Does anyone have any suggestions for swapping the tensioner out, when one does not own the special tool?

 

Do you mean without the tensioner tool?

 

Yup.

 

you put a 16mm socket on the main pivot bolt up front. this is used to pry on. there are two holes on the arm surrounding the tensioner pulley; put a small bolt or pin in one. i used a pin from a go-kart linc. use a large pry bar to pry up on the small pin,using the 16mm as a pivot. while the slider is exposing two holes above the spring place a leather awl or a skinney punch of some kind in the lowest hole. this will hold it . now pull the belt .

 

Yep that will work. My variation was I used a 7/32 allen wrench in the tensioner hole, a long piece of re-bar for the pry bar, and instead of the 16mm as a pivot I used a large crescent wrench placed across the frame and engine block. Pull back real hard and have a helper put another pin or allen wrench in the second slider hole to hold the tension.

 

Wow, glad to hear that works. I'd have not thought of that myself unfortunately..