Homemade balancer installation tool

[LeesTruk]

This is probably "old hat" for most of you, but being new to the LS scene, I've found that there are a couple of special tools required for an engine build, one of which, is a damper installation tool. Instead of just purchasing a bolt and nut from an ebay source or drop the big bucks for a real tool, I decided to make my own from hardware store items (washers, steel pipe, lawn mower bearing for a centering device, and a metric jam nut) and two specialty items (11" stainless rod and nuts, and a thrust bearing). Here's a pic of the parts. Some assembly is required;









Now I can button up the 5.3 for my '80 C10

Later...

Lee

[crazy longhorn]

Nice trick on the tool! Longhorn

[BR3W CITY]

I did the lazy version with just the threaded rod, nuts and a few good washers.

Your version looks a little more "hang onto this" than mine, which has probably ended up in the scrap metal bin by now haha I like the bearings on there, so long as they hold up to the force being applied, thats a nice idea.

[LowLifeS10]

I did my own too, but your's look a bit nicer I just took the first things I could find in the garage :P

[LeesTruk]

Well, got a chance to use my new tool today. Put in the new cam, installed the new timing chain and gears, installed and aligned the new oil pump, put on the timing cover and oil pan. Yessir, we're on a roll. Put the new thread rod into the crank, put the damper on the tip of the crank, slid on the spacer and thrust bearing and began to drive the damper home. About a half inch onto the crank, reality got ugly! The nut came to a crunching halt! I knew that stainless is soft but didn't expect it to gall so quickly. Tried to remove the driving nut, but it had become "intimate" with the threaded shaft. I was able to get the shaft out of the crank without damage, then used the original balancer bolt to send the damper home. Went on easily. Torque'd the bolt, removed it then installed a new bolt using specified procedures.

So much for reinventing the wheel

Lee

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by LeesTruk

W I knew that stainless is soft but didn't expect it to gall so quickly. T

I"m confused, stainless has plenty of properties...but being soft is definitely not one of them.

[Kim57]

stainless isn't soft but it will gall very easily.
You need to use anti seize with it.
Kim

[aod92]

I like the tool you made and it probably works great. I just don't understand why more people don't use the old bolt to seat the balancer? A friend of mine who works for a gm dealership brought me a list of all the torque specs right from the dealer and that's exactly how they say to do it.

[truckdude239]

Less chance of pulling the threads out of the crank shaft with an installer