Does anyone know how to....

[bing_17]

Take the tension off of the auxiliary belt on a 172? Do you just remove the top bolt on the big spring tensioner? If so, surely its under a lot of tension when trying to put it back on :S

If youve read my other thread about *alternator belt, bad things happening*
Then you will see im having problems with it, today i met up with Matty J who kindly let me have a good look at his car so id got something to compare mine to.
I found that the tensioner on mine is sitting in the wrong place, and i need to remove it, and sort it out.

 

[Fred@BTM]

there's a special tool for it, you can do it with a 3/8ths bit, but its a t**t

 

[bing_17]

Is that al you gota do tho m8, whip the top bolt out?

 

[sideways danny]

taking the top bolt out will work but it'll be a nightmare to get back together (seriously, dont bother trying). Using a special tool is much easier

 

[bing_17]

whats the special tool do tho? Ive just had a jaunt in the garage and got the tensioner off.

 

[sideways danny]

we use a double bend flexy head ratchet spanner with a 3/8 drive adapter and a 40mm extension. This fits in a square drive on the side of the tensioner. You really need to remove the bumper and slam panel and raise the engine to give a little more room to turn the spanner

 

[D1CKY]

Good thread mate.

I wandered this when i got my car back from the Timing and Acc belt change.

As the tensioner nut was in a place tight for space.

Bet its a right fucker of a job ?

And does the bumper really have to come off ?

Or can it be done another way ?

 

[ditz]

its not that you need the bumper off if you know what i mean
you need the headlight out (gives you an idea of how akward it is when you cant even see the part you are supposed to be working with) and of course to get that out its bumper off

 

[caister]

Tried doing mine without taking the bumper off but for the sake of 5 minutes it was worth taking it off and the headlight out. Its still a git to do

 

[bing_17]

Right guy, after removing just the actual tensioner (the spring) i cleaned it up at work last night and im off to re-fit it now, will be a biatch, and no ive not taken anything off, bumper wise, yet..... lol

 

[phoenix1]

ive sucessfully used a large hose cliparound the spring to compress, then undo the 2 retaining torqs bolts , keep the end of the hoseclip yowards the front then it doesnt catch the belt

 

[sideways danny]

its not that you need the bumper off if you know what i mean
you need the headlight out (gives you an idea of how akward it is when you cant even see the part you are supposed to be working with) and of course to get that out its bumper off

I never take the headlight out, never seen the need.

Bumper comes off so you can remove the slam panel. It's pretty damn easy on the ramp with the right tools so it's not even a consideration to leave it on TBH.

If access is tight down the side of the engine it's quite often because the gearbox mount has moved/been fitted odd. if you slaken the 2 nuts a little and push the engine across to the passenger side it can give you 10-15mm more room to get to the belts

 

[ditz]

dont get me wrong it can be done without i've done it without but for the 3 extra bolts i'll take the extra room
and if you only want the slam panel off just unclip the grille

 

[bing_17]

Right guys, thanks Its done, tensioner back on, and what an arse. ive had to make a few tools at work to do it and now its a bobber!

Didnt remove the bumper, or slacken engine mounts, just took off slam panel and grill.

Will post pics of the tools i made when ive got time.

Oh and i found it easier to remove the top bolt from the alternator and let it drop, this helps you get the tensioner in and bolted up, then bar the alternator up to get the bolt back in, result

But.... never a-fecking-gain lol

 

[sideways danny]

easier to just remove the bumper lol, have to get it half off to get to the slam panel support bolts anyway, and it does give good access.