Serpentine Belt, what the heck is the problem Options

[Tru_Pol]

Ok so last month my serpentine belt started to go. So I went and got a new one. Since then I cannot not keep the belt tensioned and it will start to squell. I keep having to loosen the bold on the Alt and putting tension on the belt then tighten it done. Last week I ended up snapping the bolt and ran to the store to buy a new bolt. This week (today) it started to squell bad I made it a mile and it stoped, about 3 miles later my engine was smoking. Had to turn around and drive home only to find out the belt snapped in half, from the pully turning it and not turning the belt it burned it in half, and becouse my water pump and everything else was not turning the top of my radiour (sp?) blew off. Now when I replace the belt (again) what do I need to do to make sure it done not get loose, I mean I crack the heck out of the bolt and it does not last.
Im going to replace the radiour and all the pipes too!

What a mess!

Jason

[Rjb23]

First off your doing it wrong. You have to loosen the bolt that holds the alternator on so the alternator can move freely. Then you use the tension belt to put enough tension on the belt, then you retighten the alternator bolts to hold it in place. The tension bolt is just that meant to put enough tension on the belt not to hold the tension. What is happening is that bolt is working its way loose, and the belt is getting loose.