This is supposedly a homemade tool, yet I think an indy once showed me one he bought. Anyone know where that might be?
Second thought: How hard is it to relax that tensioner? I thought I might go with having a friend do that instead.
Third, how difficult is it to replace also the idler and tensioner pulleys myself, once I've done that?
Finally, Is there anything else I might do, too, while I'm in there? The car has just 120k miles on it, though, as well. Thank you, too.
You don't need the tool. The easiest way to loosen the belt is to use a 18" long, 1/2" drive breaker bar and a 19mm socket. Stand in front of the car with hood open on the passenger side. Slip the breaker bar with the socket between the coolant reservoir and the engine to grab on the nut on the tensioner bracket. Push towar the car to compresse the tension and loosen the belt.
Your passenger side front wheel should have already been raised and removed. So is the plastic liner for the wheel.
What side is your passenger side?
-- MH '72 97 '77 96 '78 95 '79 96 '87 900T8
I agree with Yaofeng here. Please, make sure that you compress it VERY slowly. The bolt on this pulley is LH thread. You are tightening it as you compress it. Keep in mind that it is a damper. Dampers have a force profile that is proportional to velocity. It you crank it down fast, you will strip out the bracket. (anyone want to guess how I know?) The key is a slow firm hand with your non-dominant hand on the breaker bar. Once it is loose, remove the belt, with your other hand, from the A/C pulley. Release the tensioner slowly to its stop. The tool or bracket keeps the tensioner from resting against its stop. It is better for the tensioner, but I have never bought or made a tool for this.
KeithG
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:
The passenger side in the US where we drive on the right side of the road rather than the wrong side.
And now for the piece de resistance--putting it back, huh? Why, say, are there instructions saying, if we don't use the tool, have a friend nearby to help?
Now why does the plastic wheel liner need to come off for it?
Getting it back on yourself is how hard, though, too!?!!
You can use the breaker bar method for removal and installation all by yourself.
If you have tiny hands you may be able to do it through the narrow opening between the wheel cover and the engine wiyhout removing the plastic cover. I have not yet known anyone who does it without removing the cover.
Installing the plastic wheel cover may be more difficult than one anticipated. Many times I have to put it in with some foul language. It is a heavy piece of plastic and the holes do not always want to line up with those on the fender. But the real pain is if a bolt on the bottom fender is rusted. You will really be cursing.
Does that discourage you enough to want to pay your indie to do it?
What about replacing the *belt* too!?!!
You need to take the tensioner assembly off to replace the belt. Because you need to loosen the bolt with the 19mm head nut to put the belt through. It is reverse thread. So there is no way you can avoid taking the liner off trying to replace the belt.
I know you must think this self-evident, but I meant is the process of re-tensioning just the reverse of relieving the tension or does it involve some catch?
Reinstallation is reverse of removal. I usually loop it over all but the A/C pulley and put it back on with my right hand as I compress the tensioner with my left. At least I seem to remember it was the A/C pulley. Select whichever pulley is easiest to work with while you are compressing it with your other hand. Do not even think about NOT removing the fender liner. Besides, you need to get under there and remove the 6mm bolts, run a tap through the 'nuts' in the rest of the covers and liberally cover the threads with grease. If you have not done that in the last year, you need to anyway. When you least expect it, you will need to remove the cover and it will be a bitch. I never understood why Saab used SS studs and nuts on the fender liner and mild steel for the molly nuts and screws that hold the rest of the plastic clap-trap on.
KeithG
Valjean wrote:
I never though of putting the belt on the AC compressor pulley last. Guess it is more convenient that way. I alway compress the tensioner using the breaker bar, the same way to loosen the belt but now with the belt looped except leaving that part on the idler next to the alternator loose. While I use my right hand to hold on to the bar to keep the tensioner compressed, I crouch down to use my left hand to fit the belt over the idler.
Good, now at least I have two ways to do it.
Sounds like you are under a lift rather than jack stands, or how do you crouch otherwise...
Since to relax the tension you are in effect tightening the pulley bolt, how hard must it be to unfasten the bolt, too...
I made the tool per the instructions at quasimotors' web site:
-Fred W
Okay, how do you know it is, please? It now sounds so much simpler to just relax the tension and restore it using a ratchet/breaker bar. Next, where did you get the metal strip (and what kind of metal did you use, since that seems to be up for grabs)? From a machine shop?
How long did it take you to remove the fender liner, by the way? Sounds involved...
I know it is because I have used the tool many times. The advantage of the tool is that it will hold the tensioner in the compressed state while you fit the belt over all the pulleys. You then compress the tensioner slightly and remove the tool and everything should be all set. Yes, you can do it with 2 people or try and do it with two hands, but I find the tensioner difficult enough to compress that I don't like holding it with one hand while fitting the belt on with the other.
I used a piece of steel and two bolts, each fitted with the appropriate nuts, that I picked up at a hardware store.
-Fred W
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