tight belt fitting method

[joe_db]

I have a Balmar and a Motorola alternator. The standard A4 belt that the Motorola uses is too short for the Balmar and the next bigger one is kind of loose even at full adjustment
I was getting annoyed by this and decided to really cram the short one on. I managed to get it halfway on and it was stuck. Not coming on or off
It was fully on the alternator and half on the engine pulley. The part that was on was towards the outside of the engine. I decided that I would crank the engine to get the belt to pop off and go to plan B. Well to my happy surprise it went right ON instead and once in the pulley has about 1/2" slack if you press on it
So far working great and no slipping.

[blind navigator]

wrestling with alternator belt

Good tip-I'll file it away for future reference. Had a similar problem recently;
replaced Motorola alternator with "similar one" with higher output. Saw right away I was going to have to replace the 25 inch belt with a 26 inch one. The clearance either at the engine pulley, or at the top, was limited by the closeness to the distributor cap-couldn't get the new belt on the alternator. Finally loosened the bolt on the alternator adjustment arm all the way, and then loosened and pulled the bolt part way out that holds the alternator to the block, which gave me enough alternator wiggle room to get the belt on. Then I levered the alternator upward with a rubber covered hammer handle (between the starter and the alternator) until the holes lined up, slid the attachment bold back on,and replaced and tightened the nut. Still had about an inch of adjustment left on the adjustment arm. Necessity is often the mother of invention.

[Administrator]

I have a Balmar and a Motorola alternator. The standard A4 belt that the Motorola uses is too short for the Balmar and the next bigger one is kind of loose even at full adjustment
I was getting annoyed by this and decided to really cram the short one on. I managed to get it halfway on and it was stuck. Not coming on or off
It was fully on the alternator and half on the engine pulley. The part that was on was towards the outside of the engine. I decided that I would crank the engine to get the belt to pop off and go to plan B. Well to my happy surprise it went right ON instead and once in the pulley has about 1/2" slack if you press on it
So far working great and no slipping.

Critical....

Bill

[joe_db]

Critical....

Bill

And random good luck it was on the correct half. The other side would have just popped right back off.