I am just wondering if anyone used the serpentine tool before to remove the ac/alt belt. I have a like 2' long serpentine tool. If I set it vertical and push it forward, I would not have enough slack to remove the belt. If I set the tool 15 degree towards the front, and push it far enough to remove the belt, then I can't remove the tool. Am I doing it wrong? I am thinking maybe someone else has a better way of doing it, or maybe I need a L-shape/angle serpentine tool.

The question is once you remove the belt, how to do you remove the tool when it is still under tension?

 

What do you mean by saying not able to remove the tool? I do not have that tool but I explained in my thread "Coolant - engine block drain bolt" that I used ordinary box-end/open-end wrench, see details there.

 

You can't remove the serpentine tool when it is UNDER tension.

I had no problem using the box wrench to remove the AC belt, but I would like to know how to utilize the serpentine tool, or this serpentine tool is not the right tool for our serpentine belt. One other member mentioned that, "If you don't have serpentine tool, you can use the box wrench" which leads me to believe he had successfully using the serpentine tool.

 

Some Serp belt tools ate 2 piece that allows them to have a bend to them so that they work in situations like ours. I cut and welded mine at a angle years ago for a diff vehicle that works great on the TL

 

Thank you. That makes a lot of sense. I saw some of them come in 2 pieces or the tool itself already bent in an angle. My friend has just the long bar with the 3/8" square on it, and it would hit the headlight with tension still on it. So, he raised it back up, put the belt back, then use my ~8" 14mm box wrech. I didn't have the serpentine tool when I did mine, didn't realize the long bar would not work.