don't read about catastrophic failures often, seems most failures will give you a warning.
Harmonic Balancer Question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 275
From: Wichita Falls Texas
Harmonic Balancer Question
I purchased my 03 Vert a few months ago. It was a one owner low mileage car. Totally stock and you could tell it was never abused.
It had 28,000 miles on it.
I've read all the horror stories about the harmonic balancer and was wondering if they all come apart?
I've looked at mine when I changed out the belts and hoses and it looks good. It doesn't wobble when it runs and appears OK.
I was also wondering if the balancer comes apart because of the way the owners hot rod their vettes.
I don't hot rod. I'm old. Don't need speed anymore.
Is it possible the harmonic balance could last a long time on my car if I don't hot rod it or is it one day going become and expensive turd?
Thanks!
It had 28,000 miles on it.
I've read all the horror stories about the harmonic balancer and was wondering if they all come apart?
I've looked at mine when I changed out the belts and hoses and it looks good. It doesn't wobble when it runs and appears OK.
I was also wondering if the balancer comes apart because of the way the owners hot rod their vettes.
I don't hot rod. I'm old. Don't need speed anymore.
Is it possible the harmonic balance could last a long time on my car if I don't hot rod it or is it one day going become and expensive turd?
Thanks!
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 714
Likes: 104
From: Springfield Ohio
I think most will need replacing over time, however, you're probably good up to about 50k miles or so. Hard driving might be a factor, but they fail regardless of how they are driven. Some fail suddenly without any warning, but most fail over time and give plenty of advance notice. Vettenuts is correct, just check it a couple of times a year.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,791
Likes: 355
From: Northville, MI
If you want to give is a "fail test" take it to a track where you can basically run around it in third gear. Usually within on or two days it will start to wobble or walk. The vast majority of the problems are the result of rapid acceleration/deceleration by yourself or previous owners. In my case it went at 26,000 miles (12,000 miles since I bought it) but I have been autocrossing/HPDE driving my Corvette since 2002. Because I run in a stock class for autocross, I had to replace it with the OEM balancer but I pinned the crank. Since them I look at the balancer gap to the cross beam everytime I get in the car without any movement. Currently at 14,000 miles on this balancer.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 29
Likes: 7
From: Wisconsin
I think most will need replacing over time, however, you're probably good up to about 50k miles or so. Hard driving might be a factor, but they fail regardless of how they are driven. Some fail suddenly without any warning, but most fail over time and give plenty of advance notice. Vettenuts is correct, just check it a couple of times a year.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 31,976
Likes: 486
From: Guinness Its whats for B'fast JAWGA
CI 3-4-5-9 Veteran
I have only heard of them going down not up through the hood. My father lost one on his '67 years ago.
I agree with others just check it a few times a year. I passed one a C5 partially because of the harmonic wobble balance 10+ years ago, and it drove just fine on the test drive. You could see it wobble with the hood open.
If it does wobble I would replace with an ATI Fluid damper and ARP bolt.
I agree with others just check it a few times a year. I passed one a C5 partially because of the harmonic wobble balance 10+ years ago, and it drove just fine on the test drive. You could see it wobble with the hood open.
If it does wobble I would replace with an ATI Fluid damper and ARP bolt.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The outer ring will not fly off.
As 8VETTE7 stated, it is limited in horizontal movement by the steering rack and the front cover.
When they fail the bonding between the rubber middle debonds and the ring spins on the hub. As it spins, it can move forward or rearward. Rubbing on the rack and or the cover long enough will cause you to have to replace what ever it rubs on. Read $$$$$$
Paint a white stripe across the outer ring, the rubber and the inner hub. If all is good, the white line will stay a SOLID white LINE.
If the rubber debonds, the white line will no longer line up as a solid line.
BC
As 8VETTE7 stated, it is limited in horizontal movement by the steering rack and the front cover.
When they fail the bonding between the rubber middle debonds and the ring spins on the hub. As it spins, it can move forward or rearward. Rubbing on the rack and or the cover long enough will cause you to have to replace what ever it rubs on. Read $$$$$$
Paint a white stripe across the outer ring, the rubber and the inner hub. If all is good, the white line will stay a SOLID white LINE.
If the rubber debonds, the white line will no longer line up as a solid line.
BC
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 275
From: Wichita Falls Texas
Thanks Guys!
Just so happens I got a pint of white enamel paint and I'm going to nab one of my wife's little brushes and go paint a stripe on the balancer.
Good info!!
Just so happens I got a pint of white enamel paint and I'm going to nab one of my wife's little brushes and go paint a stripe on the balancer.
Good info!!
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,938
Likes: 497
From: Fords, NJ
Grandpa,
I got my 04 in Dec. of 2010 with 52k on the clock...HB ran as true as can be. Now I have 68k on it and it's starting to wobble pretty bad...so much so that since I heard the squeal and saw it wobbling I haven't driven it.
Drive it and enjoy it until it's starts to cause the belt to squeal and you can see it wobble.............then worry about it !
I got my 04 in Dec. of 2010 with 52k on the clock...HB ran as true as can be. Now I have 68k on it and it's starting to wobble pretty bad...so much so that since I heard the squeal and saw it wobbling I haven't driven it.
Drive it and enjoy it until it's starts to cause the belt to squeal and you can see it wobble.............then worry about it !
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,830
Likes: 394
From: Rocky Mountains
My balancer started wobbling at only around 50k miles.
I noticed it when the belts starts squealing.
It cost about $600 parts and labor to get fixed by an independent shop. Less than a year later, the replacement balancer failed. Same shop repaired it again for free under warranty.
I have read of powerbonds going out too. I think ATI balancers seem to be the durable. But they aren't cheap.
I noticed it when the belts starts squealing.
It cost about $600 parts and labor to get fixed by an independent shop. Less than a year later, the replacement balancer failed. Same shop repaired it again for free under warranty.
I have read of powerbonds going out too. I think ATI balancers seem to be the durable. But they aren't cheap.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,830
Likes: 394
From: Rocky Mountains
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 343
From: Long Island New York
wow, I have a powerbond in a box ready to go on in a week or so, would hate to do this job twice.
One comment in this vid, he used an ATI HB and still had a slight wobble. The original poster of this vid never replied to any comments.
One comment in this vid, he used an ATI HB and still had a slight wobble. The original poster of this vid never replied to any comments.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 3,929
From: Philadelphia PA (Birthplace of the USA, UNESCO World Heritage City)
I'd probably still go with the Powerbond OEM style one personally, it costs much less and I imagine its a bit lighter too since it's part rubber rather than all steel. I think most members here on CF seem to be happy with their Powerbond OEM style units, and failures seem to be few and far between as compared to the GM ones.
Last edited by ArmchairArchitect; Nov 18, 2017 at 11:23 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Not sure who is familiar with Kurt Urban but he did work with GM when they were having timing chain issues. It was the harmonic balancer and his recommendation is either stock GM or ATI.