Serpentine Belt Replacement Tip

I decided to replace my serpentine belt with the shorter one, bypassing the AC compressor, until we figure out which of the two possibilities is making our compressor grinding noise when it is disengaged.

Having read all of the posts about how hard it is to replace the serpentine belt, I was prepared for the worst.

I got the new belt wrapped around all the pulleys properly, and, of course, it was about 1 inch short of going over the alternator pulley, because the tensioner had extended. I cut a 1-by firring strip to about 20 inches and slid it down through the narrow space above the tensioner pulley, with the end of it sitting on the tensioner assembly near where the pulley is attached to it.

My plan was to push down on it, somehow, while pulling the belt over the alternator pulley.

To my delight, the 1-by was wedged in that narrow opening so that when I pushed down, allowing more belt to be free, it stayed pushed down. A few gentle taps on the top end of the one-by with a hammer and I had enough free belt to slip it over the alternator pulley.

I then jiggled the 1-by free, lifting it out, and the tensioner pulley tightened the belt.

What's not to like about that? :D