Holy harmonic balancer Batman!

J

JayhawkLB7

Member
May 22, 2020
46
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Going to make this a quick post because I'm super pissed off. I'm not necessarily here for help but if anybody has a shoulder I can cry on that'd be great.

Went to swap the water pump out today, broke everything down to harmonic balancer. Broke a half inch wrench, broke a 12-in breaker bar, then sheared the head off of a 24 inch breaker bar with a 4-ft steel pipe on top of it. Use the last of my 24-in breaker bars, also shearing the head off, after saying F it and putting a blowtorch directly on that bolt for a fair spell to try to shrink that metal up..

What the hell does a guy need to do to get that off? I've now put everything back together to drive it to a shop to pay someone $1,000 to do a $200 job. I fear if I continue, I'm going to go through $800 in tools anyway.

Starting to feel like this love of my life is turning into a terrible divorce.
 
zakkb787

zakkb787

<that’s not me...
Sep 29, 2014
2,340
52
48
Granite Falls NC
Believe it or not, 32mm 12pt 3/4 socket, 4’ bar out of a floor jack, and a 3/4 drive duralast ratchet. Has done multiple trucks. Never broken.
 
TheBac

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,677
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Mid Michigan
LMAO! Been there. Flat out amazing how hard it was to get that bolt loose. HF 3/4 breaker bar with a cheater did the trick.
 
SoCalMike

SoCalMike

Member
Dec 12, 2010
760
18
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SoCal
Yup as others have said 3/4 inch breaker bar and cheater pipe. I have done it multiple times with no problem.
 
J

JayhawkLB7

Member
May 22, 2020
46
1
8
Ah. It's just that my 1/2" jobbers aren't keeping up. That makes sense. I had a little bourbon and sleep to weigh my options. I'm going off this AM to grab an air impact, it is short enough I can get it in there without pulling the radiator. I'll try that...if it doesn't fly I'll also pick up some 3/4" goods to give myself some hu-rumph. I did put it all back together last night but woke up in a rage - had it broken back down to working point in < 15 minutes. So if all else fails: at least I'm getting damn quick and pulling the front half of that bay open, haha.
 
T

Trimox

Member
Aug 31, 2017
156
14
18
Just for future reference heating the bolt will not shrink it that will expand the bolt. You would have to heat the crank to make it expand away from the bolt but that is not possible with the balancer on. Tractor supply has a 1/2"+3/4" spud ratchet for $17, I have had had a 6' cheater on it even bent the handle but the ratchet works great.
 
N

N2BRK

Well-known member
Dec 31, 2009
2,059
391
83
www.duramaxdiesels.com

The best tools are the one YOU make

My buddy is doing a water pump. We snapped or bent breaker bars trying to loosen the 36mm balancer bolt. I went home and welded the socket to a piece of scrap; 2"x2" with 1/4" wall square stock. He stuck about 4' of cheater bar on it, and gave it all he had. The bolt came right out. He sent...
www.duramaxdiesels.com www.duramaxdiesels.com
 
J

JayhawkLB7

Member
May 22, 2020
46
1
8
So I ended up having a 3/4" drive and 20" 3/4" breaker in stock at O'Really. $65 later and a pair of sore calves and we're loose. I had to gently and slowly pry bar the actual balancer off as well...I'm guessing a guy is going to need to grease that sucker up to get it back on with such limited room. DMax is killing me right now, haha.

I was DAMN near to the bump method but thought I'd try to put some weight on it one more time with properly beefy equipment under me.
 
TheBac

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,677
1,944
113
Mid Michigan
I wouldnt use any lube to install the new balancer. Make sure you torque the bolt to exact specs. (I "borrowed" a 3/4" HF torque wrench for that job)
 
SoCalMike

SoCalMike

Member
Dec 12, 2010
760
18
18
SoCal
It is recommended to use a new bolt when reinstalling the HB. But I have to say on my first wp job I reused the bolt. By the time I got to my 3rd water pump I replaced it.

Tightening sequence is tighten to 74 ft. Lbs. 2nd step is 105 degrees.

James taught me how to mark and count the points to get to 105 degrees.
Mark a bolt point to the washer and balancer. Then count 3 points and a valley clockwise.tightwn the bolt to the mark and you have 105 degrees. The washer shouldn't turn after the 74ft lbs. But if it does you still have the mark on the balancer to follow.
 
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