Anyone shed any light on how to change the pulley without the tensioner tool? I've read the blurbs about using a "lever" to move the tensioner, then pinning it off, but no one explaining exactly how to do it.

I know there are some other cheap B*****ds out there like me who aren't going to get the tool....

C'mon, give.

I replaced my s/c belt without the 'special' tool. Just takes some ingenuity. I wedged a socket (16 mm?) against the body with a piece of wood, and used that as the fulcrum. Stock an allen wrench in the tensioner to use as the end-point of the lever. Used a bar and a length of pipe, placed against the 16 mm socket and then under the allen wrench, and compressed the tensioner spring until I could place a pin through the hole on the tensioner strap. Not pretty but it worked.

My mechanic installed my pulley without using the tension tool. He used a screwdriver or a crowbar...I can't seem to remember which. Maybe it was one then the other?

J A Blazer is spot on! Here's a few pics in my slipping belt thread.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=126986

Jeremy

crowbar and VERY small screwdriver (NON-tiawanese) or allen key patience and luck. I would spend the cash and get it man

the BMW specialized tool that is

I used a large prybar with great success. I used the bolt head of the tensioner pivot as my fulcrum and the cast "shelf" as the pry location. A small klein screwdriver in the tensioner stop worked perfect to hold it. Makes belt changes a snap!

Any frustration and time the tensioner tool has saved me is well worth the cost. Ive used it 3 times now ,and to me, it's paid for itself 3 times now.

Or, be lazy like me and have Wayland change the belt for less than the cost of the tool at MOTD.

I dunno. There are some very easy ways to do the job without the tool, so I'll save the $100 and buy more versatile tools... or buy more mods! I guess it depends on your experience turning wrenches. Be honest and rate yourself on your skill level and then decide if the tool is right for you.

Disclaimer: I'm not here to judge - there are varying levels of mechanical expertise on any enthusiast forums and we all started out as noobs. I just think a good 3-piece prybar set ($85 from Sears) will serve you better in the long run as they aren't limited to the Mini application.

Good point Jeff.

Hmm, I am going to Atlanta in Mid May.... But then there's all the lost fun in DIY!!! That's 1/2 the reason I do this stuff at all. Once things are installed, I'm kinda bored with them - it is the research and hands on stuff that I love.

(Oh, and being cheap makes me want to diy even more).

Ok, that begins to help figure out how to pry it... Very nice, thanks J!

Scott P

Ok, started the process last night at 10. By 12, I had the engine up ready to tension the spring. Oops - I should have done that before raising the engine, b/c now I can't wedge the wood on the 16mm bolt head.

I tried it a couple of times w/out something securing the bolt head, and when it slipped off - sounded like a gunshot!

Sooo, wanting to justify my purchase of my welder, I went to Homey D and bought some steel. Going to try and fab my own Tensioner tool.

We shall see.

Thanks for all the input thus far.

Success! Fabricated my own de-Tensioner tool. Used a single bar of steel from Lowes (HD did not have it) that was 1/4" x 5' hot rolled steel. Tractor Supply had the same thing. Cost about $9. Of course the welder was $400, but I bought that a while back....

Not pretty, but I got to weld, drill, grind and use my own work!!

I'll post a picture or two for posterity's sake soon. Hopefully someone else can benefit from my trail-and-error.

Ok, here's the link to the pictures of the self-fabricated, really ugly, $9 tensioner tool (forgetting that the welder cost $400).

http://picasaweb.google.com/smportis...MINIPulleyTool

should be interesting. post some pics of the final fab and instructions on how to make it. im sure the other cheap people in here could use your tool over the BMW.

I just did a similar thing and made my tool, but mine was MUCH simpler.

I took a similar bar of steel (1 x 1/4). I drilled a small hole in the end, and put a screw through and attached with a small nut. (don't know what size, but it fit in the pin hole on the tensioner. I then measured to the place where the top 16mm bolt for the tensioner was and made a hole which I could stick the bolt through.

I then undid the 16mm bolt, stuck it through my "tool" and then threaded it back in about half way. The "pin" lined up with the hole. It was a little offset, but worked just fine.

I had a friend pull down on the tool, which released tension, I slipped the belt on, and wala.

Cost: $7.00
No welding - but I did use my drill press

Note: I only made one "pin"

That's ingenious! Got a picture? Sounds super simple.

But hey, I understand if you can't be a welding guru like me .