# Can't get alternator loose **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** kia, rio\ **Created:** [March 20, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433 "2020-03-20T21:01:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jdoerotmgboxxer3915_164526)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/1 "2020-03-20T21:01:22Z")
So trying to remove my alternator I found that I couldn’t even get it to budge. I loosened the 2 bolts up top and on the bottom I THOUGHT i was loosening the bolt but that holds it in place, but I was just loosening a nut off of the bolt so now I have no idea how I’m supposed to get it loose. I ended up accidentally taking that nut all the way off because I thought it was just part of the bolt so I dropped it and LOST it like a total idiot. Even with this nut all the way off I can’t even make the alternator budge a little. I guess it’s suppoed to be able to raise up but it’s still as firm as if I didn’t do anything at all. I took some pictures that may hopefully show: [https://imgur.com/a/TfCV0zO](https://imgur.com/a/TfCV0zO) The first picture is the bolt in question, the second is the other side of the alternator I believe the little square is the opposite side of the bolt and I tried pulling on it but it would absolutely not budge. There’s a couple bonus pics up top of the alternator. I really can’t figure out how to get this thing loose. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/2 "2020-03-20T21:20:56Z")
Rust. Put the nut back on a few turns to protect the threads on the bolt but do not tighten, hit the nut/bolt with a hammer, after the bolt breaks free remove the nut and finish driving the bolt through. ---
**Author:** ![jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jdoerotmgboxxer3915_164526)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/3 "2020-03-20T21:26:33Z")
Thanks I will try that but my understand was that even with the nut still on the alternator should have some give as long the nut is loose. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/4 "2020-03-20T21:29:33Z")
There may a third attachment point. An overnight soak with a generous spraying of PB Blaster made all the diff when I did a timing belt job on my 1999 Honda last year. Some hard but careful hammer blows through a well-placed rod, too. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/5 "2020-03-20T21:42:01Z")
That bolt end you show in your picture is threaded into the alternator, you need to get a wrench/socket on the other end of the bolt and unscrew it. ---
**Author:** ![jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jdoerotmgboxxer3915_164526)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/6 "2020-03-20T21:50:37Z")
the other side is just a square that I tried pulling out. It definitely won’t turn there’s even a little knob that would prevent that you can look at the pics in the original post to see w hat im talking about. It would be the square in the second picture. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/7 "2020-03-20T21:58:16Z")
Completely remove the jack bolt, and pull the alternator forward. Tester ---
**Author:** ![jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jdoerotmgboxxer3915_164526)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/8 "2020-03-20T22:45:06Z")
Thanks for the advice. I will try but I’m not sure how to get the bolt off. I’ve tried pulling the square from the other side I also tried carefully hitting the threaded part sticking out with a hammer but not luck there either no much room to get much force behind it. I thought it should be able to move or at least wiggle a little after loosening the nut which I have taken off completely so I thought about just prying it but I don’t want to damage anything, though im not really worried about the alternator as i’m planning on replacing it anyways. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/9 "2020-03-20T22:57:01Z")
> [@jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](#): > > i’m planning on replacing it anyways. Get your new one and look for all its attachment points. ---
**Author:** ![Bugmenot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Bugmenot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bugmenot)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/10 "2020-03-20T23:16:33Z")
![Kia Rio Alternator](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/4/5438d86819e11de602ad1700cfffa1c1d3c03e2b.png) Looks like the lower bolt should push through (it’s not threaded). It’s probably corroded in place. If the adjuster bolt on top can be removed, it may be possible to break the lower bolt loose by rocking the alternator back and forth (arrow). ---
**Author:** ![SteveCBT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevecbt/32/3192_2.png) [@SteveCBT](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveCBT)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/11 "2020-03-20T23:43:45Z")
Soak the heck out of the bolt with PB blaster. While it is soaking find another nut you can put on the bolt, Tractor Supply has a nice parts bin. Soak the bolt again, you cannot over do it. Put the nut on most of the way but leave the nut a thread or two from the end of the bolt. Beat on the nut to try to move it. If you beat the end of the bolt you may mushroom the head and it will never slide out, the nut takes the damage and can be removed. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/12 "2020-03-20T23:47:51Z")
> [@jdoerotmgboxxer3915\_164526](#): > > I also tried carefully hitting the threaded part sticking out with a hammer but not luck there either no much room to get much force behind it I know! Soak the bolt, and try to remove with a really, really strong magnet! 🙄 Tester ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/13 "2020-03-21T01:28:40Z")
Look for a brace mounted to the side of the alternator with a bolt mounted perpendicular to the armature. One of the advertised alternators had a mounting boss mid way of the housing. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 9:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/14 "2020-03-21T09:21:04Z")
Why am I not seeing any pictures the OP posted? ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 11:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/15 "2020-03-21T11:18:35Z")
You have to tap on the link the OP provided to see the pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/16 "2020-03-21T14:01:08Z")
It’s difficult to make sense of the under hood views due to the rust. Is that much rust common when roads are salted? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/17 "2020-03-21T14:07:31Z")
You have green grass there? Nice. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/18 "2020-03-21T16:33:53Z")
Thanks, I did not see the link buried in the text. Yep, that’s rust all right. I wonder if they live near me? ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cant-get-alternator-loose/161433/19 "2020-03-21T17:30:25Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > try to remove with a really, really strong magnet! I never figured you as a joker… 😄