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There's NO NEED to remove Alternator - just relase the two front studs on the bar that holds the alternator to the engine .. and grasp it from above, wrapping one hand around it and pull up! It does move, honest.
Believe me, I know how horrid it is undo-ing that rear/lower bolt on the alternator, as i had to fit a new alternator recently ... at the time, I seriously considered taking the engine out, fitting the alternator to the engine ... its in a horrid place ... I still have the scars and sh1t/dirt in my eyes!!
i take my radiator out in 10mins .. empty it of water, undo two nuts/bolts at the top (attaches to the straight bars), remove the Simon (4 or 5 studs), remove Hose-clips .. pull it out .. simples!
Yep, the alternator will move after removing the tensioner bar at the top held on by 2 studs. It's very tight but it will move, especially with a bit of careful persuasion with a pry bar.
I couldn't move mine, the amount of leverage I was using I thought either the alternator case would shatter or the bracket would snap off the block before it moved.
If it suddenly breaks, go back to the last thing that you did before it broke and start looking there
YES you 'can' do it without removing the Tensioner - cos thats what we did on the mountain top ... but we failed on four attempts to ge the belt on properly, and gave up when it was on 75% of the way, but that cut/wore-off the remained belt ... so this is why i did it properley yesterday.
Also, whoever did the P/S Belt last time 'foolishly' thought it wa sa good idea to tighten-up the Nyloc nut so it would move at all - which i suspect is why we couldnt do it on Sunday.
My tensioner Nyloc now holds on the tensioner but still allows it to move ...
