Bad belt tensioner tool!

 

Here's the repaired tool:

 

>>I think no one is responding because the word on the street is that measuring the belt tensioner tool voids the warranty.<<
BigBrownDog,

Think I'll just be persistant,, Anyone want to take the measurements and post them?

 

>>Bad belt tensioner tool!
>>
>>
Andy, Aprox. how many times was the tool used prior to breaking it ?

Thanks
Dennis

(Just bought one)

 

That tool was used ONCE (when I installed the 19% pulley). If I were to do it over again, knowing what I know now, I'd get that tool rewelded before its first use. The worst scenario would be the tool breaking after the belt is off.

 

...The belt tensioner can be unloaded with a simple 1/8" X 1" flat bar stock. the tool is a waste of money! Use the bolt head as the leverage point, and the bar stock pries up on the curved armature of the tensioner bracket. Simple.

 

>>" As I almost have it in the place, the tool snaps in half right where it is welded together! A half a second sooner and my fingers would have been stuck between the belt and the pulley! " I have heard this story before from different folk's.
>> And here I thought I was all slick because I bought the tool for the job, when I would have been better off making my own.
>>I will follow your suggestion and make my own if you would please measure and post the distance between two pins that fit into the side of tensioner, diameter of pin's the rest I can figure out from pic's. Thanks,............. norm
>>
>>

The pins appear to be 5mm diameter, and they protrude 10mm from the tool. Their centers are 35 mm apart.

 

>>>>" As I almost have it in the place, the tool snaps in half right where it is welded together! A half a second sooner and my fingers would have been stuck between the belt and the pulley! " I have heard this story before from different folk's.
>>>> And here I thought I was all slick because I bought the tool for the job, when I would have been better off making my own.
>>>>I will follow your suggestion and make my own if you would please measure and post the distance between two pins that fit into the side of tensioner, diameter of pin's the rest I can figure out from pic's. Thanks,............. norm
>>>>
>>>> :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

>>That tool was used ONCE (when I installed the 19% pulley). If I were to do it over again, knowing what I know now, I'd get that tool rewelded before its first use. The worst scenario would be the tool breaking after the belt is off.

That is bad news. Got mine today and they have added a couple of extra welds. Hope it holds up. I'll find out tomorrow when I join the 19% gang.

Dennis

 

dennisyvonne, If I may ask, where did you buy from.

 

I got mine from my local MINI dealer, about $60.

 

Andy, your measurement's worked fine. I made one up this weekend it's a little different because the handel is removable but it work's on the same principal. :smile:

 

Mine broke in the same spot, same lack of factory welds. First use I was pulling toward me, it snapped, I fell backwards, catching myself on the utility sink in my garage. Annoyed is a slight understatement for my feelings then, especially after seeing the crappy welds. I welded it like Andy did, but I also put a diagonal cross bar from the lower end to about 6" up the handle, for my peace of mind.

Though my welds aren't quite as pretty as Andy's... nothing a grinder and paint didn't take care of...

 

[QUOTE=2Cool]Mine broke in the same spot, same lack of factory welds. First use I was pulling toward me, it snapped, I fell backwards, catching myself on the utility sink in my garage.



OMG. How much force were you applying? I'm not going to try to open a debate, but is it possible that too much force is being applied? I have not found too much resistance from my tensioner.

 

In my case, the tool didn't snap, it just bent at the weld. I was applying enough force to get the spring tensioner to compress to the point where the second hole was visible, no more, no less. I felt a weird sensation that part of the tool was made of taffy. Inspection revealed the weld between the handle and the "ring" was indeed made of taffy!

I broke the ring by trying to bend the handle back into position.

 

Taffy bar! ...with bubble gum welds?

 

Got mine from "Out Motoring" I found out that they were only the middle man. Had no problem with mine, but as I said before it had been re-welded. Changed my Alta 15% to Alta 19% in 1 hr and 15 min. Did a slight motor raise on pulley side and removed fender skirt.

Dennis

 

How much pressure? One hand pulling toward me as the other was reaching to pin the tensioner with a screwdriver. It never even made it to where I could pin it up, before the tensioner broke... snapped off completely exactly as shown in Andy's pics. The only welds were on either end, nothing in the middle, which left that small semi-circle of metal to hold the entire force. It dinna work too well, Cap'n.


Got mine from Outmotoring too, and they offered a replacement. I was impatient and just welded it up myself. No complaints on Outmotoring, good service there, big complaints on a factory Mini tool quality.