A/C Belt Removal/Install Tips
 

I need a little help ES community.. I'm currently trying to remove and replace my A/C alternator drive belt today.. I loosened the pivot bolt and adjusting lock bolt but...

1. I'm having somewhat of a tough time getting my socket wrench on a good angle to loosen the adjusting bolt... any advice on how I can get a good grip on the bolt head so I don't round it off?

2. What's the best method of installing the new belt? Should I start installing the belt on the bottom 2 pulleys and then work it up over the pulley attached to the generator/alternator?

what year?

Accessing the adjusting bolt
 

In case anyone is interested... I found that if you unbolt the Fuse/Relay box (two 10mm bolt heads) located above the passenger side head light you can gain easier access to the adjusting bolt located on the front of the alternator.

the key thing is to tension it properly so as to not ruin bearings down the road
anyone use a belt gauge?

I did my belt yesterday, '93 ES300. Based on prior experience with same design of adjusting mechanism, I would caution being very careful when trying to turn either the lock bolt and the adjusting bolt. Both have a tendancy to BREAK if rusted up from years of neglect....especially that adjusting bolt...you can think you're turning the bolt but are really both turning and twisting it....you find out in a hurry that it wasn't really turning...SNAP. Then, you'll have to remove everything to drill and retap the adjuster and find a new bolt long enough to replace the broken one. They're rare with threads that long.
With this in mind, I first soaked both with PB Blaster, then removed the washer bottle. I pulled the coolant jug up and out of the way. This gives good access to everything.
After taking off that piece of bar that covers the belt, I put a wrench on the nut part of the adjuster and a socket on the adjusting bolt. It didn't take long to determine that I would shear that long bolt right off if I tried to turn it all the way out. The problem is the unused 1 1/2" or so of the bottom of the bolt rusts up really bad, along with the part in the 'nut', and you will twist the thing off at some point. Ignore this of course if yours is in good condition.
So, I used a small grinding wheel and my die-grinder to cut the 'nut' (actually part of the adjuster) just enough to expose a bit of bolt thread. This allows the bolt to turn easily all the way. The lock bolt would turn out about 1/8" or so, then it siezed up. PB Blaster and turning in/out got it 1/4" out, but no more. This would have been a real pain if I'd sheared off the adjuster bolt and had to remove the whole thing to fix it. I left it alone.
I used a hammer and screwdriver to push the alternator all the way down for maximum slack, then I put on the new belt, which still took some effort to get over the alt. pulley, and snugged it up tight.
To be safe, I threaded a new nut up the adjuster bolt and tightened it against the 'nut' part of the adjuster. I should've started the nut on the bolt before putting the belt on...note for next time. Of course, I'll need to re-tighten it if the belt is tightened again. Best cure would be to remove the adjuster and weld the new nut on properly.
I have one of those Burroughs belt guages, but it doesn't seem to fit well on the belt, and the scale doesn't conform to the recommended FSM setting, so I just put a straight edge on the pulleys and guess-timate about a 1/4" of distance pushing hard with a finger at the point closest to center.

Help! bolt snapped
 

Does anyone happen to have part numbers for the adjusting bolt, lock bolt, and the housing they go into? I was changing my alternator and the adjusting blot snapped off, it also bent and I can't get it out of the housing. I was hoping to just replace them all with new ones but can't find the part number. The FSM for Charging just lists the part names, but no part numbers.