This is ridiculous! I spent hours trying to finagle the alternator belts (2) from my '84 Germany model 300td. All I ended up with is the same old belts that are now squeeling like a couple of blind piglets being kicked around the middle of a county fair.

Power steering belt was no problem. The alternator, I hoped, would be just as simple...as it ought to be.

After loosening the bottom (pivot) bolt and the slotted/bolt-in-track, and pushing the alternator toward the engine, and discovering the tensioner bolt wasn't even threaded, not nearly enough slack was produced to lift a belt off the pulley. I tried everything in an objective and obvious sense to pry the alternator toward the engine but all that did was made the alt hit up against and stop at the engine block. Metal on metal doesn't seem to give any more.

I even removed the pivot bolt from below the alt. Even removed the alternator "harness" bolt and tried moving the whole assembly forward.

There must be some trick!

Please, enlighten me...