My harmonic balancer is stuck.

[Ford Man1]

I am working on my 04 with a 4.0. The harmonic balancer debonded and I am having the time of my life trying to get the bolt out. I have removed the radiator and all components to easily get to it and still can not get it to break lose with a 1/2 impact!!!!! Any sggestions to get it off easier?

 

[1AJeremyD]

Welcome to the forum! Spray it with PB blaster and keep working on it, it will eventually come free or you will get tired and bring it some place lol. You will need a puller to get the balancer off the crankshaft.

 

[rickybobby]

if the balancer is bad anyway, some heat might help

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've renamed your thread, and moved it into the stock 2002-2005 section. You could get the proper tools from Autozone's tool loaning program.

 

[Ronin8002]

I am working on my 04 with a 4.0. The harmonic balancer debonded and I am having the time of my life trying to get the bolt out. I have removed the radiator and all components to easily get to it and still can not get it to break lose with a 1/2 impact!!!!! Any sggestions to get it off easier?

This worked for me:

-Take an 18" 1/2" drive breaker bar and put an impact extension and socket on it.
-Put that on the pulley bolt.
-Rest the handle of the breaker bar on the driver's side frame rail. You might want to bungee it to the frame rail to keep it from failling off.
-Then put your key in the ignition and bump the starter for like a 1/2 second. That will loosen the bolt.
-then you can use your impact gun or a ratchet to loosen the bolt the rest of the way and take it out.

 

[Lube]

This worked for me:

-Take an 18" 1/2" drive breaker bar and put an impact extension and socket on it.
-Put that on the pulley bolt.
-Rest the handle of the breaker bar on the driver's side frame rail. You might want to bungee it to the frame rail to keep it from failling off.
-Then put your key in the ignition and bump the starter for like a 1/2 second. That will loosen the bolt.
-then you can use your impact gun or a ratchet to loosen the bolt the rest of the way and take it out.

^^^^^this! Be forewarned, while this will absolutely break the bolt loose if it can be, I've also had it bend a breaker bar (Craftsman) in the process. I usually use a remote starter button on the starter solenoid rather than the key, though.

 

[Javadog123]

air powered impact driver works wonders

 

[waskly]

i use a 3/8 air impact gun works every time.

 

[Ford Man1]

Thanks for all the input! i wound up using a 3/4 impact to get it lose, my 3/8 nor 1/2 would break it lose. I got it all finished and it is running great again.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update!

 

[Brandon96]

For future reference to those who may view this thread; Here's the method explained above, and this is me doing it when I built my motor.

***NOTE*** remove the fuel pump relay/fuse so that the engine will NOT start up when you bump the starter!!!!