Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The Engine Shop installing a harmonic balancer on a 235

"m getting ready to install a harmonic balancer on my 57 235 engiine. I don't want to pound it on so I guess I'll need to drill and tap the crank shaft to use an installation tool to install the balancer. Does anyone have any other solution to install the balancer? I just recently drilled two 5/16 holes in the block to install the water pump relocation kit (I installed my 46 water pump on the 235) Drilling the two holes was pretty intense. I didn't realize the metal was so hard. I'm thinking drilling the crank shaft is going to be more difficult than drilling the block. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I drilled the crank on my '60 261 (same for 235) not difficult at all, picked up a bolt & washer kit for a V8 small block. Once you have hole drilled and tapped get it started by using a piece of 4x4 wood and drive her on with your BFH, should go on pretty easy, make sure mating surfaces are without burrs etc. Can pull the balancer home with your new bolt and once it's in place coat the threads with anti seize.

Using the bolt to pull it on may strip the threads, which you don't want to do.
It would be much better to use a harmonic balancer remover/installer that's built for the task. The threads in the crank snout will be stationary when pushing it on, so will be much less likely to strip. The threads on the remover/installer are built to take the stress and there's usually a bearing involved on the turning portion to reduce friction.

The whole idea of drilling for a bolt is to eliminate the need for pounding the HB on. Pounding on the HB is not good for the thrust bearing on the crankshaft (without backing up the rear end of the crankshaft to prevent movement).
A crankshaft installation tool is clearly needed to push the crankshaft all the way home.
Can you successfully do it other ways without damage? Sure. Every time? Probably not.

With the cost of machine work and parts these days, probably the right time to deal with the balancer other then wacking it on and potentially damaging something.

There are two drill and tap set ups available. The version sold by Mr.Hotrod6 and Tom Lowe at 12Bolt.com

https://mrhotrod6.com/products/235-...-tap-fixture-tool-kit?variant=1142530609

https://www.12bolt.com/store/p164/C...83-327-250-235-261-230-215-194-Tool.html

Once you have the snout drilled and tapped (make sure you buy a quality drill for this), you can install the balancer with a traditional balancer install tool. I happen to like the Moroso version as I have for quite a few years. Has a nice bearing to keep everything moving and no galling.

https://www.moroso.com/harmonic-balancer-installation-tool61740/

Jerry “Hot Rod Lincoln” sold me a kit that I’ve used several times. I’ve used it 3 times in the last month to install a HB on my 283 build.
I understand that Tom Lowe with 12bolt.com also sells a kit. Here are the DETAILS [lugnutz65chevystepside.weebly.com] of what I have.

Looking at Lugnuts kit, it looks like, if you keep the sleeve that goes over the crank snout on the entire process, you can insure that no chips go into the timing cover.

Just an observation.

When drilling the crank snout, or any large hole for that matter, it is best to drill a small hole first, .187” or .25”, then drill finish size.

Ed

I really like the look of HRL's drill and tap fixture but I don't think, although I could be very wrong here, that HLR is making the drill and tap tool at the moment. So we are sort of stuck with what is available in the market, unless you have the machines and tooling to make one up.

All good info, I did mine by eye and it's been fine for 30 years.