How to remove harmonic balancer....

[Jspafford]

Alright I have been through this before and gave up... This time I need to know...

How the hell do I get this harmonic balancer off?

Last time I broke one of the puller bolts off in one of the 4 holes. I leave the big bolt in the hole, and just loosen it so the puller has something to press on. All I can manage to do is strip the puller or break the bolts off..

Surely there is an easier way?!?

 

[Natedog]

No easier way. Buy better bolts and use a little lube on the threads.

 

[JRanger91]

When you get the center bolt in the puller up against the balancer bolt with a little tension, give the puller bolt a little whack with a hammer, then give the puller bolt another little turn and repeat with the hammer. This has worked with every stubborn balancer I've pulled.

 

[gaz]

Deceptive BALANCER BOLT HEAD Depth

Heh, this can be a real problem, I know.

The balancer bolt head is about 5" deep in past the surface of the balancer face; I broke several pullers and bolts figuring out that I was pulling against the balancer itself: I use the appropriate length "SPECIAL TOOL" (aka. old drift punch or socket) between the puller and the very recessed bolt head. Squirt some rust breaking oil in there just to celebrate the victory the pull that sucker in one try!!!

 

[IMenriched]

Yes I discovered...there is a heavy washer inside the center of the balancer...hence you never get pressure on the crank shaft.

SO..I dimpled the center of the big center bolt that holds it on ...then loosen it a (1/4-1/2") er so then attach the puller...and pull the balancer off to the bolt to the backed off position of the bolt....remove puller and loosen bolt more, reattach puller and repeat.

if you a have a longer jack bolt on your puller then you can back off the center bolt of the balancer more... I would only do the 1/4-1/2" thing on the 1st move to help from damaging the threads in the crankshaft....once you get things to move it should get easier. towards the end I just tapped it off with a 2x4...yes...I'm pretty sure this is the preffered/approved red neck tool, (2x4 anyway).