A/C is next! Need pulleys

[Laemmle]

Jon Myer has invended a special tool to address this specific problem......perhaps we can get him to mass produce these for stude owners with a/c

The idler pulley design that Studebaker used is a total PITA. It slides in a slot on the a/c mount rather than being on a pivoting arm like the aftermarket ones. You have to be able to loosen the nut on the back of the special bolt that the pulley runs on then slide it as tight in the slot as you can then tighten the nut on the back again- takes more hands than I have. If you can find one of those turnbuckle belt tighteners it might be easier. The Avanti uses the same slotted bracket, but it's even more impossible to get to. I can't even see it from above and I'm not sure if I can reach it from under the car.

[WCP]

To tension the A/C drive belt, try this - loosen the idler nut enough to allow the pulley to cocked slightly toward the engine center by moving the nut toward you, and then tighten the nut. As the idler straightens on the spacer, the belt will tighten. A little trial and error will establish a desirable tension.

[wolfie]

The idler pulley design that Studebaker used is a total PITA. It slides in a slot on the a/c mount rather than being on a pivoting arm like the aftermarket ones. You have to be able to loosen the nut on the back of the special bolt that the pulley runs on then slide it as tight in the slot as you can then tighten the nut on the back again- takes more hands than I have. If you can find one of those turnbuckle belt tighteners it might be easier. The Avanti uses the same slotted bracket, but it's even more impossible to get to. I can't even see it from above and I'm not sure if I can reach it from under the car.

My idler will be fixed, it wont slide. The compressor has slots so it will slide to adjust tension. The manual shows it reversed from that but if you look at the second picture I posted it appears the idler wants to be in the threaded hole in front of the alternator braket and you can see the slots under the compressor. I havent actually loosened the compressor bolts yet but thats how it appears to me anyway. This is part of my confusion trying to track down parts for it added to the fact that the 2 cars I have looked at with air had the idler on the opposite side of the engine from where mine is at. Steve