Anyone know of any tricks to get the new belt on?

I'm replacing the serpentine belt on my husband's 1991 Chevy Gladiator van. I can get the belt on all of the pulleys except one. When I move the tensioner as far as I can move it, the belt still won't clear the bottom of it to get it under the tensioner. Is there a trick to it? or should I position the belt under the tensioner and try to get it over the AC pulley instead? (It's smaller and has smooth rounded edges unlike the sharp edges of the tensioner.)

Since this is a van, there is little working room on top and most of the belt was put on from the bottom of the van. It's easier to see where everything is and easier to reach than from the top. I thought the problem might be that the belt was cold and had those kinks in it from the factory fold. So, I brought it inside last night, warmed it up, got out as much of the kink as I could with my hair dryer and started again today.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Anyone know of any tricks to get the new belt on?

your going to want to wrap the belt around the tensioner arm and pull it over the ac pully if it is smoth that means the back side of the belt should slide right over, making quick work of a pain in the *** job. now if you could tell me how to get a 3/8 drive ratchet into a tensioner arm on a 96 berretta we'd be even....

Anyone know of any tricks to get the new belt on?

get it on that one first then do the others

Anyone know of any tricks to get the new belt on?

Be sure you have the correct belt. Also look at the steering pump and see if it has a slide to loosen it up.

Anyone know of any tricks to get the new belt on?

try loosing the AC compressor adjustment

Anyone know of any tricks to get the new belt on?

I would find the smallest pulley (usually the alternator pulley) and I would run the belt through everything except that pulley, then move the tensioner as far as it can go and slip the belt on. If that dosent work check your belt against the old one and see if it is even the right length. Good luck!

Anyone know of any tricks to get the new belt on?

Be sure that the new belt is EXACTLY the same size as the old belt. I had that happen to me once. The parts store gave me a belt that was just slightly too small. It was the one that was called for in their parts book. I fought with that belt until I finally decided that it was the wrong one. Took it back along with the old one and matched it up properly.