For those who have replaced their balancer

[ninobrn99]

Has anyone happened to try using the Craftsman-2-3 jaw gear puller (p/n:46906)? I have one of these from when I would do my cam swaps on my LS1 and wanted to know if it would work on the 4.0 balancers.

 

[scdix50]

The bar type with two bolts and a center screw would work better. You have to push against the balancer bolt head. You can not push againt the end of the crank like you can on a big block engine.

 

[ninobrn99]

I dont understand. The puller pushes off of the balancer bolt, just like any other one would. The LS1's are small blocks (346ci).
The 3 jaws go around the puller and the center bolt that is pushing off of the balancer bolt forces the arms to grab the balancer and pull it forward.

 

[JDraper]

Most balancers have a rubber ring between the inner part and outer part. If you use your puller and hook it on the outside of the balancer, you can damage the balancer. That's why balance pullers use bolts to attach directly to the inner ring.

 

[ninobrn99]

Okay, after looking at some of the pictures of the failed ones, I see where the issue would lie. I guess I'll be renting one. Thanks for the help.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

yes, glad you found out, you cannot get the pulley off with a jaw type puller.

 

[ninobrn99]

Now I just wish that ARP made a bolt we could use

 

[2002GreyHD150]

yeah and the whole "heating in the oven" or "15 minutes in boiling water" tricks still require some brute force to drive the balancer all the way back on.

I had this with my Trick Flow underdrives, which I just had to take back off to pull a head for a repair...

I am renting the remover/installer from O'reilly this time around.

Rob