Tighten alternator belt without removing Tupperware?

[greenrider]

I had all the Tupperware off this winter but I forgot to tighten the alternator belt.

Is it possible to do it without removing the Tupperware?

It gives a little squeak when I give her a quick shot of throttle.

 

1997 R1100RT

 

[dirtrider]

I had all the Tupperware off this winter but I forgot to tighten the alternator belt.

Is it possible to do it without removing the Tupperware?

It gives a little squeak when I give her a quick shot of throttle.

 

1997 R1100RT

 

Evening greenrider

 

Yes you can do it from the front by removing the belt cover.

 

You can either just slide a prybar under the alternator then pry it up then tighten adjuster bolts. (watch the wires under there), or use a special BMW stud turning tool on the front of the adjuster bolt (BMW service bulletin on this)-- Or buy & use a 8mm acorn nut to turn the adjuster stud from the front.

 

I make my own (buba tool from an 8mm long nut (8x1.25 coupling nut) with an 8mm x1.25mm allen screw inserted into the coupling nut-- Just screw the long coupling nut on alternator adjuster stud, then hold the coupling nut with a wrench, then tighten the allen screw with an allen wrench-- This allows turning the adjuster stud from the front.

 

Picture below is of the special BMW adjuster tool.

 

Edited April 3, 2017 by dirtrider

[greenrider]

Thanks

I had seen you had posted this before but wasn't sure if this meant I can do it without removing the Tupperware.

Thanks again. I can see it isnt the easiest thing to get at but it makes it easier knowing that it is possible.

[Michaelr11]

On the R1100RT the alternator cover can not be removed without removing the fairing panels and the "shark fin" on the left. If the cover was modified - cut in half horizontally, then it could be removed. I just tightened my alternator belt. On the RT the gas tank hangs over both sides of the motor and frame making it all but impossible to access the alternator bolts. Run the gas tank down to a gallon or two and just bite the bullet and remove all that stuff. Do it at the same time as a throttle body sync so you won't have to pull the fairing off again right away.

[Rx_Mich]

D.R. ... nice little tool. It is a pain in the ass to get the socket set in the back side and get the correct torque on the belt with universal fittings on the socket shaft. Much easier to do from the belt side of the alternator. Push come to shove, on the side of the road style repair, I lift with a screw driver or small pry bar and tighten leaving enough flex in the belt to turn the belt 90 degrees away from its normal rotation... then torque it properly at home.

[greenrider]

I should have read Michael's post first because the cover can't be removed.

Can it be tightened on a R1100RT without removing the Tupperware? The answer is maybe if everything works perfectly. It's like working in the back end of a cow. The cover has to be shifted constantly because you can't get at all the bolts at the same time. And if the bolt that you put the special nut on gets pushed back, then you have to pull the right side off anyway. And you need 14" of socket extensions plus wrench's,

 

But either way it's faster to pop off the right side and the air pipe below the gas tank.

 

That's how I ended up doing it