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  #1  
Old 04-12-2005, 01:11 PM
dcarrb dcarrb is offline
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harmonic balancer rebuilding

I posted this in a related thread yesterday and predictably, it sank like a stone. But it's a possibility to save some real money on a pricey part, so I'm giving it one more go for anyone who may have missed it the first time.

This place: Damper Doctor quoted $59 to rebuild my harmonic balancer, with a two-day turnaround. I know nothing about them and nothing about the durability of any rebuild, but for that price, I figured somebody might want to give them a try. (If I still had my original pulley, I would). When mine failed, I got OEM replacement quotes ranging from $140 to $190+, and nobody had one in stock.

If anyone has any experience with this rebuilds in general or this vendor in particular, I think it would be of interest to all.

dcb
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  #2  
Old 04-12-2005, 01:30 PM
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Did you talk to the guy on the phone? I'd be curious to know what tolerance he allows for axial misalignment and balance. What rpm does he guarantee the balance too?
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SVX Mods: ND iridium spark plugs, Impreza RS fpr, afr tuned to 13.2:1 using a custom MAF bypass, custom exhaust, WRX 5MT w/ STi RA 1st-4th gear & stock WRX 5th gear, Exedy 13 lb flywheel & Sport Clutch, STi Group N tranny & engine mounts, urethane spacers in rear subframe, rear diff mounts, and pitch stopper, SVX Sport Strut Springs (185f/150r), custom 19 mm rear swaybar, urethane swaybar mounts, Rota Torque 17x8", 225/45-17 Proxes 4 tires, Axxis Deluxe Plus organic brake pads.
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  #3  
Old 04-12-2005, 02:10 PM
dcarrb dcarrb is offline
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Mychailo,

No, I e-mailed. They replied later the same day:

$59.95 to rebuild takes 2 days max toll free 877-834-2137 mon-fri 8-5 pac
time send to
Damper Doctor
1055 Parkview Ave.
Redding, CA 96001

That's all I know. I came across their page intending to do a little research on harmonic balancers in general.

dcb
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  #4  
Old 04-12-2005, 02:33 PM
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mbtoloczko mbtoloczko is offline
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Darrell, couldn't hurt to give the guy a call and ask him some questions. You can get some facts and get a feel for whether or not he's a scam artist.
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:: 2006 Silver Mitsubishi Evolution 9, E85, 34 psi peak, 425wtq/505whp DJ ::
1995 Laguna Blue SVX L AWD 5MT (sold)

Visit my locker

SVX Mods: ND iridium spark plugs, Impreza RS fpr, afr tuned to 13.2:1 using a custom MAF bypass, custom exhaust, WRX 5MT w/ STi RA 1st-4th gear & stock WRX 5th gear, Exedy 13 lb flywheel & Sport Clutch, STi Group N tranny & engine mounts, urethane spacers in rear subframe, rear diff mounts, and pitch stopper, SVX Sport Strut Springs (185f/150r), custom 19 mm rear swaybar, urethane swaybar mounts, Rota Torque 17x8", 225/45-17 Proxes 4 tires, Axxis Deluxe Plus organic brake pads.
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Old 04-12-2005, 02:41 PM
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Probably inserts the center portion inside a tube of rubber, stretch the rubber (extrude) and slide the sheave on. Check the balance on a lawn mower blade balancer and away you go.

Just a guess...
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  #6  
Old 04-12-2005, 02:47 PM
dcarrb dcarrb is offline
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Well, I'm not in the market, but as I mentioned, if I had my old pulley, I'd at least give them a ring to see what's what. (I'm running a Motorsport Warehouse OEM-sized 1-piece). I have no technical knowledge at all in this area (say, to ask the questions you posed); about all I could do is inquire about any warranty.

Anyway, I thought I'd toss it out there and see if anybody (perhaps nearby in California) wanted to give 'em a shot, as the savings would be significant. Could be a good resource if they're legit.

dcb
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  #7  
Old 04-12-2005, 08:52 PM
alltrac alltrac is offline
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A quick search on and found this.



Alison wrote:

Damper Doctor is rebuilding the center link for my '63. Should be back today or tomorrow. This is my first experience with them but they seem very good and the turn around is quick. The price was about $130.



Jay wrote:

If you need your carrier bearing rebuilt, you can send it to The Damper Doctor. They did mine and did a great job on the mount. I sent them my complete insulator/bearing for rebuilding/replacement. The new bearing came back with the wrong inner diameter. When I sent it back, they refunded me the cost of the bearing plus $10 for my trouble. I recommend them, just make sure you give them the specs on your original bearing if you want it replaced.



Dan wrote:

You can get your harmonic balancer rebuilt by Damper Doctor. They rebuilt mine and I recommend them as a good source.



Marc wrote:

I used Damper Doctor for my mounts.

First rebuilt set failed, so he took them back and did them again, at no charge. First batch had contaminated rubber, so fell apart soon after installation.

Second set has worked fine for 4 years now.




Bill R. wrote:

We had our driveshaft center bearing rebuilt by the Damper Doctor, great job and very timely. He advertises repair of harmonic balancers, but also reworks the driveshaft center supports.
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  #8  
Old 04-13-2005, 04:59 PM
Hangtownsvx Hangtownsvx is offline
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There used to be an outfit called Damper Dudes (not Doctor) in Redding and they were a good place. Maybe they have changed the name.
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  #9  
Old 04-25-2005, 06:49 PM
THAWA
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You are aware that your engine doesn't have a harmonic balancer right?
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  #10  
Old 04-25-2005, 11:38 PM
deruvian
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Quote:
Originally Posted by THAWA
You are aware that your engine doesn't have a harmonic balancer right?
By "harmonic balancer" he means crankshaft pulley. Why people don't just call it a crank pulley, I don't know. A harmonic balancer is often times an idle shaft that connects to the crankshaft. It does nothing but spin in the opposite direction of the crank to essentially counter the harmonic vibrations in the crank. This is also called a counterbalance shaft.

The crank pulley on the SVX may be weighted to counterbalance the crank vibrations, thus the indirect name "harmonic balancer." To me, it is nothing more than a crank pulley.
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  #11  
Old 04-26-2005, 06:35 AM
dcarrb dcarrb is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by deruvian
To me, it is nothing more than a crank pulley.
Not that they're the last word on the matter, but the parts diagram at subaruparts.com describes it as a "crank pulley," too.

Some here might be interested to note that this outfit advertises reman mounts, too.

dcb
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