I don't really have big hands but I find it hard to imagine how I could position the alternator belt on a 93 Accord.

The gap between the alternator belt and the driver side exterior is about two inches wide. I can't even stuff my arm down into there to position the belt.

Is there some kind of secret technique you guys used to change the alternator belt? I'm planning on doing both the alternator and power steering belt as they're showing severe signs of cracking.

I think I know the gist of it, loosening the adjusting bolt so I can loosen the belt. I think I can see it for the power steering pump but I can't see the one to loosen for the alternator / AC Compressor belt.

Are you supposed to jack this thing and go under it? I'm parked on an incline and don't think I can jack it up in the middle of the street without getting a citation.

 

There are three items that need to be loosened for the alternator belt. The big pivot bolt on top of the alternator, a nut below the alternator, then the adjusting nut that is below the alternator.

Copy and paste the link below into your browser. This takes you to rapidshare where you click on free download. This is a 93 shop manual for UK accords. This is similar to your 93 accord and should help. Page 22-38 shows the locations for belt tension bolts I was talking about. The 94 shop manual can be of some help for certain situations as well as they are a similar engine. See the common DIY threads on top of the gen tech help for shop manual link.

rapidshare.com/files/346513877/62SN700.PDF

 

Yeah but releasing the tension using those instructions helps me get the belt off, but that still doesn't tell me how I'm going to manage to get the belt back on if my hands can't go past the power steering pump right?

 

You will have to remove the PS belt before you do the inside belt. That should give you more room to work with.

Here is how I did mine, IIRC: The belt goes around the outside of three pulleys (crank, a/c compressor, and alternator). It doesn't snake around like other cars. I put the belt on the ac pulley. Then feed the belt down to the crank pulley area. Slip the belt around the crank pulley from under the car. Finally pull up on the belt to get it on the alternator pulley.

If that doesn't work, then tie a string one one end of the belt. Feed the belt down to the crank. Put belt on the crank pulley. Use string to pull up on the belt. Put it on the compressor, and pull up to put on the alternator.

Either way, when you get the belt on all three pulleys, I would check that the belt is centered on the crank pulley. The alternator and a/c compressor are pretty easy to see from the top, but check them too. Then adjust the tension bolt on the alternator.