What tool do you use?

I started to think about painting my supercharger yesterday, and I noticed that the bolts are hex keys...looks like about a 6mm??
Should I just use a long T-handle? The lower two look like they could be tricky. So my question, for all you guys (and gals) that have removed your blowers, what tool worked best for you??


Also, anybody have a good writeup on how to remove the tension on the belt?? I don't understand this tensioner and my Haynes book is at home...

Thanks!

 

the alan socket that fits, a long extension, and a ratchet

 

Use a socket style allen(6mm) with an extension, work perfect, you should torque them when you reinstall anyway so you would need the sockt style for that as well

For the tensioner there is a square just to the right of the pulley, 15mm, use and open end, push it on the square firmly and then push the open end towards the firewall and the pulley will drop down, it takes a bit of force, then slide the belt off and release the pulley back to home. Do in reverse to reinstall the belt. very easy

 

6mm allen socket, 4-6 inch extension, and 1/2in ratchet. Be careful and apply steady pressure on the head of the ratchet. The OEM bolts are cheap and can strip. I would recommend buying sturdier bolts from a local hardware store.

 

On the tensioner:

Its much easier to press it down with a large pry bar, do it slowly so you don't hurt yourself or the car in case it slips off, then set a 5mm allen key between the moving part of the tensioner arm and the bracket, hard to explain but you will see it when you press the pulley down. The allen key holds the tensioner in the down position, so you can remove the belt and set it off to the side until you are ready to put it back on. Also much safer than the 15mm wrench method.

 

the square on top wasdesigned into the part for a reason, because using the pry-bar is not the safeest way nore the best for anything to not get damaged if the pry bar is used in correctly.

I used the 15mm wrench 20 or so times, never once hurting or slipping, its all about paying attention and being awar of what your doing

 

If you are paying attention and being aware, you will be fine with the bar. It does the exact same thing, its just more positive and more leverage. I warn people of it because it does give you a great deal more leverage, and you can hurt yourself if you let it slip off a pulley, that **** will break something if it hits you in the face. No different than slipping off with a wrench though. The point is to be careful. I like it because I can lock the tensioner down until I'm done.

 

I used a pry bar once and bent parts of the outer ride on the idler pulley. It was easier just be careful where you fulcrum it!

 

the stock bolts arent really that hard to get off

 

torque spec on the blower bolts is 18ftlbs.

 

yea you should be able to do that with one hand

 

It was more of a matter of not having the right tool. I tried a 6mm allen wrench, but couldn't get enough leverage b/c the wrench wasn't long enough. Gonna go to sears tomorrow and pick up a socketed allen. I kinda thought that was the right tool, but I was unsure if there was a clearance issue.

Thanks guys, I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow hopefully

 

I only use socket and extensions on all bolts because the handled "keys" are impossible to use on most bolts...but I'm sort of a small guy so maybe it could work for you.

I have a pulley boys tensioner tool which pays dividends in the long run because the tensioner lip is too tapered to use wrenches on most times if I'm doing it myself.

 

get the 6mm allen wrench back on it. then get a 10-11mm open ended wrench. put the closed end on the allen wrench, and break them loose

 

The bolts by the Fuel Rail are actually harder then anything getting off. Expecially the washers with them. They tend to bump up against the fuel rail.

 

allen wrench was only about 4" long, so I couldn't get the leverage on the lower bolts. No big deal, a socket version will only run me about $5. Should I get 3/8" or 1/2" drive?? I have both torque wrenches available to me in those sizes. I was thinking 3/8" ???

 

Typically that's (3/8") what I use but it doesn't matter as long as you have the right socket wrench.