92 F150 with the inline 6 300 and air

Help please. The existing belt is frayed and cracked, need to replace it.

Picked up the new belt and have tried a number of times to install it. Can’t get it installed, like it is to short

Checked the length of it against the old belt. Old belt is slightly longer, inch to inch and a half, sure this is expected as it is old and stretched.

Any tricks or tips installing the belt?

Seems like I replaced the belt when I purchased the truck several years ago and don’t recall having any problems putting it on.

Thanks!

 

If there is not a spring loaded tensioner on the belt you can losen the mounting bolts on the alternator and release the tension enough to get the belt on then push the alternator back into position and tighten the bolts back up.

 

Truck does have the spring loaded tensioner.

 

Then you can use a wrench on the tensioner to release the tension on the belt making it easy remove and replace the belt. piece O cake.

 

This. Also, sometimes you've just got to do some man handling.

 

A proper fitting serpentine belt should be a little on the snug side when installing it. The belt has to be lined up with all the ridges on each pulley before it comes close to fitting under the tensioner pulley. An extra set of hands or a really long breaker bar come in handy.

 

as I recall, mine CAN go on 2 ways, or so I was told.
Water pump may even spin backwards?
Might have all been an old timer joke since it was my uncle who told me that.


so as I was drawing a diagram on the inner fender with a magic marker,
I bumped my head near a sticker that shows it exactly.

Hopefully a nice big lever will get that spring loaded tensioner out of the way and the belt goes on withOUT your fingers or glove.

 

It sounds to me like you may have the wrong belt. 1" to 1 1/2" is a pretty big difference...belts stretch over time, but not that much. What is the part number on the new belt? Is the part number on the old belt still legible?

 

The numbers were completely gone from the existing belt.

Went to O'Reilly Auto Parts and they were very helpful. They tried the belt I had, had the same issue. Looked thru the stock and tried on 5/8 of an inch longer, still no go. Tried another that was a full inch longer and it fit.

Thanks for all the suggestions