I had to add the A/C and power steering pulleys to my balancer and now I can't get it back on. This 67 Valiant came with the bolt that goes in the crank (wasn't on the motor when I bought it) but it wasn't really threading in correctly. I looked at the threads and they looked a little cross threaded at the end. So I went to NAPA and bought an inch longer version of the 3/4 16 bolt with a bigger washer. Come home and I can't get it to thread in at all. It just sits there and spins. Thought maybe it was the bolt but it threaded in just fine on my other 2 slants. So obviously something is up with the threads at the end of the crank. Is there another way to get this on without damaging the crank by pounding it on or spending a lot of money?

They do make heli-coil and similar kits that big. You can also get just the tap if you didn't want that involved an operation.

They make "rethreader" taps and dies - basically same thing as a real tap/die except the edges aren't sharp - they are made to "reform" existing threads without cutting new ones. I'm not sure if they come in a size that big though.

They have installer tools but they depend on the crank threads just the same as a bolt would.

Truth be told I recall using the BFH method before I knew better without any problems. If your that worried about the thrust bearing, you can drop the pan and replace it in car.

The last time I tried to drive a balancer on with a hammer the shock of the impact seperated the outer ring from the inner. Needless to say, the balancer was ruined.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Neat... never thought that could happen. Makes you wonder though if that balancer was doomed to fail in service due to old age?

You have to make sure only to hit the center. Put some light oil on the crank and inside the balancer. Start it out with some gentle taps so it will stay on the crank by itself. Then put something hard and round over the center, something small enough to not touch the outer ring. Perhaps a picture of the mother in law you love to hate over it. Maybe a large socket, or piece of thick scrap steel. Now you can start playing whack-a-mole. The sound the hammer makes will change once the balancer hits bottom.

I have seen a crank in a 396 chevy big block get bent with the bfh method.


TopHat

I had a crank with helicoil in it,dang thing would not stand the pulling force while tightening the bolt kept 'springing' the coil out.Hammered mine on with BFH and chunk of hardwood although I'm told it's not a good thing to do can mess up the thrust bearing.I wonder if steady force from a hydro ram would work/be better?

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

I've used a rubber mallet with the theory that it wouldn't be quite as abusive as the handy BFH.

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Usually a "cross-threaded" hole has the top threads stripped and some good threads below.
With careful grinding work, you can clear-out the mess above the good threads and make a lead-in so the bolt starts.

Once you can thread-in and grab hold, even by a few turns, use a stud and nut combination to pull the damper onto the crank snout.

Hammering the damper on is not adviseable for the reasons listed above... but it has been done successfully.
The key is to stand the engine up, on the end of the crank, on a solid block or surface and do not strike the outer ring of the damper while hammering.
This is not an option if the engine is still in the car.
DD

I've used the BFH method out of desperation with good result. I mean it was the absolute, most last resort option, but it worked. The trick to keep the outer ring from separating is to choose a piece of wood wide enough to cover the whole balancer so they inner and outer rings move at the same time.

I had a real hard time getting my slant's new balancer on. A few minutes with 2000 grit sandpaper inside the damper amde it go one much easier...but it still was a PITA.

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

Thanks for all the replies guys.
I used Doc's advice and ground the first couple turns of threads off. The bolt went in after that but I still couldn't get the balancer all the way in. The power steering pulley and the harmonic balancer pulley are aligned, but I need to be able to get it another inch or so in so the outer pulley is aligned with the power steering pulley.
As of right now I'm afraid to crank on it anymore for fear that my bolt has possibly bottomed out and needs another washer or two to give clearance. I stuck a screwdriver in the flywheel to keep it from turning when I was pressing the pulleys on. Problem is that I can't get a screwdriver to stay in there when I'm trying to loosen it. So I'll have to wait till another non rainy day when I can get a 2nd set of hands in there to keep the crankshaft from turning.

See if you can get a balancer installation tool from one of the parts houses near you. Some of the places will "Rent" the tool to you. You put the money for the tool up front, and they refund all or at least most of it when you return the tool in good shape.

Cranking on the threads in your crank isn't the best way to do it. The tool is like the one in the photo in Doc's post. Once the tool is threaded in, you tighten a nut riding on a bearing and washer.

CJ

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