8BA belts
 

What is the correct way to tighten belts on an 8BA, mine has 2 wide belts, back belt runs from generator down to side tensioner and around single crank pulley. The front/outer belt runs from generator to water pumps. The inner belt is easy to tighten, loosen the 2 bolts and slide the tensioner out, tighten the bolts. The water pump belt bracket has the the large bracket nut/square washer. How is the safest way to pry the complete bracket upwards to tighten the belt. Thanks for your thoughts.

Re: 8BA belts
 

Sounds interesting. Please post a photo of your set up showing the belt tensioner and single crank pulley. I would think you would be using a 2 sheave crank pulley. On my set up, the outside belt wraps around the crank pulley, the two pumps and the alternator. The inner belt wraps around the fan carrier pulley and the crank pulley. I tighten the outside belt first by first placing a piece of plastic hose on the end of a long screwdriver so as not to damage any paint. Then I slide the screwdriver blade under alternator (or generator) bracket so that the tip rests on the crevice in the block right behind the distributer. Then I pull upward on the screwdriver handle and tighten the big nut. This tightens the outside belt. Then I tighten the fancarrier bracket bolts in a similiar manner.
Even though I have made a new fan carrier pulley, I used the same method when everything was stock FORD.