Welding Harmonic Balancer????
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Welding Harmonic Balancer????
A friend called me the other day to ask if I could weld his harmonic balancer back in place. 
I've been a welder 35 years and this job never came up. He told me that the threads in the crank were striped / cross threaded what ever and that the key had sheared off. 
Has anyone ever herd of this being repaired like this before?? He dosen't want to bull the engine right now. I will only put two 1/2 welds across from each other once I get the pully lined up. He wants to do it tomorrow morning. I wounder how much of a vibration this will make with the added weight of the welds, if any. 
I've been a welder 35 years and this job never came up. He told me that the threads in the crank were striped / cross threaded what ever and that the key had sheared off. Has anyone ever herd of this being repaired like this before?? He dosen't want to bull the engine right now. I will only put two 1/2 welds across from each other once I get the pully lined up. He wants to do it tomorrow morning. I wounder how much of a vibration this will make with the added weight of the welds, if any.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,873
From: Greenville, Indiana
Originally Posted by Brown78
A friend called me the other day to ask if I could weld his harmonic balancer back in place. I've been a welder 35 years and this job never came up. He told me that the threads in the crank were striped / cross threaded what ever and that the key had sheared off. Has anyone ever herd of this being repaired like this before?? He dosen't want to bull the engine right now. I will only put two 1/2 welds across from each other once I get the pully lined up. He wants to do it tomorrow morning. I wounder how much of a vibration this will make with the added weight of the welds, if any.
I've been a welder 35 years and this job never came up. He told me that the threads in the crank were striped / cross threaded what ever and that the key had sheared off. Has anyone ever herd of this being repaired like this before?? He dosen't want to bull the engine right now. I will only put two 1/2 welds across from each other once I get the pully lined up. He wants to do it tomorrow morning. I wounder how much of a vibration this will make with the added weight of the welds, if any. I wouldn't weld it. You'll make a hell of a mess for the next guy.
He can put a new key on and use a longer bolt in the existing threads or he can tap (easily) OS to the next biggest metric thread without drilling..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
The crank needs to be replaced anyway, the balancer is cheap... what do you (or he) have to loose ??? It may work... for a "short time fix" ...
I would not like to be in the car when the welds break at 6500 rpm.........
I would not like to be in the car when the welds break at 6500 rpm.........
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: near Elsberry Mo StL C-3 Sharks
Originally Posted by MikeM
I wouldn't weld it. You'll make a hell of a mess for the next guy.
He can put a new key on and use a longer bolt in the existing threads or he can tap (easily) OS to the next biggest metric thread without drilling..
He can put a new key on and use a longer bolt in the existing threads or he can tap (easily) OS to the next biggest metric thread without drilling..
Do it the right way.......Don't weld it....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
why would you do this?
to get over the summer and enjoy driving the car until money is saved to do it right.....
...or : to fix it and sell it the way it is...
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,065
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From: Smalltownville Michigan
Cruise-In 5, 6 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
just bought a new balancer here.. 60$ at NAPA for a stock replacement.. take the time and re-tap the crank... the right way is the only way!
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,114
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
I agree, he can tap out the bolt to the next largest size. But it be a hell of a weld job being down so low. and as someone already said, it'd ruin the crankshaft. there's some rubber in the balancer as well I think.
