[solidaxel]

I need to buy a new damper for the 350 SBC that I am working on. The question I have is will the least expensive damper work
any better than a high priced one.
This is in a 1/2 ton pick up street truck. What do you recommend?
What are the downfalls with a cheap damper Vs. a expensive one, who makes the the "right one".

 

[bullheimer]

first off do NOT buy this part from summit!!!
go to local parts store like napa and get the cheapest one they got. i got one from summit a few years ago and had to have the snout milled to line up my pulleys they are about $75

 

[FmrStrtracer]

Cheap does not mean quality, and since a lot of CHEAP parts tend to come from overseas, they are not made correctly. An improperly made balancer can lead to bearing and crank failure.

Do some research before buying, just because a part happens to get an SFI rating, doesnt mean it will hold up and protect your motor.

BHJ
FluidDampr(not Fluid Damper)
ATI
TCI
All make quality balancers. BHJ makes several different balancers for stock and racing use. You can always get a balancer from GM also.

 

[ericnova72]

PowerBond also has a good reputation on the engine machinist forums like SpeedTalk for their inexpensive balancers, and suprisingly so does Pioneer. Stay away from Professional Products balancers, many documented failures there.

 

[eric32]

Well I just got a summit harmonic balancer and it fit just as good as any balancer that I have used. It was around 55 or so and it looks to be of good quality and a little better then the ones you get at the auto parts store like autozone etc. I have a TCI rattler on my other engine but it cost almost 300 bucks but its a very nice built unit. ATI is the best for a elastomer type balancer the fluid ones I have been told by several machine shops to stay away from. They say the best are the elastomer type. I got that from Watson and Rupple performance from Sarahsville Ohio and they did all of my engine machining and they also say good things about powerbond.

Eric

 

[Ken Walker]

As mentioned, stay clear of fluid type dampers. Summit has an sfi damper that is made in Australia that sells for just over $100 bucks that is a very nice unit. Don't get sucked in by the hype associated with the 300 dollar units unless you plan all out race or just want to impress others.

 

[techinspector1]

Take a look here. These guys have been rebuilding stock dampers for years. They press them apart and intall new elastomeric material under extreme pressure with hydraulic presses while clocking the hub exactly to the inertia ring TDC groove. It's unusual these days to find good quality for a reasonable price, but here it is....
http://www.damperdoctor.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=DD&Category_Code=CHE

 

[bullheimer]

its been since 2001 i got mine from summit, it was made in australia. either it was too long or it ate seals like a killer whale, either way it had to be machined to work. i pitched a ***** to summit, maybe they fixed'em, but i wouldnt buy another one from them anyway. (don't get me wrong, i buy half my stuff from them)

 

[backardracer]

if its not going to be any high out put truck just find a good used one off a 305 or 350 same crank its not hard to find good used one around here any way and they are cheap

 

[techinspector1]

if its not going to be any high out put truck just find a good used one off a 305 or 350 same crank its not hard to find good used one around here any way and they are cheap

They're cheap because there's a good chance the inertia ring has slipped in relation to the hub, rendering them incapable of providing valid indexing to time the motor with a light. Damper Doctor.

 

[sam-missle]

if its not going to be any high out put truck just find a good used one off a 305 or 350 same crank its not hard to find good used one around here any way and they are cheap

Do not use a 305 balancer on a 350, if you do you will have a vibration.

sam-missle

 

[ericnova72]

Do not use a 305 balancer on a 350, if you do you will have a vibration.

sam-missle

BS, its the same balancer. Internal balance SBC.

 

[sam-missle]

BS, its the same balancer. Internal balance SBC.

NO BS, different balancer

sam-missle

 

[ericnova72]

NO BS, different balancer

sam-missle

Care to provide part #'s to prove it?? Vibration from changing an internal(or "neutral") balance damper for another neutral balance damper even if they are different weights means something is wrong with the balancer or the crank, but they are interchangable, from 262 thru 350 cubes, the 400 is the only SBC oddball.

Next you are going to tell me the flexplates are different too . I'm not talking about 2-piece seal vs 1-piece seal either, that is a different issue.

 

[bullheimer]

maybe he's talking @ diameters. go with the 8" if you can miss your timing pointer.

 

[techinspector1]

maybe he's talking @ diameters. go with the 8" if you can miss your timing pointer.

Times 2 :thumbup:

 

[sam-missle]

Care to provide part #'s to prove it?? Vibration from changing an internal(or "neutral") balance damper for another neutral balance damper even if they are different weights means something is wrong with the balancer or the crank, but they are interchangable, from 262 thru 350 cubes, the 400 is the only SBC oddball.

Next you are going to tell me the flexplates are different too . I'm not talking about 2-piece seal vs 1-piece seal either, that is a different issue.

Using 1984 chev. pick-up as an example, 305 part#DA3051, 350 part#DA3504. NO flex plate is the same. part numbers are from pioneer.

sam-missle

 

[ericnova72]

Using 1984 chev. pick-up as an example, 305 part#DA3051, 350 part#DA3504. NO flex plate is the same. part numbers are from pioneer.

sam-missle

Yes, different part #'s related to their diameter or width of the outer ring, or where the timing line is in relation to the keyway, but they are both neutral balance and should not cause a vibration unless something else is wrong. Telling people that swapping balancers from a 305 to a 350 or vice versa CAUSES a vibration is just erroneous information. It just isn't true.

 

[backardracer]

They're cheap because there's a good chance the inertia ring has slipped in relation to the hub, rendering them incapable of providing valid indexing to time the motor with a light. Damper Doctor.

yes you are right but i never trust the mark on stock ones any ways i use a piston stop at tdc and remark them if there out of wack but now if it was going be a proformance engine i would buy a new one to keep all that vibration out of my cam