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Liberty Diesel Serpentine Belt Replacement
OK, so I bit the bullet and purchased a new alternator. My issue is getting enough slack in the belt to install it. I realize that there has to be a way to create slack in the belt, but I am having a tough time finding it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Use a 15mm socket wrench to drive the hex profile machined on the shaft of this pulley and swing it away to unwrap the belt off the crankshaft. As you give play to the belt using your left hand, use the right hand to manipulate the belt. On your right hand side the belt goes around 3 pulleys, from top to bottom the path should be 'outside', 'inside', 'outside': set the path 'outside' over the 3.
Then you release the tensionner, the belt moves around the pulleys. Once this is done, you swing out the tensionner again to remove the belt off the alternator; doing this in 2 steps avoids excessive torsion on the belt, reduces the amplitude of the swing to tension the belt and needs little effort. You can do it in one go, but consider the total swing may be 120 degrees and you can catch your fingers or accidentally release the tensionner and damage the belt if it isn't completely off the pulley.
Before you change the alternator, be sure you have a long 7mm allen key. It's used to drive a low profile bolt made of the mildest steel