Calling GMC Experts, kind of urgent

Anyway, not liking to spend cash for things I can do reasonably easily I went into the parts store purchased the belt, also compared it to what had been mounted for length. Long story short, what is the trick to getting the spring tensioner far enough out of the way to get the belt back on. Tried brute force with a breaker bar but can"t seem to find a fulcrum location that allows enough travel to get the belt back on. I always tell my kids that if something is too difficult, try to find an alternate approach or even a trick to accomplish the task (of course sometimes things are just difficult, but mechanical things very often have a trick). Trying to take my own advice here. So, does anybody have a method they can give me. Some other tensioners I have seen have a hole the size of a socket to be able to use a wrench, but I am not seeing anything like that on this one.

The urgency is that I told my daughter we would trailer her horse tomorrow and this is the tow vehicle.

Thanks,

Kirk

Kirk

casey in SD

Yes I had looked at each pulley and as I said there doesn"t appear to be an obvious reason to loose the belt. I did compare the belts and they sure seem like the same length. I am hoping this is one of those where it is thrown for no reason. If I loose it again, I will certainly start looking for other causes.

Now to that tensioner. There is a bolt head and washer to grab onto, but it is truly a bolt that attaches the tensioner to the framework of the engine. If I start turning it I just remove the tensioner. Am I absolutely missing something here?

Thanks for the really prompt reply,

Kirk

Next problem is that as the belt was going the first time it melted through the plastic portion of the electrical connection for the AC clutch. It is working for now, but would like to kind of patch it up. The electrical connectors are exposed now. feel like I should do something before they corrode and fall apart. Alternative is a new connector, but does it come apart to repair in this way.

Thanks Casey.

This board is about the greatest help desk I know. Pretty much any subject will get pretty good advice or ideas.

Kirk

While you're there, count the ribs on that new belt. Should have the same number of ribs as the pulleys. My belt is 6 rib. A friend has a motor home with the same engine. He changed the belt with (I think) 7 rib. Made it all the way from here to Az before it smoked.

Joe

Probably explains part of the belt differences.

Kirk

casey

casey

See my other response. I must have been typing about the same time you were sending this.

Yep, when you know the "trick" other methods seem kind of silly.

Kirk