Hey y'all.
I'm having trouble with my truck's AC compressor, it's frozen when the clutch is on it. The belt will spin, but before I took off the face plate with the three dry/burnt rubber grommets(took out a small 8mm bolt and whacked it a couple times and pried it off with a flat head) the compressor pulley wouldn't spin.... and the belt would smoke quite a bit.
After taking off that face plate, I put the belt back together and cranked it, it spins now. Is it safe to go with the face plate off, which seemed to be causing the freeze, or would bad things happen?

1995 F-150 6cyl manual trans. It came from up north, so replacing the compressor is out of the question, as everything connected to it is rusted and we don't have money for it right now.(Using the truck because the car had a water leak; winter came and busted a pipe since I couldn't keep anti-freeze in there.)

 

Not sure if it's okay to run with the clutch disassembled like that - a bypass pully will only run about $20-$30. Clutch rebuild kit is about $50.

You're also going to need to replace the drive belt - it's probably toast if it was smoking like you say. When you replace it, clean up all the pullys with a little sandpaper as they are probably glazed over with melted belt. If you don't clean them up, you will ruin the next belt you install.

 

If you absolutely need the truck right now, I wouldn't even try to pull that compressor unless you absolutely have to, especially if everything is rusty under there. Those skinny little bolts will probably snap.
With the clutch removed, that compressor should work as an idler pulley if the bearings for it aren't seized.
Pull the belt and see if the pulley's nice and tight and turns freely.
And throw a new belt on like maltymischief said - throw the old one behind the seat for an emergency spare.