Mine has always been a biotch to get on there since it's such a tight fit. After installing / uninstalling it several times over the years I finally ended up stripping out the bolt trying to install it tonight. I've always used the center bolt to pull the damper on the crank, but tonight was its last straw :( So, now I'm looking at drilling and tapping the crank to the next larger bolt size (not sure if 9/16-18 will work or if I need to go larger. I need to check what the root diameter is for that thread) as a repair. I'm curious how the rest of you have been installing the damper. Do you draw it on with the bolt like I have been, do you heat it up before sliding it on the crank, do you just wail on it with a BFH, what works best for you? Any other suggestions for repair or concerns about my plan of repair (drill and tap to next bolt size)?

Are only the first few threads stripped out?

I just installed a balancer on a 360 and it was a bitch.

I tapped it on a little bit then tried to tighten up the bolt.

Whoops I stripped the first few threads.

I tapped on the fawkig balancer with a dead blow a little mor until I could get a bunch more threads on.
made sure the balancer was going on straight and slowly used the center bolt to crank it on.

I did grease the bolt and the inside and outside portion of the balancer too.

I've allways used a length of threaded rod, as a stud. Threaded in untill it stops. It doesn't try to cut/chase threads that way. The stud doesn't move in the crank end. The nut moves on the stud.

Too late now.

I don't have my drill chart but I bet 9/16 SAE is OK on the root of 1/2 SAE.

I bought a Harmonic balance install tool for 40 bucks. It will never strip out your threads in you crank. It is pricey but I think worth it. Good luck tapping it out.

Originally posted by Monkeyboy
I tapped on the fawkig balancer with a dead blow a little mor until I could get a bunch more threads on.
made sure the balancer was going on straight and slowly used the center bolt to crank it on.

That's what I've done in the past as well, because I too have stripped the outer threads with too little engagement :rolleyes: This time it's worse.

The threaded rod idea sounds good but I didn't have any 1/2-20 threaded rod handy. I've also never actually seen a balancer installation tool (I have the removal tool), but I should get myself setup with one or the threaded rod option.

I picked up some longer 1/2-20 bolts over lunch and I'm hoping there's enough good thread in the back that I can torque it down. If it strips I have some 9/16-18 bolts (and drill and tap) ready. Minor diameter for 9/16-18 is .5024" so that should work fine. Not looking forward to tapping that sucker though... the 401 cranks are forged. When I cleaned out the 1/2-20 threads with a tap it seemed to cut relatively easily. We shall see :D Thanks for the feedback :beer:

impact wrench works fine for mine but other wise i have had no major problems.

The way Steve does it, but too late now. Ballencer fell off a friends Jimmy one time, I did a trail repair and welded it on. :D

Fixed. Beat it on with a block of wood and a BFH. Used a new, longer bolt to catch the good threads in the back and snugged it up just fine :D Next time I'll probably have to do one of the above options though. Thanks for all the help!

:beer: