Fan belt issues

[rb6667]

Hello all, I have been dealing with a problem that has me scratching my head.  I removed my fan and clutch several months ago.  Even with the tensioner loose and slid all the way to the bottom, the 2 belts that go around the pump, crank, AC Comp, and the tensioner pulley, would not come off.   I ended up taking off the clutch with the belts around the pulleys, and of course got the belts off that way.

I knew getting them back on would be a challenge   Well.....it was.  No matter what I did to try and route the belts back on they were too short.  I tried to bump the starter over to get the belts to ride onto the pulleys but no luck.  My solution was get 2 slightly longer belts.  Even those were tough to get back on, but I was successful.

 Fast forward to present.  Now that the belts have some miles on them, they have stretched, and there is no more adjustment possible.

SO, I'm thinking the way to put the correct size belts back on, is to remove the tensioner double pulley, thread the belts back on their respective pulleys and put the tensioner with the belts back on as a unit.  Looking at how this tensioner is bolted to the bracket, it looks like there are a bunch of spacers, washers, and nuts that might make this a real tough job to get the tensioner back on.

I have included some pirated photos of the tensioner and the diagram of the tensioner pulley parts  Thanks to those members that posted these photos.

Hopeful there is a better way.  Advise welcome.

Thanks in advance.

RB6667

[Jordan]

Rb6667, I just replaced my belts but I have only 2 belts on a late 230SL.  While the fan belt was relatively easy to remove once I loosened the belt, the power steering was another matter.  You have to remove the power steering belt to get the fan belt off.  I could not pull it off even when I loosened it as much as it would go.  I ended up putting a small screw driver between the belt and the pully (I used wood to start but it snapped in two) and turning the engine by hand.  As the belt rode up onto the screwdriver I pulled it free of the pully  and kept turning the engine by hand.  Eventually it popped off.  The new one was even tighter as it was new and I did it in reverse but it took awhile before I could get the belt close enough to the pully so it would ride along it as I turned the engine by hand.  I had to use that method for both belts when I reinstalled them as they were both very tight, even when loosened as much as they would go.  I don't know if that helps you at all as I only have 2 belts to deal with.  My AC is taking the top off. 

[rb6667]

Thanks for the info.  I am curious if I will be able to pry the 2 belts onto the tensioner pulleys using this method.  Anyone had any luck doing this?  Space is very limited around the tensioner.