Crankshaft Harmonic Balancer Removal
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 281
Likes: 3
From: Palm Coast FL
Crankshaft Harmonic Balancer Removal
OK guys, loads of threads on this subject...but!
There are those who beat it off with wood/brass/whatever.
Those who used a crow-bar ??
Those who used a pulley puller.
Those who bought the GM tool (currently $400)
All these methods except the puller and tool seem a bit neanderthal, not that I have any problems with these, but I cannot for the life of me work out where/how to introduce the wood/brass to the inner part of the pulley. The car has been on jacks for 1 week now. All is ready for the pulley removal and I have read numerous threads on bashing the thing off. Any photos out there of where to place the bludgeoning tool?
Want to get it off this weekend, any guaranteed methods besides brute force?
Cheers,
Andrew
There are those who beat it off with wood/brass/whatever.
Those who used a crow-bar ??
Those who used a pulley puller.
Those who bought the GM tool (currently $400)
All these methods except the puller and tool seem a bit neanderthal, not that I have any problems with these, but I cannot for the life of me work out where/how to introduce the wood/brass to the inner part of the pulley. The car has been on jacks for 1 week now. All is ready for the pulley removal and I have read numerous threads on bashing the thing off. Any photos out there of where to place the bludgeoning tool?
Want to get it off this weekend, any guaranteed methods besides brute force?
Cheers,
Andrew
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,477
Likes: 80
From: Hawaii
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 281
Likes: 3
From: Palm Coast FL
OK, what does that mean? I understand that the right tool will do the job, but the GM tool is $400. That is not inexpensive. Which cheap tool will do the job? It would appear that this question has never been answered on here.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,221
Likes: 446
From: Overland Park Kansas
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
AutoZone has tools for the backyard DIY'er. If you've got one nearby, see if they can set you up with a puller.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,221
Likes: 446
From: Overland Park Kansas
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
Oh yeah...I've also seen it posted that people have used one of the puller setups from Harbor Freight. Do you have a HF store in your area?
Maybe if you search for the four words "Harbor, Freight, crankshaft, and puller", you'll find a thread with the part number.
If you don't, their stuff is returnable. The price is right too. Can't be that many options on their shelves.
Probably set you back a whole $10-$20 if that's where you pick one up.
Maybe if you search for the four words "Harbor, Freight, crankshaft, and puller", you'll find a thread with the part number.
If you don't, their stuff is returnable. The price is right too. Can't be that many options on their shelves.
Probably set you back a whole $10-$20 if that's where you pick one up.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 34,988
Likes: 515
From: Riverside County Southern California
Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C4 of Year
2016 C7 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '20
To remove the balancer there are three 5/8" bolts. Once they are removed you can tap the balancer from underneath the engine with a long 2 x 1 piece of wood and a mallet. Tap to the left and to the right and it will fall off on the frame.
To remove the hub, you need a puller. Yes, it is tight down there but, it can be done. You get better with practice.
To remove the hub, you need a puller. Yes, it is tight down there but, it can be done. You get better with practice.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
I have had a Proto Tools puller for many years, but it didn't work on my '86 because the center bolt was too long and hit the crossmember. I bought a Lisle 45500 (about $18), which worked just fine.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
, HOWEVER, the balancer on my 85 was a real booger. had some slight corrosion on the mating surfaces. ended up stripping out some of the threads on the loaner tool. ended up going to summit racing (retail outlet) - dropped a hundred bucks or so. got a puller, an installer, and one of those nifty crankshaft turning sockets. not GM/kent-moore quality, but decent stuff. sure made my job a lot easier.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,193
Likes: 16
I knocked it off with a long breaker bar from underneath..just make sure you don't hit the out ring and don't bash the hell out of it...cause it is connected to that crankshaft ...which doesn't like to be moved around too much..you have to spin the motor around so you can hit it evenly around..once off you just clean up the shaft and hole with some emery and it will slide back on...soak the hell out of the area with penetrant before.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,672
Likes: 20
From: Lake Wylie SC
First your motor is an LT1? If so, the damper must be removed from the hub. Rust has normally formed causing removal of the damper from the hub to be difficult. After removing the 3 bolts that hold the damper onto the hub, slide your self under the Vette so you can see the back side of the damper. You'll see that you can use a dowel (maybe 1" in diameter) to touch the back side of the damper. After soaking the hub/ damper connection area with PB Blaster or othe penetrant, Gently tap the damper (inside the outer ring if possible) on alternating sides until it pops off. Now use the Kent moore tool to remove the hub from the crank shaft. If you can get a Kent Moore tool for under $200 you got a good deal. BTW, AutoZone won't have that style puller/installer tool. Yes, it would be easier if the engine were out of the Vette, but then other problems might show up. KISS might rule here. Just remember, you're "bonding with your Vette."
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,629
Likes: 28
From: FL
Seems to be a lot of confusion about removing the balancer, the method the OP refers to as neanderthal IS the correct method.
Kent Moore tool J39046 is only required to remove the HUB which is a press fit on the crankshaft. The separate balancer is held to the hub by three bolts and with age will rust in place requiring some force to remove, it is not a press fit and in fact the tool mentioned will NOT remove it.
Kent Moore tool J39046 is only required to remove the HUB which is a press fit on the crankshaft. The separate balancer is held to the hub by three bolts and with age will rust in place requiring some force to remove, it is not a press fit and in fact the tool mentioned will NOT remove it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,172
Likes: 17
From: Eugene Oregon
I believe in the Beer Fairy
St. Jude Donor '15,'19
To remove the balancer there are three 5/8" bolts. Once they are removed you can tap the balancer from underneath the engine with a long 2 x 1 piece of wood and a mallet. Tap to the left and to the right and it will fall off on the frame.
To remove the hub, you need a puller. Yes, it is tight down there but, it can be done. You get better with practice.
To remove the hub, you need a puller. Yes, it is tight down there but, it can be done. You get better with practice.
This is the way i removed the balancer, when you go to put it back on put some anti-seize on there and next time it will come off easier.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
LT1 and L98 balancers are different. The LT1 balancer needs the outer part knocked off the hub. The L98 needs the whole balancer assembly pulled off the crank snout. The correct method would depend on what motor the op has.
