Harmonic balance bolt

[Larry H]

What is the trick to remove the harmonic balance bolt. Mine is real stubborn on my 89 XR!!!
Is there a tool you can borrow from Oreilly, Autozone, etc....
thanks

[hEaT]

Won't turn?

Throw the car in 5th and put the ebrake on/have someone stand on the brakes. Never had trouble with the bolt with a good 1/2 ratchet or breaker bar. The pulley can be a huge PITA and need a puller (will have to remove the fans at a minimum to get one in there).

If the bolt is that stuck, likely the pulley will be too. If you can't get the bolt loose with a breaker bar, either look into bumping the motor with the breaker bar handle on the ground or get an impact in there.

[Larry H]

Thanks Joe for the input. However, the car is a C-3 not the T-9. Ford had to have a tool for the removal of the balance!

[Ed Lijewski]

Didn't need the tool to remove the pulley on my C3. Came off with some light levering and tapping.

If that doesn't work, Jeff Herson at MPM might have the tool (not to buy but borrow).

YMMV

[my8950]

13/16" socket and a breaker bar.
I used an impact on mine also....

I am also looking for a better way to remove the pulley.

[hEaT]

Thanks Joe for the input. However, the car is a C-3 not the T-9. Ford had to have a tool for the removal of the balance!

I can't imagine the techs doing this...but remove the coil wire, place socket on with breaker bar, press breaker bar against the floor...bump starer.

[Ed Lijewski]

To remove the bolt:

I used a pipe wrench to grip the center shaft housing of the pulley--where the bolt slides into--and a socket on a breaker bar on the bolt.

For better leverage on the pipe wrench I slid a length of 1-1/2"/2" diameter galvanized pipe over the handle.

Then I rotated the crank pulley with the pipe wrench on its center shaft so it the end of the pipe wrench levered snug against the floor.

Then using the socket with breaker bar you can muscle the bolt loose.

This works. It takes a bit of jiggling to get the pipe wrench in the right position, but nothing more.

YMMV

[Ed Lijewski]

For one job, I used this Big Boy pipe wrench from the local tool rental shop (~9$). I used this one to hold on to the pulley edges (covered with couple layers of duct tape).

20170117_123017-320x180.jpg (24.31 KiB) Viewed 7740 times

YMMV

[cmouta]

I've used a "locking chain clamp" from harbor freight with a junk serpentine belt around the pulley for grip and a helper with a breaker bar + floor jack bar for additional leverage.

[andyofcolumbusmerkur]

I can't imagine the techs doing this...but remove the coil wire, place socket on with breaker bar, press breaker bar against the floor...bump starer.

Both times I "bumped the starter method"

[Ed Lijewski]

Scroll up: the OP asked about removing the bolt on his C3.

YMMV

[hEaT]

Scroll up: the OP asked about removing the bolt on his C3.

YMMV

That won't work with the C3 in park?...

[John Brennan]

Scroll up: the OP asked about removing the bolt on his C3.

YMMV

That won't work with the C3 in park?...

Of course it will. Turn the key, the starter engages, the crankshaft rotates exactly the same, regardless of transmission type (as long as it's in N/P).

[hEaT]

Scroll up: the OP asked about removing the bolt on his C3.

YMMV

That won't work with the C3 in park?...

Of course it will. Turn the key, the starter engages, the crankshaft rotates exactly the same, regardless of transmission type (as long as it's in N/P).

Thanks - That's what I thought and was confused by Ed's response.