Replacing serpentine belt. From above or below?

[Lane24]

I tackled my fan belt this evening, thinking it would be a five minute job like on my Explorer, but holy cow, that tensioner was one tough *****.

I've got a badly healed busted vertabrae, and some wicked back spasms and arthritis as a result ( I'm only 38, but feel 88 somedays) so my back ain't what it used to be.
So my question is, did you guys tackle the belt and tensioner from the top, or crawl under and loosen it up from the bottom?
Did you use an extender on your breaker bar for more leverage?
Did you just cut the old belt off?
I did my Explorer from the bottom and it was no problem, but jeesh this thing was a pain.

Give me some of your tips or ideas and make this a little easier on guys like me and others.

 

[WHOISMOOTOO]

Auto zone has a tool that they will loan you yes its like a 3 min job (2 min to read the belt diagram and 1 min to put it on) with the tensioner from the top. The tool is too long to do it from the bottom, i didnt cut mine i sprayed it with belt conditioner and saved it incase mine ever snapped. I know the feeling i have lower back arthritis/muscle spazims as well at 26yrs old, damn army lol. Seriously though use a 2 step ladder and sit on the front end it helps alot!!

 

[ELVATO]

I did mine from both top and bottom. I rented the kit from Autozone, loosened the tensioner, pulled the kit off, routed the new belt (had to crawl underneath to route the lower pulleys), then loosened the tensioner and finished slipping the belt on.

I keep my old belt in my spare tire compartment, in case the one I have now ever breaks apart.

 

[tonydiv]

Now all you have to do is hope that if the new belt ever does break, it will happen near an Autozone, so that you can rent the tool to install it.

 

[ELVATO]

Heh, I carry a torque wrench and a small socket set that covers most of the bolts in the truck (4mm-21mm and SAE equivalents). I would make do, hopefully.

 

[Lane24]

Went back out this morning with new hope, and no mosquitos. Took my breaker bar, and a 2 foot steel pipe for some leverage from the top, and had it done in about 5 minutes.
The key was LEVERAGE !!!! Those wrenches from Autozone must be real long and real skinny eh? Like a fan clutch wrench I guess.
Thanks for the tips everyone. I was trying to do it from underneath like i did with my old Explorer, but like you said, the key was wrenching it from the top, and threading it from the bottom. I just had my wife hold it around the top of the water pump while I threaded it from the bottom, and walla. I'll keep the pipe under my seat just in case

 

[WHOISMOOTOO]

I wish i could say i have a tool kit i have a plastic cup full of sockets, open ended wrenches, and a collapsible breaker-bar i keep