Whilst driving (2007 diesel Freelander 2) on dual carriageway yesterday, auxiliary drive belt came off (heard a rattle, which I thought was a stone underneath). Stopped and removed belt and drove slowly home, steering like there were two flat front tyres.

I initially thought the tensioner had come off. It hadn't. The rubber coated pulley lying on the sub-frame was the idler pulley (larger than tensioner pulley).

The idler's Torx bolt is still in place. I presume the pulley's retaining cap had broken.

I intend to replace idler pulley, cap and drive belt.

Are the reams in the idler shaft and idler pulley bush there to help retain grease ?

UPDATE Now repaired. I obviously don't look inside sealed bearings often. The reams were the inner and outer ball races. Presume bearing had seized then lost its balls.