Best tool for removing rear alternator bolt...

[cosmic_splatter]

Fixkick,

When I was removing belts to do the timing belt, I found it extremely difficult to get to the rear alternator bolt that holds it to the mount. When I say "rear" it's the bolt that you have to access from the back of the alternator. There is a lot of stuff in the way to get a wrench on that particular bolt.

Is there a good tool to remove this bolt? Does a socket knuckle work? Is there some special tool to get to it?

thanks,
John

16v engine

[gorkyb]

Hi cosmic_splatter. I know exactly the bolt you are talking about. I personally use a 1/4" ratchet with a standard height 12 mm socket on it. This gives me the room to maneuver in that spot. I tried one of those ratcheting wrenches but the head was too big to fit comfortably in the head of the bolt. The only issue with the small ratchet is that it may not give you enough leverage to tighten and loose the bolt. In my case works but you probably won't like it. I also saw the other day a ratchet in Harbor Freight that turns the ratchet from the handle with a T piece, I tried finding it on their website to show you but I couldn't find it, next time I go I'll take a picture.

Just to clarify, I am talking about the top bolt, the one that after you tension the alternator it gets tightened to hold it place.

[fixkick]

i think he means bottom rear bolt
any spanner fits. from below, not from top.


bolt 5 rear.
from bellow.




an i-6 jeep is 10x harder.

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yours have the front crash brush guard pan, like, mine did?

i stick a 13 or 14mm? box end up there and work it out, one flat at a time.


top view , see the to alt bolts on the alt mount
see then sticking out.
the rear is a straight shot to the foor.