Clio 182 Aux tensioning tool?

[The Dominator]

Hi Guys

Have changed my aux belt today and the idle pulley and the tentioner but i cannot get the belt back on as the spring type tensioner will not adjust from what i believe there is a tool required any one have any useful info on this?

cheers Pip

 

[ben_p]

U can do it with a 1/4 breaker bar, the renault tool doesn't even fit iirc

 

[sideways danny]

Search my posts. I put up a picture of one I made recently.

 

[olliemilsom]

something like this, we also welded a female torx to the other side for the tensioner bolts as there is f**k all room down there

 

[pug_92]

i don't know if its the same design but on my ph1 i used two jubille clips made a loop around the spring then just tightened it up, squashing the spring.

did the job for me when my belt came off during a trackday

 

[The Dominator]

Cheers guys I ended up using a 3/8 breaker bar with 2 adapters was a real pain but got there in the end

 

[sideways danny]

my tool

makes a fiddly job a lot less painful

 

[Teds]

Hi there

What size square bar is required to fit the tensioner please..?

My new tensioner has not yet arrived, so i can not measure the one in situ.

Cheers

Si

 

[Fred@BTM]

3/8ths

 

[aldo_87]

I used a 3/8 extension and snapped the bottom clean off the new tensioner. I made one to the exact size. Had to strip down and rebuild the old tensioner body with all the new parts.

10mm x 10mm iirc

 

[lemonnobby]

you pressed to much if it broke. i use one snap on sell

 

[aldo_87]

Pressed too much? The tensioner didnt even compress! Im not daft enough to try and force something further than its meant to go. The 3/8 drive rotated in the square hole and forced it to snap.

 

[Fred@BTM]

its 3/8ths - 100%

very easy to break that tensioner, thats why i always drop the alternator forward by removing the top bolt, takes a lot of force off it

 

[Teds]

3/8's seems an odd size for a modern euro car, Thought it would be the metric.

I've already dropped the alternator forward as mention because thats whats bust and coming off.

When I get the thing off I'll put the verniers on to it.

Cheers of info.

 

[bmh.01]

3/8's seems an odd size for a modern euro car, Thought it would be the metric.

Thats because its a hole for a 3/8 socket drive.

 

[sideways danny]

i've had old ones break like that when they were seized up, and also when the tool hasn't gone in square or all the way in

 

[Teds]

3/8's it is then. OR 0.375 inch = 9.525 millimeter....

I'll post a pic of the finished product.

Si

 

[guysy]

Reviving an old thread, I found this link below which lists the MOT.1386 tool for tensioning the belt, but I've read that its 3/8 not the 1/2" this tool below is...

http://www.getflat.co.uk/pics/3286A-6.pdf

If I bought it and filed it down to 3/8 what are the chances of it working?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181145305203?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

 

[guysy]

Just found this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Serpentine-Timing-Belt-Tension-Setting-Garage-Tool-Kit-4pc-3-8-Drive-Sockets-/140814150043?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20c92d699b

Not sure weather the 3/4 drive bit will be long enough but hopefully the tool itself is slim enough to add a sump plug socket on to reach?

 

[mi16chris]

Jubbly clip round the spring works a treat IMO

 

[guysy]

I've bought the tool just because its slimmer and might be useful for the e-torx bolts too, but if it doesn't work for the tensioning ill use a jubilee.

This is probably a dumb question, but doesn't the tensioner hole have to be used? i.e. does it not come pre tensioned and the tool have to be used to release the tension? or is the idea if you have the square tool to fit the idler and spring, tension with the tool then release tension once the belt is fitted?

 

[James28]

I just did it exactly like the guide in the guides section with a jubilee clip, and didn't need the tool luckily.