[Vwdiesel] Sequence to tighten a/c compressor and alternator belts

[Roger Brown]

ken1 wrote:
> I have tried three (3) times to tighten the belts on my 1.6l NA. Each time, the a/c belt still flaps a lot. I do not have OEM belts installed at this time, but do have them on hand. First I will state how I have tried to do it, then what I think happens and then need to know what to do to solve the problem.
> 
> What I do; remove alternator, put on belts, tighten a/c compressor belt. 
> Then replace alternator and tighten the belt. Appears  that by following my steps, when I tighten the alternator belt, the geometry changes and the a/c compressor is moved and the belt gets loose. I can tell that the PO had used a pry-bar to apply tension to the alternator belt, because he wound up bending the top of the front apron in front of the alternator. After performing the same process three (3) times and getting the same results, decided to ask for assistance.
> What am I doing wrong???/
> Help! Summer has arrived in north Texas, got to have access to cooler air. 
> 
> OEM belts are Conti AVX10x643 and Conti AVX13x960.
> TIA, 
> ken

Not sure what vintage vehicle this is, but on my old '81/1.6n/a w/ A/C, I did two things. 
  First was to repair/re-engineer the A/C mounting bracket:
	http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/index.shtml#ACbracket

Then to tighten, would do the lower (A/C) belt and alt. belt at the same time.  I used a 
jack (A HiLift jack in my case) and a section of 2x4 about 2' long and a nylon strap.  I 
first loosened the adjustment bolts on both the A/C and alt.  Then I would wrap the strap 
under the alt. and slide the 2x4 through the loop of the strap over to rest an end on the 
passenger side strut tower.  Then using the HiLift jack under the other end of the 2x4, I 
would slowly lift up the 2x4 end to put the desired tension on the belts.  Usually took 
3-4 clicks on the jack handle to do this.  Then with the jack holding the tension, I could 
first tighten the A/C adjuster bolt then the alt. adjuster bolt and then remove the jack, 
2x4 and strap.

-- 

   Roger