Re: Mercedes repair. A friend has a several years old large Merdedes diesel, bought new(don't know model number). He is very good mechanically, among other things, started a alternator-starter-rewinding armature business and has retired from that. He wants to replace the serpentine belt on the car and space between the radiator and the front of the engine is limited. Manual calls for removing plastic dirt guards from bottom of car and maybe removing radiator, don't remember, and working on car from bottom. He did not want to do this or pay the large repair bill. Without seeing one, he designed and made a S belt tool like the Cornwell model HR734. He also figured he would need something like the Cornwell SL94170A, again, never having seen one, and figured a nail in the end of a broomstick would work. Now, the spring loaded tension pulley is held in place by a Torx fastener and the company plan is to put a Torx bit in the fastener and rotate the pully slightly to release tension on the belt. Ok, he built a tool with a Torx bit welded in the end of a flat strap(forget using a breaker bar or ratchet, not enough room), but this started to unscrew the fastener. He has added another pivoting strap to the first one, with a rubber wrapped L shaped end which he says grabs the pulley enough to release tension. I haven't seen this modification and he hasn't changed the belt yet. I expect to see it finished by the weekend. So, my question is, how do Mercedes mechanics do this job?
BTW, the SO guy said in casual conversation with me that a lot of speciality tools were designed by mechanics looking for a short cut and later put into production.
KEH
