tensioner pulley stripped how to loosen

**Brad** · 5-26-03, 23:32

my alternator/ac belt's old and needs to be replaced so i got under the car to loosen that bolt that keeps you from bein able to move the tensioner puller up and down, and quickly rounded it off. it was on there so damn tight. how do i loosen this thing. will i need to buy a new pulley? any special tools or tricks?

**626butnotforlong** · 5-27-03, 11:37

you talk about the screw to adjust the tension on the belt?

**Brad** · 5-27-03, 11:57

not the thing that sticks up. i believe thats a 12mm? but the thing i am talking about is the 17mm that is actually on the pulley that you have to loosen first before you can move it up and down using the big thing that sticks up. the huge 17mm on the pulley is what stripped.

**Honda Etr** · 5-27-03, 12:24

if it's badly stripped use some vice grips, if not that bad, try a socket that is one size smaller, bang it on with a hammer, then try it. if you ever get it loosened all the way, replace it asap.

**skater0422** · 5-27-03, 13:10

i recamend the craftsmen bolt getter off-ers. i don't know what they are called, but a definite must. you will need to buy a new bolt, but these thing grip the bolt head with teeth and dig into to get it off. they have two sets that cover a large or small variance of size(great buy). I also have the things that take out stripped screws. these are great things to have lying around.

**Brad** · 5-30-03, 2:20

well my friend jonathan, also a fellow mx6er, had a pair of bad ass vice grips, and we locked those things on about 10 times and kept wackin it with a hammer until it finally loosened. when it loosened we didn't even believe it we thought it was just rounding off the bolt some more, but sure enough it finally started turning, and i was able to replace the belt. thing is though... the belt that was on there was so damn loose that i actually felt a slight power decrease from tightening it up!