M13A Drive belts - With aircon. Easiest way to change

Hello people

I've a feeling that changing the drive belts on a 2011 M13a is going to be easier if I take the rad out, it was a curse to manage to tighten the alternator belt with no space. What's the deal with the air con condenser secured to the front of the main radiator? Is it easier to leave the condenser in place whilst dropping the rad for access?

I'm not sure but I don't want to be swearing at my tools again and skinning my knuckles changing belts.

Is the guide in the older service manuals (2006ish ones?).

Rad removal is by far the easiest option if you value the skin on your knuckles

Drain the coolant from the rad into a container. there is a plastic plug to unscrew near the A/C compressor on the rad. Dont pull it right out. With a few turns it should let liquid out of the hole in the rad right below it without soaking everything around it

Undo the fan cowling. 4 bolts on each corner hold it to the rad and push towards the belts.

Undo the two side bolts on the radiator top and the two hoses top and bottom. Pull the rad up with a bit of wiggling. The fan cowl can then be removed or pushed forward.

The A/C bit is on a totally separate mount and not affected by taking the rad in/out.

I found it easiest to remove the PAS/AC belt tensioner all together to fit the belt. The alternator/water pump belt tensioner is pretty good by comparison.

Oh; While its apart have a good look at the crank pulley at the bottom. They commonly fail by delaminating and an early sign is the belts not lasting long or squealing