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How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 14th, 2009, 11:11 pm
by PolloLoco
There are no threaded holes to place bolts in that my remover tool has. I tried tapping the holes but the bolt stripped the threading. Did I ruin the harmonic balancer by making the holes unequal size now?

How do I get the damned thing off?

Re: How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 15th, 2009, 7:17 am
by yuppiexj
Did you remove the bolt (AND WASHER) from the crank snout?

If the balancer removal holes are stripped. try using longer bolts with nuts and washers on the end to attach the puller to the balancer. (IIRC the holes go all the way through)

I trashed a balancer puller by leaving the washer in place after removing the crank bolt. (stupid thing was glued in with some rtv).

Re: How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 15th, 2009, 1:59 pm
by PolloLoco
yuppiexj wrote:Did you remove the bolt (AND WASHER) from the crank snout?
I thought that I did

yuppiexj wrote:If the balancer removal holes are stripped. try using longer bolts with nuts and washers on the end to attach the puller to the balancer. (IIRC the holes go all the way through)
They were never threaded to begin with. I thought that it was just crudded up but I took a wire brush and cleaned out a smooth hole. I went to Lowe's this morning and got some nuts and bolts.

yuppiexj wrote:I trashed a balancer puller by leaving the washer in place after removing the crank bolt. (stupid thing was glued in with some rtv).
Oh, that washer. I found it now, I didn't realize that it was a washer.

Re: How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 15th, 2009, 2:28 pm
by PolloLoco
So I fished a couple nuts behind the balancer and got it out. Gotta love tool warranties, they cover the cost of stupidity. :)

Re: How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 15th, 2009, 10:19 pm
by amcinstaller
nice! chalk that up to another thing i never thought id see today. ive broke my fair share of tools due to misuse and stupidity too :cheers:

Re: How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 17th, 2009, 12:31 am
by PolloLoco
Believe it or not it was a Harbor Freight tool! The Pittsburgh tools carry a lifetime warranty. Best $9.99 that I've spent there.

Re: How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 17th, 2009, 1:32 pm
by 1bolt
dude I did that once,.. that washer doesn't look like a washer I also broke the puller and took it back and got a replacement... "must have been a flaw in the casting or something" :doh:
I also once got a puller that the main bolt was crooked, like they tapped it at an angle off center, man that thing was the hardest bolt I've ever cussed at. it's amazing how hard a HB is to pull off a press fit with a bolt that's trying to pull slightly off center... I gave up got a replacement that checked out okay and went back and pulled the thing like it was butter... the old one required all my weight baring down to even turn a half turn.

Re: How to Remove Harmonic Balancer / Vibration Damper

Posted: October 18th, 2009, 11:49 am
by IH 392
I snapped the ears off of so many Craftsman pullers I finally ponied up for a MAC and haven't had a problem since!