easiest way of adjusting tension on the alternator belt?

[dark_knight]

as above, what's the easiest method..? of course it has to be from underneath the car given how cramped the rear side of the engine is.. but if you are alone and have no help, how do you go about it..?
unlike the power steering pump which has some sort of hole in which i usually insert a bar to get leverage on it then tension the belt, i have no idea how to work the alternator .. :|

when damp, i have some squeaks from that section of my engin so was wondering if adding a little extra tension may help clear this. not sure if my alternator may be on its way to retirement but i still get good voltage readings from it so i doubt it.

 

[AdamB]

I did mine from the top mate. Just loosen off the adjusting bolt at the back, bit of a fiddle to get in there but can be done. Then just get some leverage on it to pull the alternator either back or fourth which ever way you need to go.

 

[glanza97]

as above, what's the easiest method..? of course it has to be from underneath the car given how cramped the rear side of the engine is.. but if you are alone and have no help, how do you go about it..?
unlike the power steering pump which has some sort of hole in which i usually insert a bar to get leverage on it then tension the belt, i have no idea how to work the alternator .. :|

when damp, i have some squeaks from that section of my engin so was wondering if adding a little extra tension may help clear this. not sure if my alternator may be on its way to retirement but i still get good voltage readings from it so i doubt it.

Their is a tensioner for the power steering pump...why use a bar?

 

[Texx]

as above, what's the easiest method..?

My preferred method is a 3 foot crowbar between the alternator and mounting bracket (sounds rough I know, but makes an easy job of it), it requires very little effort to tension the belt leaving the other hand free to tighten the grub bolt.

 

[dac69er]

As above, but I use a slightly shorter bar

 

[corofin12345]

x3 only i use a long bar and a lump hammer, few gentle taps and its a gudden, lol

 

[gedis]

x3 only i use a long bar and a lump hammer, few gentle taps and its a gudden, lol

x2

 

[dark_knight]

glanza97, i use a bar on the PSP because the tensioner can only take so much stress before you strip it's thread -- because you will realize that when you turn the tensioner bolt only, it gets to a point it feels as if you will break it, but when you wrench the pump with a bar, you will discover you still had a few mm of movement left. i like to nudge the pump gently as i torque the tensioner from below until the belt feels taut enough..

thanks Texx, corofin12345, gedis and dac69er. will try the bar approach, but i still have to do it from underneath right..? my belt's been squealing a lot of late. we've had quite some rain in the past few days but it's starting to dry up yet i still have the squeaks. either i had a lot of gunk get in between my pulley grooves and the belt, or the belt if of age, although it's only done about 9k miles (15k km). so i figure i'll go under there and take a look. will let you know what results i get this weekend..
thanks lads..

 

[dac69er]

glanza97, i use a bar on the PSP because the tensioner can only take so much stress before you strip it's thread -- because you will realize that when you turn the tensioner bolt only, it gets to a point it feels as if you will break it, but when you wrench the pump with a bar, you will discover you still had a few mm of movement left. i like to nudge the pump gently as i torque the tensioner from below until the belt feels taut enough..

you shouldnt have to do the belt up that tight. if you do then the belt needs changing

 

[dark_knight]

torque terms

dac69er, i am not as strong as some of you may be with hercules arms and biceps.. so if i can make physics work for me in terms of leverage, then i use it.. you do agree that if we were to all torque a bolt/nut using our arm strength, we would all have different torque readings right..? hehe

 

[dac69er]

im just talking about the tensioner bolt. if you have to use a bar then you are doing it too tight. the tensioner is perfectly good enough to put enough tension on it, you dont need to be strong, i certainly am not

 

[dark_knight]

hehehe.. ^^
yeah, i hear you.

 

[glanza97]

im just talking about the tensioner bolt. if you have to use a bar then you are doing it too tight. the tensioner is perfectly good enough to put enough tension on it, you dont need to be strong, i certainly am not

^^ as above! and if the belts not tight enough when using the tensioner... you need a new belt

 

[dark_knight]

again, noted glanza97.. but not to digress too much, my PSP belt is fine. it's my power generator a.k.a alternator belt that is a little symphonic and squealing every now and then.

 

[Texx]

will try the bar approach, but i still have to do it from underneath right..?

There's enough room to get a lever bar in from the top, though you may have to pull the dipstick out to free up a little more space.