Won, but lost !!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 858
Likes: 75
From: Medford, Oregon
Won, but lost !!
Can't believe it happened again (2nd time after a race). After picking my daughter up from work (8:00/pm), I was being challenged on the way back home by a newer modded Mustang GT owner. My 20 year old daughter says something to the effect " Is he faster than your Corvette, Dad ", oh well !!, so off we go from a slow roll, and I end up beating him by several cars. The real side to this story is not the win, but the loss, I just want to express how important it is to inspect those serpentine belts that get overlooked for long periods of time. I had just ordered new Gatorback replacement belts that day, and this morning went to install them and found that the A/C belt had shredded during the night before's little encounter 
, and upon coming apart it had wrapped up and pushed the outer harmonic balancer ring outward by a 1/4'' inch. Be it bad luck, timing, karma, whatever, 'Guys', go out and check your belts conditions and replace them if necessary. For a $12 part going bad, it is now going to cost a lot more in time and money to fix the problem,
. Also, has anyone installed Powerbond balancers or others , I am definitely not going to replace it with a OE balancer again, I am open to suggestions from members who have used other after market balancers and have had good results, Thanks guys !! 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Daryll, buddy, I realize you don't want to go with a stock balancer again but that's not what caused your failure. It was your own fault for not checking your belts. If I told you once, I told you a thousand times . . . And that's what you get for racing with your daughter in the car. 
Btw, I have Friday and Monday off this week. Guess what I'm doing?
Btw, I have Friday and Monday off this week. Guess what I'm doing?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,280
Likes: 1,097
From: Pittsburgh PA
As an original owner, one of the advantages is I know for a fact what and what not has been done to my car. Changing the belt was one thing that was done before it was needed. Just as most of what I have done.
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Good reminder to keep up on maintenance items before they come back to bite you in the butt.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,183
Likes: 4,178
From: Kannapolis NC
Are you sure you don't have it backwards? The balancer is known to move forward and wobble, maybe that is what caused the belt to shred instead of vice-versa.
PS, it's a violation of forum rules to post about street racing, so we'll see what happens.
PS, it's a violation of forum rules to post about street racing, so we'll see what happens.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,441
Likes: 2,186
From: Buffalo Texas
I have a few state boys as friends and they race now and then !!!!! (with the cruiser) (they are human)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,153
Likes: 859
From: Rio Rancho, New Mexico
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Everyone enjoys their Corvettes in different ways. So long as no one gets hurt, I'm all for having some fun. 
On second thought, the Mustang owner the OP beat probably has a damaged ego.
On second thought, the Mustang owner the OP beat probably has a damaged ego.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 184
From: Ohio
Can't believe it happened again (2nd time after a race). After picking my daughter up from work (8:00/pm), I was being challenged on the way back home by a newer modded Mustang GT owner. My 20 year old daughter says something to the effect " Is he faster than your Corvette, Dad ", oh well !!, so off we go from a slow roll, and I end up beating him by several cars. The real side to this story is not the win, but the loss, I just want to express how important it is to inspect those serpentine belts that get overlooked for long periods of time. I had just ordered new Gatorback replacement belts that day, and this morning went to install them and found that the A/C belt had shredded during the night before's little encounter , and upon coming apart it had wrapped up and pushed the outer harmonic balancer ring outward by a 1/4'' inch. Be it bad luck, timing, karma, whatever, 'Guys', go out and check your belts conditions and replace them if necessary. For a $12 part going bad, it is now going to cost a lot more in time and money to fix the problem,. Also, has anyone installed Powerbond balancers or others , I am definitely not going to replace it with a OE balancer again, I am open to suggestions from members who have used other after market balancers and have had good results, Thanks guys !! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 65
From: Rochester Hills MI
It was the balancer that caused the belt to come off. No way the belt could have caused the balancer to shift. Ati balancers are pricey, but it's the best one you can get. I got their 10% ud pulley. Most people go with a powerbond because it's cheaper.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,183
Likes: 4,178
From: Kannapolis NC
Do not discuss, suggest, engage, or encourage any illegal activity on the forums
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 858
Likes: 75
From: Medford, Oregon
Let me start this reply to some forum members by saying that I had not realized the error to policy at the time of my posting, I will express that my intent was to just bring attention to the issue of 'preventive maintenance' to our cars to avoid any future unwanted issues such as mine. In regards to being 'above the law' issue, I take that as a very sensitive backhanded statement(as most LEO's), I have spent decades providing public service and putting my own well being in jeopardy for others countless times. I found myself in a moment of a perfect storm and let it dictate my decision, but I have no problem taking accountability for my actions (ticket). Let me move on to 'Thanking' those who offered their experience with aftermarket balancers that replied to the root of the post. P.S. My response is not done with any malice, so let's move on to better things !!
Last edited by 2FAS4UU; Aug 13, 2015 at 11:32 AM.
Acct Suspended APR 2026 by request
Joined: Dec 2010
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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, the belt shredding would not cause the balancer to move forward but a separating balancer will cause the belts to shred and I'm pretty sure this is what happened... either way it's good you caught it before anything bad happened... and congrats on the mustang kill
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
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Btw, the PB Race series comes in three different flavors:
1. Race Performance standard diameter - PB1117SS
2. Race Performance 10% underdrive - PBU1117SS10
3. Race Performance 25% underdrive - PBU1117SS25
http://www.daycoproducts.com/parts?c...scription=1137
P.S. I just plugged in "2003" Corvette in their parts catalog listing, but that is purely arbitrary, as ALL C5 Corvette LS engines use the same part numbers.
HTH
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
I had a balancer fail and used the Powerbond stock size replacement. No problems at all. It stayed perfect with no wobble at all.
Good Luck.
