harmonic balancer

geraldchainsaw · 2021-07-07 12:10

hi all, would someone explain to me what good a harmonic balancer is, do you really need one?, this year mine went out, i replaced it with NOS, and it went today, luck;ly I had my old one rebuilt, I myself can't see why its needed, theres only 1 spot drilled out for the balance, what damage can happen if i just burned the metal ring off and drove it like that, forgot to say, its 312, so, who knows anything more?, thanks PS, let me modify my question. has any one had to change their harmonic balancer?, and if so, what is the procedure in changing it?, break it down, what has tobe taken apart?

1930artdeco · 2021-07-07 12:52

Two things: it holds your timing marks and it prolongs bearing life by smoothing out the engine vibrations. So it is needed, especially if you are revving it up a bit. Can you without it? Yes as you found out but I bet you noticed the engine was a bit unbalanced-vibration wise.

Mike

RICH MUISE · 2021-07-07 13:30

Isn't there a rubber ring component to the balancers? NOS on a rubber part to me is useless.

Rancher · 2021-07-07 15:05

Has anybody ever heard the official M.O. for assembly?
Is the rubber seriously frozen while compressed?
Maybe "extruded" into place with special tooling?
Hmmm

Lgcustom · 2021-07-07 16:47

I'm going to take a crack at this. Know that I have no experience actually molding harmonic balancers. However, I do have extensive experience with molding neoprene rubber. The two metal pieces(outer ring and hub) will have the surfaces cleaned/sandblasted where the rubber will be. Then a bonding agent will be applied to both surfaces. The parts will be placed in a closed mold which aligns the crank keyway and the timing marks. The mold is placed in a heated press and the neoprene is injected into the space between the two parts by a ram. The mold stays in the heated press until the neoprene is vulcanized by the heat. Allow the molded part to cool. Then a little trimming and there's your harmonic balancer!
The balancer is definitley needed to smooth vibration in the engine and prolong its life.

Hoosier Hurricane · 2021-07-07 18:29

If the factory engineers didn't think they were needed, would they have spent the money to make them? I'm sure a simple pulley would have been much cheaper to build. John

Rancher · 2021-07-07 22:36

Of course the gamble is that it may cost a crankshaft to answer the question.

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Thanks for taking a shot at the process, LG. Probably something like that. My only thought is that when I've seen balancers separated, I seem to recall the rubber as being a separate molded un-torn "flat belt" without evidence of having been bonded to the metal components. But, I never took a microscope to one either.

Lgcustom · 2021-07-08 04:57

I did a google search and found that Dale manufacturing uses a three part silicone rubber which is mixed and POURED into the balancer. As opposed to the vulcanizing process I mentioned.

59meteor · 2021-07-08 07:16

In addition do dampen crankshaft harmonics, and provide a location for the timing marks, the outer ring is also where the grooves for the water pump, generator, PS etc are built in. If you were to remove that outer ring, how would you run these accessories? I have never personally ever had a Ford damper ever slip or fall off, but I understand that the "Damper Dudes" rebuild harmonic balancers with new rubber. On my drag cars, NHRA rules require a SFI certified aftermarket balancer, I mainly use ATI brand, but have also used Powerbond as well. However, no idea if they offer a balancer for a Y Block.

RICH MUISE · 2021-07-08 08:36

Quote from: Lgcustom on 2021-07-08 04:57
I did a google search and found that Dale manufacturing uses a three part silicone rubber which is mixed and POURED into the balancer. As opposed to the vulcanizing process I mentioned.

Same Dale Mfg. that owns Classic Auto Parts in OKC?

geraldchainsaw · 2021-07-08 10:10

ok, i've got lots of info, i had one rebuilt by damperdudes, and thats the one i'll be using THIS time, but i'll look up classic autoparts also. now, i know how i replaced it the .first time, and it was alot of work, thats why someone else is going to do it for me. but, any one else thats done it, can you tell me step by step how you did it? thanks jerry

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harmonic balancer