Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

[Mark42]

Had to change out the alternator on the Mountianeer today, picked up a used one from the salvage yard for $37, but didn't have a tool to hold the belt tensioner so the belt could come off. So I looked around and came up with this tool:

1) get old lenth of steel rod.

2) get your wife.

Take the steel rod, place it in such a way so that when pulled on it pushes the belt tensioner back and the belt comes loose. Take the wife and have her hold the steel rod while you change out the alternator. Reposition the belt back on new alternator, and have wife slowly release steel rod. Check for proper alignment and tension, then start engine to test alternator.

The tensioner tool works like a charm and doesn't cost you anything, unless you didn't have a wife, then it gets very expensive.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

Mark got one also. The starter went they all wanted 160 for it. Went to e-bay DB electric i bought tons of stuff from him all marine, asked him if he had one for the 5.0 in the car he said 60 bucks delivered .

He also has alternators, for cars. Probably same price, cause i bought a alternator from him for the 3.0 i have in the boat same price.

Just to let you know.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

This got moved to Non-Boating Technical Topics???? Ya gotta be kidding me. It was meant to be humor, not technical.

Anyway, when I realized the alternator was shot, I called around NAPA, etc and prices for the alternator were $180 and up for rebuilts (130 amp). The local shop wanted $300 to do the job. The salvage yard had one for $37.50 w/tax. Seeing as the old one lasted about 220,000 miles, and 11 years, I figured a salvage yard part was worth the gamble.

The only glitch in the plan was the darned automatic belt tensioner is so close to the fan that I can't get a socket wrench on it to loosen the belt. Thats where the rod and wife came in handy

So its working, and I spent only 20 minutes changing out the alternator using only hand tools. If I had power tools, it would have taken only 10 minutes.

Last year I would have taken the truck to the shop. But now that expenses are on the rise, I have to do more myself when I can to help cover the costs of the things I can't do.

 

[98LSWON]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

The tensioner tool works like a charm and doesn't cost you anything, unless you didn't have a wife, then it gets very expensive.

I would think that the wife option on this tool would be more expensive.

 

[Pascal]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

I would think that the wife option on this tool would be more expensive.

NA---- A marriage license is only 5 bucks.......(just wading in the river in Egypt......)

 

[mthieme]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

NA---- A marriage license is only 5 bucks.......(just wading in the river in Egypt......)

I take you you took a powder right after the consummation.
SWMBO is the most expensive thing in my life.

 

[rwise]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

Since I got single I find I have extra money, no wife saves a lot,,,, so can I just use the hooker option?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

You better go and hide that rolling pin before She reads this thread

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

Hah.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Make your own belt tensioner tool from stuff you have around the house.

NA---- A marriage license is only 5 bucks.......(just wading in the river in Egypt......)

5 Bucks....is only the first payment and the cheapest payment too!!!

I turned my dishwasher into a snow remover....... bought the wife a new snow shovel