auxiliary drive belt / fan belt renewal

[sramdeen]

Following the Haynes manual, I am at the stage where I must insert a 3/8" drive ratchet into the belt tensioner. I have no less than 5 3/8" drive ratchets in my toolbox. Not ONE of them fits as the gap between the tensioner and the engine mount is ridiculously small. Has anyone had any luck doing this without having to purchase some fandangled 'special tool'?

Bugger, looks like I'm going to have to put it all back together again and retire for the day

ta

Stu

[sramdeen]

well, what a git that was. I came up with an idea:

Source a small piece of 3/8" square rod and stick it into the side of the tensioner. With a 10mm spanner, grab the rod and lift upwards.

This almost worked but I couldn't get enough damn leverage working in the confined space.

So, my father came up with another idea (there's more than one way to skin a cat, I believe, was muttered under his breath)

He looped a piece of thin rope around the piece of 3/8" rod and then looped and knotted it around a trolley-jack handle/bar. Then, levering the bar upwards against the engine mount, lifted the bar up, which released the tension from the belt and enabled me to put a 4mm nail into the tensioner locking hole. Belt was off and new one on in a couple of minutes! Result.

Just thought it may be of use to someone else when they come to change their belt and scratch their heads after realising that a 3/8" drive ratchet isn't going anywhere near the damn hole.

Stu