I am trying to remove my harmonic balancer to get to my opti but I've gone through 3 puller kits and I've purchased grade 8 bolts to replace the cheap ones the kit comes with and they STILL keep stripping. At this point I'm desperate for any ideas. My car has been sitting in my driveway for 2 months. And without any other means of transportation it takes forever to get a ride to the local parts store to gets the parts I need. I'm frustrated to say the least! Does anybody have any other ideas? Also, does anybody know of a good repair shop in the San Diego area.

 

The harmonic damper is connected to the hub by three bolts. The hub is held on to the crank by a bolt. By using bolts you are screwing into the hub and pulling the hub against the bolt holding the hub on the crank. You need a jaw puller, reverse the jaws so they face outboard and hook on to the inside of the damper. If you hook on the outside you could separate the outer ring that is connected to the center by a strip of rubber.


edit; I forgot to add that you might be able to tap it off with a hammer.

 

At this point your best bet is to pull the entire damn balancer-hub assembly while it's still together:

1. Unbolt the crank hub (about a 2.5" bolt right in the center).

2. Get a 4"+ grade 8 bolt that's THINNER than the crank hub bolt. This baby will bottom out in the crank snout itself and give you something to really push against without messing up the crank threads (A BAD THING).

3. Get 3 bolts that are THINNER than the threading in the balancer. Get nuts for them too. Assemble your crank hub puller (looks kind of like a peace sign) and put the bolts in. The bolts will go through the puller itself, through the balancer and the hub (immediately behind it) and then you'll want to put the nuts on the bolts.

4. Start pulling with the puller. You may have to crank it like a ****. But it will pop off.

5. Have a beer and pat yourself on the back

Good luck! Keep us posted! This has got to be one of the WORST hangups about working with an LT1.

--Trax

 

Thanks for your help guys! I lost my cool earlier and gave up but I'll try again tomorrow.

 

Never thought of the threads in the hub being screwed up because of the bolts you're stripping.

 

That has crossed my mind but I won't know for sure until I get the balancer off.

 

Maybe a tap can fix them up if they're not bad.

 

let us know how it goes. its funny how sometimes after everything is all said and done, you look back and think how easy it would have been a long time ago and how simple of a mistake you were making.