Need to change Alternator belts on my ride. I've read some posts that suggest you just loosen the tensioner bolt and should be able to get both belts off the pulley, other posts make it sound like you have to remove the alternator to do the job...

Is there a thread and/or a pictorial on how to do this job - I'm sure it's easy once you do it a couple (dozen) of times...

Also, what's the part and/or size of belts I need (1020mm)?! I plan on getting them from local MB dealer...

Thanks -

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1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

10 x 1035 should work. You don't need to remove the alternator to change the belts. (Unless the belts were too small to start with.) But you are going to need to remove the a/c and p/s belts to get the alt/water pump/fan belts on. Why not renew them all?

If your dealer can't determine the correct size and part numbers, don't go there!!!

Assuming, I've got the right parts, how long should it take to replace all belts and what's the recommended sequence?!

James

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

I just did mine to correct a missing A/C belt. If you are gonna get dirty replace all three, I think they were $25 for all three online. I replaced then all at once. I had a hard time with the alt adjuster, there is a lock bolt above the alt that you reach from the back side, and a pivot bolt from below, and I also had to loosen the other tops bolt to get the alt to slide in the bracket. Make sure you spray wd or something on the adjuster bolt threads. It took me almost three hours to raplace all three, including the replacement of the A/C compressor and making a run to buy compressor bolts. Like you said, could do it again in 30 minutes. Chuck.

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2000 C230 Kompressor "Frosty"

2007 PT Cruiser
2001 VW TDI Beetle
1999 Landrover Discovery II
1971 Corvette

Gone: 97 Cabrio, 83 240D, 93 VW Eurovan, 95 Volvo 850, 93 Chevy Astro Van, 77 VW Bus, 99 VW Jetta, 74 VW Bus

Now I could do all the belts in 30 minutes, but it probably took me 90 minutes the first time. I agree, if you are going to do the alternator/water pump belt(s), do them all because its the same amount of work, and if any one of them breaks, it's likely to take them all out.

Remove front to rear, install rear to front. Since you have not done the job before, I would allot two hours. All three accesories (alt, compressor, p/s pump) have tension adjusters, but the mounting bolts are not terribly easy to access. Removing the air cleaner to turbo duct makes it easier to reach the nut in the rear of the alternator. A flex socket/extension is nice for the outboard compressor bolt. As with many repairs, the belts would be simple except for access, or lack thereof. A set of flex head, ratcheting wrenches will reduce aggravation substantially.

Definitely, it only takes about two minutes to remove, and it will save you a ton of aggravation.

Also, try not to break the vacuum line connections with your elbow when loosening the PS pump bolts. That's been known to happen.

Know what I did on my truck?

Cut the old ones off, and force the new ones on... Didnt want to eff with the rusty adjusting bolts

Then the alternator died, and I needed to take them both off anyways

It did work though, and the alt died because one of the housing bolts unthreaded itself a bit...


DO NOT USE WD40, IT DISPLACES WATER, NOT RUST... PB blaster is the best stuff for rusty threads, works awesome
~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

Sounds like a good way to destroy the new belts. Either you stretched them way to much, or they were too loose.

I'm having a hell of a time getting the alt to pivot in order to get the belts on.

Looking at the rear of the alternator, it appears that there's an
adjusting bolt at the 11 o'clock position, and a pivot bolt at the 5 o'clock
position. I cannot, no matter what I do, get the pivot bolt loosened
enough to allow the alternator to move.

I've tried heat, I've tried PB Blaster, I've put enough torque on the bolt to lift
the engine, and nothing will move it. Do I need to drill it out, or am I missing
something obvious.

Thanks,
Bob
'82 300D

Just to be clear, the 11 o'clock bolt is the one with the adjuster, and the bolt does not turn, only the nut (towards the rear of the car). The 5 o'clock bolt is just a plain bolt with the head towards the front of the car and the nut towards the rear of the car. It should come loose with some force on the nut. If it breaks, just replace the bolt.

I know, but the P/S bolt looks nasty. It doesnt squeel, and it hasnt frayed

~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

Well, the 5 o'clock bolt appears to be a plain bolt with the head at the rear
and nothing at all that looks like a nut. It appears to thread directly
into the bracket towards the front of the car. At the front,
the threaded end of the bolt is flush with the surface of the bracket.

Sorry, you are correct. I was going from memory. I have always been able to loosen it with a hand wrench. I assume you have tried heating the threaded portion of the bracket (towards the front of the car) to expand it?

Yes I tried heating, no go. I have nice access to the threaded end, since my radiator and condensor are out of the car. I'm tempted to just drill it out.....