SammyG83
Active Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2023
- Threads
- 3
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 18
- Location
- Washington
- First Name
- Sam
- Vehicle(s)
- 2017 Mustang GT
- Thread starter
- #1
All,
Thought I would share some thoughts, experience on the forum as I struggled to find a whole lot of relevant information when I needed it.
Issue: I installed an ATI dampener when I installed a Whipple over last Thanksgiving. I thought that this would be a worthwhile investment if I ever felt the need to update to 10 rib, or decided to pursue more boost. Quite honestly, a stage Whipple is more than anyone could ever want or need for that matter on a daily driver. I usually drive the car in rain/snow mode just to keep the TB from advancing too quickly in lower gears. I do plan on trying some street slicks this summer, if it ever starts here in Washington this year.
Back to the issue: Front main seal was leaking. Found it shredded up pretty bad when I finally got it. Should have been a simple enough task. Pull some basic stuff in the engine compartment, air box, belts, fans etc. However, when I got to the ATI balancer, WOW, all I can say is WTF. I could not pull this off by any conventional means at all. I bent two pullers, and seized a bolt in a 3rd. Now, living in Washington, it is really hard to find common tools or parts for cars for that matter (couldn't even get a new AC belt at autozone in the same day). So off to Harbor Freight, two more pullers, a common puller, and a puller that is similar to the ATI puller/install tool. FYI: the adapters that are in the harbor freight tool are NOT deep enough to engage the threads of the crank, don't waste your money.
Tried the really neat puller with the thrust bearing and bla bla. Problem with this type of puller is you need to hold the center threads while applying turning force to the forward nut. Very difficult to apply any sort of torque using a 12 inch crescent wrench.
Internet searching: Installing ATI balancer. There are articles out there, from notable magazines/websites (do they still have those) that have documented installs and simply say to install the dampener. Then there are plenty of Camaro posts that say dummy you are supposed to hone the ID, per the installation directions from ATI. The majority of the Camaro sites talk about pinning the hub, which is critical on the LS engines apparently.
However, there really was very little information about anyone struggling to install or pull one of these dampeners. The only exceptions was one person that cut the hub off, and another that said something about putting some heat on it. However, the majority of anyones response was mine simply went on and came off. You know those people on these forums that never have any trouble at all, and everything is unicorns and rainbows.
How I got it: What ended up working for me on pulling the ATI. Fully dismantle the balancer from the hub. This leaves just the hub on the crank and also gets the rubber parts out of the equation. Using an installation bolt I had from last time, I threaded that into the crank until it bottomed out, then used the cheap pigeon toe style puller pushing against the install bolt. After I had it ran down pretty tight with good amount of pressure on it, I then took two heat guns and put them aimed inside the hub for about 5 mintues. I was pretty surprised at how hot it got, it was enough to strat smoking the pentrating oil out. After it was heated for 5 or 6 minutes, I took one turn on the puller and in the first turn you could hear it break free, a snapping sound. After that it was home free on the way out.
I think I might invest in an ATI puller next time I find myself having to do this. While it might be a hard pull to swallow for a puller that is nearly half the price of the balancer itself, I have atleast half the price invested in all the pullers I went through trying to get this off. I feel it would be different if I did this for a living, but the occasional times that I get into this kind of work, it feels ridicuolous to invest that money into something I may use a time or two.
Hope this helps for someone out there. I really struggled to find useful information and learnt myself through this one.
Thought I would share some thoughts, experience on the forum as I struggled to find a whole lot of relevant information when I needed it.
Issue: I installed an ATI dampener when I installed a Whipple over last Thanksgiving. I thought that this would be a worthwhile investment if I ever felt the need to update to 10 rib, or decided to pursue more boost. Quite honestly, a stage Whipple is more than anyone could ever want or need for that matter on a daily driver. I usually drive the car in rain/snow mode just to keep the TB from advancing too quickly in lower gears. I do plan on trying some street slicks this summer, if it ever starts here in Washington this year.
Back to the issue: Front main seal was leaking. Found it shredded up pretty bad when I finally got it. Should have been a simple enough task. Pull some basic stuff in the engine compartment, air box, belts, fans etc. However, when I got to the ATI balancer, WOW, all I can say is WTF. I could not pull this off by any conventional means at all. I bent two pullers, and seized a bolt in a 3rd. Now, living in Washington, it is really hard to find common tools or parts for cars for that matter (couldn't even get a new AC belt at autozone in the same day). So off to Harbor Freight, two more pullers, a common puller, and a puller that is similar to the ATI puller/install tool. FYI: the adapters that are in the harbor freight tool are NOT deep enough to engage the threads of the crank, don't waste your money.
Tried the really neat puller with the thrust bearing and bla bla. Problem with this type of puller is you need to hold the center threads while applying turning force to the forward nut. Very difficult to apply any sort of torque using a 12 inch crescent wrench.
Internet searching: Installing ATI balancer. There are articles out there, from notable magazines/websites (do they still have those) that have documented installs and simply say to install the dampener. Then there are plenty of Camaro posts that say dummy you are supposed to hone the ID, per the installation directions from ATI. The majority of the Camaro sites talk about pinning the hub, which is critical on the LS engines apparently.
However, there really was very little information about anyone struggling to install or pull one of these dampeners. The only exceptions was one person that cut the hub off, and another that said something about putting some heat on it. However, the majority of anyones response was mine simply went on and came off. You know those people on these forums that never have any trouble at all, and everything is unicorns and rainbows.
How I got it: What ended up working for me on pulling the ATI. Fully dismantle the balancer from the hub. This leaves just the hub on the crank and also gets the rubber parts out of the equation. Using an installation bolt I had from last time, I threaded that into the crank until it bottomed out, then used the cheap pigeon toe style puller pushing against the install bolt. After I had it ran down pretty tight with good amount of pressure on it, I then took two heat guns and put them aimed inside the hub for about 5 mintues. I was pretty surprised at how hot it got, it was enough to strat smoking the pentrating oil out. After it was heated for 5 or 6 minutes, I took one turn on the puller and in the first turn you could hear it break free, a snapping sound. After that it was home free on the way out.
I think I might invest in an ATI puller next time I find myself having to do this. While it might be a hard pull to swallow for a puller that is nearly half the price of the balancer itself, I have atleast half the price invested in all the pullers I went through trying to get this off. I feel it would be different if I did this for a living, but the occasional times that I get into this kind of work, it feels ridicuolous to invest that money into something I may use a time or two.
Hope this helps for someone out there. I really struggled to find useful information and learnt myself through this one.
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