Alternator: Access and Replace

To replace the alternator on a 1997 base SOHC (alternator in back of engine by firewall), you have to:

1. remove tire 2. remove brake caliper, rotor, castle nut on tie rod end, bolt on swing arm 3. remove bolts holding strut to spindle assembly 4. swing assembly down and remove outer axle 5. remove mid axle from tranny, only about 8 ounces of gear oil will seep out 6. unbolt alternator and lower it by the swing bracket that the bottom bolt went through. It won't come straight down after this. 7. wiggle alternator down as much as possible, then out past where the axle was and by the break assembly.

Took me a few hours to figure out what to remove, but as soon as I had the half axle out, it dropped to the cross bar and I still couldn't get it past that, so I wiggled it outwards from there, past where the break caliper would be if it were still in place.

Hope this helps someone.