Hi. Need to do this on my wife's car due to it developing a loud screeching wail.

 

Not a lot of clearance down there. Any tips/tricks? Saw a link on a VW Polo site where he had to lever the engine to one side with some 4x2 to get clearance!!!

 

Any help most appreciated.

 

Ta

 

Nic.

It's tight but do-able, helps to have drivers side jacked up and wheel off to better access the belt and bottom tensioner bolt from underneath.

Tight is an understatement !! I feel like I've been fisting a metal midget! Getting at the 13mm is extremely hard. Getting a bar or ratchet on the socket is challenging to say the least. Moving the ratchet more than 5° is virtually impossible. I had to resort to extension bar and a UJ to get any movement. Once I knew I could loosen the bolt I set about doing the rest of the job. Car up. Wheel and liner off. Tensioner released and held with 4mm drill (which bent 5mm too long to get in hole). Belt removed. Then trying to get the old tensioner past the chassis leg. First up. Then down. Then side to side. Then up again. It was still stuck. Finally after 20 mins of cussing and sweat it finally came out downwards. Then the challenge of getting new one back in. It was a battle but the new pattern part had slightly more slack in it. Impossible job of getting bolt back in and tightened. Belt back on. Tension applied. Engine started. Belt running smoothly. All back together.

Things I learnt:

• you need 13mm long reach socket (75mm)

• it's very tight on space

• why the hell cant you just buy the roller and bearing assembly? The spring was fine just a very noisy and loose bearing. It would have taken 20mins not 2.5 hours.

Jobs done now but noticed she needs new front disks and pads. Grrrr

Well done that man, 'fisting a metal midget' made me laugh like a drain, I've done one before with the whole car raised on a four-poster and it was a little bit easier. At least you'll never have to do it again, the brakes are an absolute cinch by comparison.