...or pull the engine.

 

I feel ya. Us guys with sausage fingers don't fare well in these japanese engine bays

 

I don't know if I have sausage fingers or not, but I know there just ain't any room in there.

 

Tensioners fail. All the time. I'm a fan of the manual adjustment. Imagine if you had to remove a tensioner on that side near the wheel well. The PS belt is located in a toile position without a lift for the car, but I frankly like the design. Single belt systems almost always have more problems over all.