Extra pair of hands in SD

[Hujan]

I am installing a Dinan pulley today and have been struggling with the double-sided belt for a couple of hours now. I'm not sure I'll be able to get it done without a second pair of hands. To say this thing is "tight" is quite an understatement.

Anyone have a half hour or so to help me get this belt on there? Name your compensation. I'm in Poway.

[JEllis]

I would help if I was in town. Did you remove the electric fan? Removing the fan will give you more room.

[Hujan]

Fan and airbox are out. Crank pulley is in place. The inner of the two belts is seated. The outer (double-sided) belt just will not go on. King Arthur did not have this much trouble getting Excalibur out of that rock.

I'm convinced someone at Dinan screwed up the measurement for this belt and did not realize it until after they'd ordered a couple thousand of them.

[JEllis]

Yeah its tough doing the belts. I actually had my wife come out to the garage when I did mine on my ESS kit. I cant imagine holding pressure off of the tensioner and routing the belt at the same time.

[Hujan]

Originally Posted by JEllis

Yeah its tough doing the belts. I actually had my wife come out to the garage when I did mine on my ESS kit. I cant imagine holding pressure off of the tensioner and routing the belt at the same time.

Thanks, man. Glad to know I'm not alone!

Which did you have her do: hold pressure off the tensioner or route the belt?

[JEllis]

Originally Posted by Hujan

Thanks, man. Glad to know I'm not alone!

Which did you have her do: hold pressure off the tensioner or route the belt?

I held the pressure on the tensioner and had her slip the belt over the pulley. But with full pressure on the tensioner the belts were not a super tight fit. Sounds like this is a tight fit.

[Hujan]

Originally Posted by JEllis

I held the pressure on the tensioner and had her slip the belt over the pulley. But with full pressure on the tensioner the belts were not a super tight fit. Sounds like this is a tight fit.

Yeah, even with full pressure on the tensioner, it will still be a fight.

[Jremmy]

Originally Posted by Hujan

Yeah, even with full pressure on the tensioner, it will still be a fight.

Just saw this. I've got a company party this afternoon but can help you tomorrow AM if you haven't gotten it yet.

[Jremmy]

Also I think you need to heat and stretch the belt as well.

[Hujan]

Originally Posted by Jremmy

Just saw this. I've got a company party this afternoon but can help you tomorrow AM if you haven't gotten it yet.

I was hoping you'd drop in. I was just going to send you a PM, actually. I have to go to a wedding soon (not mine), so I'm giving up. I'll give it a shot with the wife tonight when we get home if it's not too late. If we can't get it, I'll shoot you a PM. Tomorrow AM would be great, if you don't mind. I'd drive it up to you in Escondido, but, well . . .

We've got plenty of cold Dos Equis if that's your pleasure.

Originally Posted by Jremmy

Also I think you need to heat and stretch the belt as well.

What is the preferred method for heating and stretching?

[Hujan]

Tried it with the wife tonight. Still can't do it. This is one of the tightest belts I've ever seen. Will definitely need some help from someone to get this done. Otherwise, I'm going to have to reverse course and put the original pulley back in.

[spr]

Contact KAIV (Kevin) on the boards. He installed mine and is in SD. Awesome mechanic. Did my pulleys in less than an hour.

[Malek@MRF]

Are you using the proper tool to help alleviate tension off the AC belt tensioner? Using a standard ratchet or wrench will be typically hard to do this with as it doesn't provide enough leverage torque to release the tensioner.

You should be able to easily relieve tension and guide the belt on one handed with enough leverage on the pulley. Also, try slipping the belt onto a NON-RIBBED pulley LAST.

[Hujan]

Originally Posted by spr

Contact KAIV (Kevin) on the boards. He installed mine and is in SD. Awesome mechanic. Did my pulleys in less than an hour.

Good thinking. I wished I'd thought of that. Thanks for the idea! Too late this time, but I'll keep him in mind for next time!

Originally Posted by Malek@MRF

Are you using the proper tool to help alleviate tension off the AC belt tensioner? Using a standard ratchet or wrench will be typically hard to do this with as it doesn't provide enough leverage torque to release the tensioner.

You should be able to easily relieve tension and guide the belt on one handed with enough leverage on the pulley. Also, try slipping the belt onto a NON-RIBBED pulley LAST.

Thanks for chiming in, Malek. I was using a standard wrench, per all the DIY guides I saw. It makes sense that a special tool would make it even easier. I did, however, have enough sense to try a non-ribbed pulley last.

In any event, I ended up breaking a piece off the power-steering pulley under the tension of trying to get the belt over the final pulley. The car is at the shop now.

BTW Malek, I shot you a PM about an unrelated issue. I hear really good things about your shop. I'm up in OC all the time for work. I would love to swing by sometime.

[Alekshop]

Make sure you are routing your belt correctly.

It doesn't matter which tool you use to press on the tensioner. It has limited amount of travel and once you reach the bottom you can hold it with a regular 14mm ratchet.

We usually rout it the way it should be and slide over AC pulley with the tensioner being compressed. Takes about 5min to change both belts ...

Getting to them takes a bit longer