Timing belt tutorial

Hi, I'm a new member here. I did a quick search and couldn't find what I was looking for. I'm hoping to find a step-by-step tutorial for replacing the timing belt on my '96 6 cyl. I've got the Haynes manual but sometimes I know the Haynes manuals like to tell you to do a lot of unnecessary stuff (like removing the radiator and alternator, which isn't necessary on a lot of cars). Also sometimes there might be some bits of wisdom that the Haynes guys don't write about. Is there some good information here for this procedure?

Also, I have a few specific questions:

1. Which parts do I really want to replace while I'm in there, and which should wait until I inspect them?
2. Does the "rope trick" work for taking off the crankshaft bolt?
3. Should I stick with genuine Toyota parts for this? And if so, is there a good online source?

 

looking at your profile, it looks like you've got the 3.4L so this should get you started:

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/timing_belt/