How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,100
From: Texas Hill Country
How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
Got all the belts and the main pulley off the mustang last night in anticipation of my new Fluidamper arriving today. I ran into to a problem getting the old balancer off last night. I have a crow’s foot/harmonic balancer/steering wheel remove, but that is not the issue. I cannot get the bolt to break loose without the crank turning. Once I get that done, I should be good to go. I was afraid to get on it with an impact wrench. Any ideas? I may head to Home Depot today to get some steel stock and try and make a crank brace of some sort.
Edit:
Oh, I have the tranny engaged and in reverse. Would putting it in 4th gear help?
Edit:
Oh, I have the tranny engaged and in reverse. Would putting it in 4th gear help?
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,986
From: Michigan
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
Reverse is the best holding gear. I usually wedge a small screwdriver in one of the holes on the flywheel let it turn untill it gets wedged on the block and break her free. Ive also seen some crank bolts that were loctited into place and needed to be heated before theyd break loose.
Or leave it in reverse, have someone else get in hold the brakes. Make sure you have a breaker bar, and it wouldnt hurt to put a piece of 3 or 4 ft pipe on it for some extra leverage.
BTW, there is a tool made especially for locking/holding the flywheel, I think they might sell it at Sears.
-P.
Or leave it in reverse, have someone else get in hold the brakes. Make sure you have a breaker bar, and it wouldnt hurt to put a piece of 3 or 4 ft pipe on it for some extra leverage.
BTW, there is a tool made especially for locking/holding the flywheel, I think they might sell it at Sears.
-P.
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,100
From: Texas Hill Country
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
Thanks. I will head to Sears this afternoon to see if they have that tool. I was thinking of cutting a piece of steel, drilling it, bolting it to the harmonic balancer, and then cutting it to length so it would rest on the garage floor. Kinda making a brace. This mightkeep the harmonic balancer from turning, but it is kinda jury rigged. I think I will try the reverse person in the car on the brake thing first. Should I be scared of using an impact wrench on it?
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 359
From:
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
I've taken hundreds of these off with an impact. Best tool to use.
Pop it a few times to loosen it up. Don't hammer down in it constantly.
Just don't put it back on with an impact. Use a torque wrench.
Pop it a few times to loosen it up. Don't hammer down in it constantly.
Just don't put it back on with an impact. Use a torque wrench.
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,100
From: Texas Hill Country
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
ORIGINAL: dozierstang
I've taken hundreds of these off with an impact. Best tool to use.
Pop it a few times to loosen it up. Don't hammer down in it constantly.
Just don't put it back on with an impact. Use a torque wrench.
I've taken hundreds of these off with an impact. Best tool to use.
Pop it a few times to loosen it up. Don't hammer down in it constantly.
Just don't put it back on with an impact. Use a torque wrench.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 359
From:
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
Hit it a couple of times then it should come right off. The crank may try to turn a little but that is no biggie. Be careful when you put the new one back on. Just lightly tap it on with a dead blow until you can get the bolt threads started. Then use the bolt to slide the balancer back on. Lightly grease the washer (do not put any grease orlube on the threads)on the bolt to help some when putting it back on and use a ratchet to tighten it up, then torque it with a torque wrench (this is when the crank will turn, I used a large screw driver to hold it). Let me know how the fluidamper works. I was considering this myself.
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,100
From: Texas Hill Country
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
ORIGINAL: dozierstang
Hit it a couple of times then it should come right off. The crank may try to turn a little but that is no biggie. Be careful when you put the new one back on. Just lightly tap it on with a dead blow until you can get the bolt threads started. Then use the bolt to slide the balancer back on. Lightly grease the washer (do not put any grease orlube on the threads)on the bolt to help some when putting it back on and use a ratchet to tighten it up, then torque it with a torque wrench (this is when the crank will turn, I used a large screw driver to hold it). Let me know how the fluidamper works. I was considering this myself.
Hit it a couple of times then it should come right off. The crank may try to turn a little but that is no biggie. Be careful when you put the new one back on. Just lightly tap it on with a dead blow until you can get the bolt threads started. Then use the bolt to slide the balancer back on. Lightly grease the washer (do not put any grease orlube on the threads)on the bolt to help some when putting it back on and use a ratchet to tighten it up, then torque it with a torque wrench (this is when the crank will turn, I used a large screw driver to hold it). Let me know how the fluidamper works. I was considering this myself.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 359
From:
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
No, no loctite, no WD-40, nothing! Clean the threads up with a wire brush then torque it down. That will be the hard part, just off the top of my head it runs 150 ft.lbs. But you need to check your manual before you do it. You never know when you will need to remove it again...
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,100
From: Texas Hill Country
RE: How to remove a Harmonic Balancer?
Thanks for all the help. The impact wrench worked great. Boy pulling this dang thing took forever. I had a steering wheel/harmonic balancer puller, but man it fought the whole way. It was about 98deg here this afternoon, so I had to hit it in phases. I have quit for the night and will install the one tomorrow. The old balancer looks a little worn out, but was not spun. Guess this was a little bit of an unneeded project, but it was a good time. Again, thanks for the help, and I will stay away from the LocTite![sm=loser.gif]