Serpentine Belt

Alright, so I bought a dayco serpentine belt part number 5050475. I took off my old one and now I cant install the new one. I took it to the mechanic and they said you have to remove the engine mounts and everything to install it? I dont believe this, and they are trying to charge me 150 bucks to do this. I know you just move the tensioner wtih a wrench, but I still cant put it on, I cant even put the old one I took on. Whats going on here!? I got a 97 z24

Autozone loaned me a belt removal tool which removed the old belt without problem. However, the bar was a bit too long to rotate the tensioner enough to put my new belt on. I think the new belt is half a inch shorter and less slack as the old one...

Anyway, I purchased a $40 GearRactchet (very nice) toolset of wrench/sockets at Sears with which the ractchet is "different" & low profile. After you route the belt except for the alterator pulley, pull on the tensioner just enough & put it in...

Also, an extra hand (a friend or relative to hold the top of the belt while you route) & use a flat 2-foot ruler makes thing very easy (no need to jack or remove wheel). If you have GearRactchet wrench, you can do it in minutes for the whole job.

yea, I guess its messed up, 97 and 98 have different belts. I have a 97 and thats what the guy at checker auto gave me, but I guess even a mechanic couldn't do it, so I think i'll try to put on the 98. Its an inch longer. thanks though, ill def tell my mechanic about that ratchet idea because same thing happened here when I tried, the tensioner couldn't be pulled that far back.