Hi! I'm right in the middle of replacing the harmonic balancer. I chose to buy a bottom end Dayco balancer, and not change things like overdriven or underdriven, special racing balancers, etc. I am a bit concerned about not pinning the balancer, but suspect with the way I intend to use the car (long trips) that I won't experience any issues. I was surprised, though, to find that the original balancer is lighter than the replacement. I am also surprised that I so confidently chose to tear my car so far apart to do this! My school is closed Monday for the holiday, and I am excited to get the car put back together, but it's going to have to wait until Tuesday. Sigh. My plan is to replace all of my sway bar end links (they're original and the car lunges a bit on bumps) with it so accessible as it is now. I also have a pair of steering rod ends, and red urethane boots to dress that stuff up. I intend the car to be largely stock, with reasonable aftermarket parts when appropriate. My class only has 2 weeks left, and I have only put under 300 miles on the C5 since I got it home February 10, mostly due to the brakes being nearly shot (replaced early this week with Powerstop Z23), and the harmonic balancer wobble. I had fixed ALL of the issues on my C4 in this class, so the C5 had to wait, while I prepared the C4 for its new owner and the trip ahead for it. When that car left, it had air conditioning and a working back up light circuit, something I wasn't able to enjoy for myself!
Hopefully, things go well this week -- the car's first show is next Saturday!

 

What?
No pictures!?!?

 

I am a bit overwhelmed with the weight of the work ahead of me -- it looks like a grenade went off! I will go back and take photos Tuesday and maybe that will convey the concern I have over getting it all stuffed back in the car! It was an ambitious project, and it is sure nice having the class instructor helping out. In fact, thank you for reminding me to photo-document this project.

 

The tubes emanating from the ABS unit and the actual power steering tubes were the components that make removing the steering rack so difficult. You see them upper center. Dropping that front subframe gave the necessary clearance to remove the rack to the left wheel area.

Right had view after rack removed -- there's my air conditioning compressor! Note the worn out stabilizer bar links in both photos.

The starter motor needs to shift forward (it cannot fall, believe me)! I unfastened this bracket to help lower the exhaust enough to access the starter to bolt on that flywheel lock.

The black fixture is the flywheel lock in place, doing its thing. See the back of the starter motor -- it is shifted forward about 8".

With this out, there's plenty of access to the harmonic balancer.

My steering rod ends will be replaced for obvious reasons -- the rubber is shot. The black rubber that fails in the balancer can be seen where it joins the rusted metal outer rim.

Some kind of trauma @ 12 o'clock -- this is rubber sandwiched in, maybe glued at one time? This is the back face.

Front face. Again, you can see deformations in the black rubber sandwiched between the hub and the outer (belt face) rim.
Tomorrow, the new Dayco balancer goes on, and I put all of this back together! First show for the car is Saturday, June 5!

 

Did you get a new front seal? I didn't see that in your posts

 

Yeah. It was about $25. A couple of stores tried to sell me the whole timing cover gasket, but N*** finally sold me the round seal, just like I wanted. It goes on tomorrow, and today I replaced the bad stabilizer bar end links with nice dumbell looking metal ones that will last for quite a while. I will replace the steering rod ends as well. It's time.

 

Where did you purchase the dumbbell-looking stabilizer bar end links? N***, where you bought the round seal? If not, where, and what brand are the metal links?

 

Good progress so far. Best of luck getting things wrapped up
and then enjoying the car.

 

Curious- how many hours to disassemble everything including the harmonic balancer, and how many hours do you think it will take to reassemble? Trying to decide if I want to tackle it myself this winter, or pay a shop.

 

Thanks for the details right along with the pics! I'm sure it'll be a great feeling to get it buttoned up and down the road to the show!