Power steering belt install

[niferous]

Ok how the heck do I get this thing on? I have loosened all three tension bolts and the pivot bolt. The pumps bracket is all the way over and I have the Gates 7448 belt over the power steering pulley and the lower engine pulley. Now I'm trying to stretch it over the top engine pulley and that sucker just won't go over the dang pulley. Is there a trick to stretch it or an order of pulleys I'm supposed to put it on first then second and finally third?

 

[randyman]

I had to take out two or three of the bolts that hold the bracket and kind of pivot the whole assembly toward the engine pulleys and slip the belt over the power steering pump pulley last. I only had to do this when the belt was brand new. I had the pump off later and was able to get the belt (had several thousand miles on it at this point) back on without removing any bolts. I don't know if I did something wrong the first time but it was a pain in the butt. At least now I don't feel as bad. Hope this helps you, too.

 

[stuinnh]

I don't know what a pumps bracket is.

You loosen the top generator bracket bolt and and push or use pry bar to slide generator over loosing belt tension. It's pretty simple. Other than maybe loosen the bottom bolt of the same bracket if needed to swing generator over, that's about it.

 

[11Echo]

Ok how the heck do I get this thing on? I have loosened all three tension bolts and the pivot bolt. The pumps bracket is all the way over and I have the Gates 7448 belt over the power steering pulley and the lower engine pulley. Now I'm trying to stretch it over the top engine pulley and that sucker just won't go over the dang pulley. Is there a trick to stretch it or an order of pulleys I'm supposed to put it on first then second and finally third?

I couldn't get the listed belt number on either. I went to next size longer. It works great!