does anyone have a better way to change the belt than the chilton's manual that says to place a short flat piece of metal (the right size)into the tensioner and using a cresent wrench on that to move the tensioner. they recommend this because of the limited clearance.
Is there a better way?

I'll go one better--my .02 worth. I replaced this belt a month ago on the very same car. I didn't use any special tools. Simply get the belt rapped around all of the pulleys except the alternator. While I pushed down on the tensioner pully (not that hard to do) and I am no muscle man, my son slid the belt over the last pulley. Took all of 5 minutes. The hardest part is getting the belt in and around all of the pulleys down below.

Rickindenver 97 850-R

My three cent answer. Three pennies stacked on one side of the square hole will leave enough room for a 1/2" drive which then can be used to release the tension.

I used the listed method you describe - flat piece of metal and cresent wrench. It worked perfectly!!! And cheap - had the metal laying around the garage. Can't see buying a "special tool" just for use every other year.

Andrew

I grinded down a square nut threaded it onto a short bold and just used a box end wrench . It doesn't take alot of leverage to move it.

bob

IPD (ipdusa.com) sells a special tool that makes it easy. They
include information on how to route the belt (it was updated and the
new belt might be a bit longer). I have an 850 and an S70 so the
cost was worth it, for me. I think it was about $20.

It's a pain, isn't it?

I bought a 3/4" galvinized steel plug fitting (I think it was 3/4"; may have been 1") from Home Depot (Lowes, etc.). It has a square "head" that fits loosely (but still good enough) in the tensioner and is short enough to thread through the area around the tensioner. I grabbed the threaded end with a Vise-Grips and voila!. It worked fine.