'91 Harmonic Balancer Removal problem (puller issue)

I just went to remove the HB on my '91 Briarwood, and I ran into a problem with the puller I bought at the parts store. (they didn't have any I could rent, so I bought one)

The puller came with three sets of bolts to thread into the balancer, a 3/8", 5/16", and a set of metric bolts. I had my new balancer handy, a Mopar replacement part, and used that to determine I would need the 5/16" bolts. I went to thread it into the one on the Jeep, and the bolt didn't fit, in fact none of the bolts that came with the puller will fit into the balancer.

Does anyone know what the proper bolt is to thread into the balancer on a '91? My FSM is pretty useless on this case, as it has a total of 5 lines on how to remove the damper, and searching for the tool specified didn't return any results.

Searching on here came up with no results, just the typical "how do i get the engine to stop turning when I try to loosen the bolt." Google brought me to a thread on Jeepforum where someone encountered the same problem, but the only reply was utterly useless as it says "I got my puller from so and so and it worked fine."

Thanks.

I had a similar problem on my '90. If I remember correctly they were M8 X 1.25. Guess you'll find out how good my memory is...

My Snap-On kit didnt have the correct bolts either, had to buy them.. but that was many beers ago.

M8x1.25 is the metric bolt that came with the set (I couldn't remember what size they were until I just went and checked). They do not fit in the holes, it looks like they are about to, but the threads never get started.

Reading the threads below, 5-90 "thinks" they are 5/16-18. Worth a shot!

Alright, so after 3 trips to the hardware store that isn't that close to me, I finally have it off.

At first a M7x1.00 threaded into the balancer, but they were just too small and started pulling out when I put any pressure on the puller. I finally got it off with 5/16-18 bolts from the hardware store. The puller came with 5/16-18 bolts, but they just wouldn't fit, I don't know why.

I had a hard enough time as it was trying to get the bolts I bought at the store to fit, one just wouldn't want to go in, and took about 10 minutes of straight trying to thread the bolt in to finally get it started, it kept getting crooked and/or coming out.

Now to pull the seal, remove the oil slinger, reinstall, put it all back together, and drive 1.25 hours back to school.

Thanks guys.

Begster said:

Alright, so after 3 trips to the hardware store that isn't that close to me, I finally have it off.

At first a M7x1.00 threaded into the balancer, but they were just too small and started pulling out when I put any pressure on the puller. I finally got it off with 5/16-18 bolts from the hardware store. The puller came with 5/16-18 bolts, but they just wouldn't fit, I don't know why.

I had a hard enough time as it was trying to get the bolts I bought at the store to fit, one just wouldn't want to go in, and took about 10 minutes of straight trying to thread the bolt in to finally get it started, it kept getting crooked and/or coming out.

Now to pull the seal, remove the oil slinger, reinstall, put it all back together, and drive 1.25 hours back to school.

Thanks guys.

Click to expand...

Did you buy a longer bolt and some washers so you can install the balancer without trying to beat it on?

joe_peters said:

Did you buy a longer bolt and some washers so you can install the balancer without trying to beat it on?

Click to expand...

The hardware store had crap for 1/2-20 bolts. They had longer ones, but the threaded section of the bolt was barely longer than the bolt that came off the engine. I ended up buying a 1/2-20 die, a longer bolt and nut, and just made the threaded section longer myself. Naturally my luck dictated that the die cracked into two pieces not even after it cut a full thread into the grade 5 bolt. I was still able to use it, two pieces and all, to make the installer bolt.

I let the part of the balancer that goes over the shaft sit in a cup oil for about an hour before I installed it, and using the new bolt, nut, and stock washer, it slid on beautifully without any problems.

Here is the picture of the old HB. I'm just happy that the outer ring moved forward, and not backwards into the cover.
This is from a '91 with only 65K on it.

Glad you got it back together!

The HB on my 91 briarwood did the same thing, only the other direction! i noticed it when there was a strange metallic grinding sound and upon ispection i found a nice groove in my timing cover, luckily i found it when i did. Mine had about 200,000 on the clock at that point.

I replaced the HB on my '87 with the HB from my '89 parts jeep because the rubber looked to be in a good shape.. but after about 5k miles it already started cracking pretty bad. I'm just keeping an eye on it.
On my '95 Z-28 the balancer was "spun" I thought I had belt squeal for years.. tried different belts, new tensionser.. all along the outside of the balancer was spinning on the hub.