With the new motors I have been checking into balancers for the setup that will best suite our needs. There are a few several ovbious choices.

ATI
Fluidampr

While reviewing the two and checking other racing boards many recommended ATI. However when I was checking out their site I came across this comparison they had done on several competitors balancers.



I was taken back a little by the graph. What I see it the more expensive ATI is much worse above ~5800-5900 RPM all the way up to ~7000K to where it really takes over and works better than the competitions.

The next day just out of curiousity I called ATIs tech people. I explained the setup I was going to run and the RPM range at which I was going to run it to. ~6200-6600 MAX. I said I wanted to know if their harmonic balancers would be suited for this application, and how it compared to the competitions. He said their balancers would be perfect for my application and it would really would not matter which balancer I would use, if I was below 6000 RPM, as all of them are the same. But if I was to really going to rev it, the ATI would be great. He then went on to explain all the applications, nascar etc that run ATI. But he never really answered my question about my application. So I then asked about the above graph and asked him to explain it to me so I was sure to be understanding it correctly.

As it turned out, he was sorta quiet after that, since he knew the better balancer was the TCI rattler or the Fluidampr. Granted he is not there to sell a competitors product, but its a lesson not to always take tech peoples word as gospel. Hope this helps some other perhaps save some jingle. As this graph, and his words which were reflected by the graph show, under ~5900 RPM, aftermarket balancers are really not necessary and a stock OEM unit will do just as good at hundreds less. He even said that on the phone.

I will be getting a Fluidampr for my few setup. OEM 400 balancers are ~12lbs, where the fluidampr is ~5.7lbs. That should make it rev a little quicker :D :cheers:

Hope this helps some! :cheers:

 

Looks like from 7k down that any of the three would work fine. I think the difference between them is marginal. I wonder what the stock one would look like on that chart?

 

but if your power band is from 7000 rpm to 9500 rpm the ati is perfect :cheers:

 

all you guys running a 283 and 302 chevy take notice :D

 

more
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=711471

 

Well if you drop into the 10sec of lower ET range you will need a SFI 18.1 harmonic balancer and I doubt the stock unit complies.

 

Here is why I got rid of my street dampner. This is off fluid dampers web site.

Plus I have heared that the gell in the dampners settle at the bottom and as cold as it gets around here in the winter time it takes tha gell that much longer to even out in the ballancer.

Why can't Fluidampr or Streetdampr be spun on a balance machine?
Balancing a crankshaft with the Fluidampr or Streetdampr is not recommended. The Fluidampr (or its damper ring) and the Streetdampr contain an inertia ring that can rotate inside. This inertia ring is balanced to very close tolerance specifications at the factory but may not be to perfect "zero" balance. When the damper is spun on a balance machine, this inertia ring may rotate inside the damper and the operator may be chasing this small imbalance while attempting to balance the crankshaft.

When the damper is installed and run on a combustion engine, the shear forces on the silicone fluid inside the damper from the torsional moments of the engine crankshaft, centers the inertia ring on its bearings. A balance machine does not generate torsional shear forces and the inertia ring may not be completely centered in its bearing clearance gaps. ( IT WILL BE CENTERED AND IN BALANCE WHILE RUNNING ON AN ENGINE )

 

Jesse, if you are going internal balance, i have a Vibratech Fluidampr that i just took off my 350 for sale. It's in perfect shape and has only been installed once. let me know

 

And if your not going internal balance I have an ATI that has never been installed. I bought it before I decided to go internal and never sent it back.

If your going with a taller tire on the new setup, perhaps a trade could be worked out ;)

 

:lol: :lol:

 

Ralph, Yeah how much you lookin to get? Do you know what it weights? SFI appoved? :cheers:

Email me the price of the unit. Thanks :cheers: