Replace harmonic balancer without dropping radiator

[DC_Gearhead]

So I read a bunch of posts about how hard it is to do this and how people damaged their radiator during the process. I just finished replacing mine and it wasn’t bad. I didn’t even open my hood to do it. A little bit of patience and an assortment of bolts for the puller were about all I needed. I used one of those crows foot pullers that looks like a steering wheel puller ($20 from Advanced Auto). I’d say easy, but don’t want to insult anyone out there. I had to get creative with the bolts once it started getting close to coming out, by replacing the long ones with short ones, but it only took me like 20 minutes to get it off including rummaging through old bolts. Then when I went to put it back on, I just put the new harmonic balancer in the toaster oven for 15 minutes at 250 degrees and it slipped right on and the center bolt pulled it down tight.

I almost pulled the radiator and grille based on threads on here, but the spacing between my radiator, fan, and pulley were enough to allow me to do it without all that extra work.

That being said, you should check it out before you make it into a huge job. I did mine in less than an hour and I had never done it before. It was the original balancer from the 69 351w so it wan’t in the best shape.


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[OldBronco]

Thanks for the info. I’m about to take on this next project .
Which balancer ( brand ) did go with ?

 

[DC_Gearhead]

I used the $95 Summit one. I saw it on another CB thread. Fit great.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-163289


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[OldBronco]

Did you have to use longer bolts for the install or the spacers for the pulleys to line up?

I purchased the same harmonic balancer from Summit, based on that some other post .

Thanks in advance

 

[DC_Gearhead]

The “longer bolts” were just for pulling it. It fit up perfect with the original hardware. No spacers were needed on mine


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[OldBronco]

I ended up replacing the harmonic balancer.
Took your tips and went with ( took me a little longer due to a trip to home depot)

I did have a question, what did you use to torque the balancer, without the balancer also turning?

 

[blubuckaroo]

I've got to say... any front work is so much easier when you pull the grill.
I learned this many years after owning a Bronco. Water pumps and timing gears are so much easier.

 

[DC_Gearhead]

I ended up replacing the harmonic balancer.
Took your tips and went with ( took me a little longer due to a trip to home depot)

I did have a question, what did you use to torque the balancer, without the balancer also turning?

Late reply, but I just torqued it. The compression of the engine kept it from turning. It was close to turning over but the wrench clicked. I clicked it again and called it good.

If you are talking about getting it loose, I just stuck a screwdriver through one of the holes and it caught on the block. That kept it from spinning.


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[OldBronco]

Thanks for the reply.
The harmonic balancer wasn’t seated all the way , took it off and remounted , I ended up using the tool.

I put all back together and Bronco is back on the road !