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Harmonic balancer need advice!
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Navigator
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 9
Likes: 3
Harmonic balancer need advice!
So i have a wobble and a loud chirp from the balancer and i know the problem's you can have if it gets worse so i ordered all the necessary parts (summit HB) to do the job. However im a jet engine mechanic in an air force base and we have lifts that are available to rent but we can only use them for 7 hours at a time and i obviously am handy with a wrench being a jet engine mechanic but i dont know if its fesable for me to have it all put back together in about 6.5 hours. The car has to be off the lift and drive away in 7 and ill be totally screwed if i dont have the steering rack and **** back in. Should i try?
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Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 9
Likes: 3
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 9
Likes: 3
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,302
Likes: 1,583
From: Western NY
I did the job by myself, and was in no rush, but it took close to 20-22 hours. However, I also came down with a bad case of "while I'm in there", and pulled the timing cover and replaced the timing chain, as well as pinning the crank. That certainly added 4-5 hours to the job.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 4,279
From: Florida
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner- Unmodified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Have good quality puller and installer tools. If you’re changing the front seal, you’ll need a seal alignment tool.
Summit: Installer - SUM-900135
Amazon or Summit: Puller - OEM Tools 25090
Amazon: Alignment Tool - SacCityCorvette LS Timing Cover Alignment Tool and Seal Installer.
You’ll need an 18mm line wrench for the steering rack lines.
Summit Racing has a tool that mounts to the balancer to prevent the engine from turning when removing or installing the balancer. Summit: SUM-906008 Balancer Wrench
Have all parts and specialty tools in hand before making a schedule. I just had to wait a month for my Dayco balancer from Summit…
Summit: Installer - SUM-900135
Amazon or Summit: Puller - OEM Tools 25090
Amazon: Alignment Tool - SacCityCorvette LS Timing Cover Alignment Tool and Seal Installer.
You’ll need an 18mm line wrench for the steering rack lines.
Summit Racing has a tool that mounts to the balancer to prevent the engine from turning when removing or installing the balancer. Summit: SUM-906008 Balancer Wrench
Have all parts and specialty tools in hand before making a schedule. I just had to wait a month for my Dayco balancer from Summit…
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 9
Likes: 3
Have good quality puller and installer tools. If you’re changing the front seal, you’ll need a seal alignment tool.
Summit: Installer - SUM-900135
Amazon or Summit: Puller - OEM Tools 25090
Amazon: Alignment Tool - SacCityCorvette LS Timing Cover Alignment Tool and Seal Installer.
You’ll need an 18mm line wrench for the steering rack lines.
Summit Racing has a tool that mounts to the balancer to prevent the engine from turning when removing or installing the balancer. Summit: SUM-906008 Balancer Wrench
Have all parts and specialty tools in hand before making a schedule. I just had to wait a month for my Dayco balancer from Summit…
Summit: Installer - SUM-900135
Amazon or Summit: Puller - OEM Tools 25090
Amazon: Alignment Tool - SacCityCorvette LS Timing Cover Alignment Tool and Seal Installer.
You’ll need an 18mm line wrench for the steering rack lines.
Summit Racing has a tool that mounts to the balancer to prevent the engine from turning when removing or installing the balancer. Summit: SUM-906008 Balancer Wrench
Have all parts and specialty tools in hand before making a schedule. I just had to wait a month for my Dayco balancer from Summit…
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 4,279
From: Florida
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner- Unmodified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
thank you for the heads up, i have the front main seal, the summit balancer, the LS balancer installer tool, a flywheel lock out tool, arp bolt, belts, and new tensioners, MAP gas torch, and the necessary torque wrenches and yeah the line wrench. I dont thinking missing anything vital👌
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 5,195
Likes: 1,528
From: Pasadena, MD
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
thank you for the heads up, i have the front main seal, the summit balancer, the LS balancer installer tool, a flywheel lock out tool, arp bolt, belts, and new tensioners, MAP gas torch, and the necessary torque wrenches and yeah the line wrench. I dont thinking missing anything vital👌
Take your time and don't panic like me.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 4,043
Likes: 342
From: Central NJ
I've done one on my 99 and now doing another on my 01. The 99 was done with a friend and it took more then 7 hours overall I believe but we took our time and did not have All the tools....Thus time I plan to do it myself but do have all the tools and parts ready to go...since I did it once already it should go alot quicker....if I were you I would probably shoot all the bolts with pentrating oil the day before just incase some are rusted on a bit....I think you can do it with two people under 7 hours but just keep moving to get it done....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 356
From: Northville, MI
I have done several, myself and some friends. The more you have worked on the easier it is. My last one took about 4 hours and by then I knew what I should be doing and my helper should be doing. Along the way I found an 30 to one reducer tool from HF that was used on truck times. I wedged that into the frame (took some doing) and the balance and used a 1/2 wrench to remove the bolt and put the new bolt on the last car was for an SCCA autocrosser so we had to use the Stock HB, so we torqued it to 37 ft-lb and then used an angle guage to the 240 degree. Took turns turning the bolt--takes forever--but was easy to do. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the 30-to-1 tool I had wedged in.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 9
Likes: 3
I have done several, myself and some friends. The more you have worked on the easier it is. My last one took about 4 hours and by then I knew what I should be doing and my helper should be doing. Along the way I found an 30 to one reducer tool from HF that was used on truck times. I wedged that into the frame (took some doing) and the balance and used a 1/2 wrench to remove the bolt and put the new bolt on the last car was for an SCCA autocrosser so we had to use the Stock HB, so we torqued it to 37 ft-lb and then used an angle guage to the 240 degree. Took turns turning the bolt--takes forever--but was easy to do. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the 30-to-1 tool I had wedged in.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,483
Likes: 343
From: Long Island New York
I did this in about 8-10 hours by myself on my back.
I would not want to be "under the gun" when working on a car, especially the vette.
What happens if you really want to clean & detail an area while its all apart but pressed for time?
Maybe work like this on a customers or friends car but not your own.
JMO
I would not want to be "under the gun" when working on a car, especially the vette.
What happens if you really want to clean & detail an area while its all apart but pressed for time?
Maybe work like this on a customers or friends car but not your own.
JMO
