so I was loosening the belt tensioner to put new belts in my ride (obviously) and it popped off and wont lock back into its original position, making a simple replacement my own living hell, i was wondering if anyone knew a good method of putting it back and getting the tensioner back on right cuz I dont know how except that that little rod sticking out needs to be moved, but its difficult and ive made no headway.

I'm not sure I understand what happened. Can you describe it in more detail, or post a pic? Did the PULLEY come off, or the whole tensioner?

the whole tensioner came off, I can get it back on but the device itself "unlocked"(?) sending the adjacent pulley about 60 degrees forward then where it should be. I put it back on but I need to push the pulley back to where it was but dont quit know how far it needs to go to lock it back up.

I'm wondering if this was the cause of your shredded belt? Was it loose when you started? Did the spring break, or just the retainer pin?

No i found the cause of my shredded belt, a branch with a few leaves at the very bottom of the pulley system. The retainer pin would be what came off, do I need to just pull it back far enough to push the pin back in?

I dont, basically, last night i began to loosen it a little to get my power steering belt on. I loosened it too much though as the socket came out and shortly thereafter my flashlight battery needed to get recharged, so I left it all. Today, I went to move it a little in order to get the socket back on there and it popped out of its place, so i just took off the screw to look at it. I have a pretty good idea that all I need to do is get it in place tight enough to where it wont fall off, then rotate the arm and pulley connected about 90 or so degrees and push the pin back, but it looks like that requires a friend to help me out. Im not sure hence why I am asking you guys for advice

This is an SSEi, with two belts on it? Which one were you trying to remove? The one that drives the alternator (among other things), or the other one?

If the alternator belt, how were you loosening the tensioner? It requires only a big socket on the head of the bolt in the middle of the pulley, after which you push down _clockwise_ on it (as if you were tightening the bolt) to back off the counterspring and relax the belt so you can slide it off the pulleys. I haven't removed the other belt on my own car but assume that the other tensioner is similar. Bottom line is that you shouldn't need to unscrew anything in the process as far as I know.