How to remove a harmonic balancer without a puller?

Removing a harmonic balancer from your car can be a pickle. It is doable with an appropriate procedure. Most procedures include the use of a puller. But what many people don’t know is that there are ways that you can apply to remove a harmonic balancer from your car without a puller.

This article will answer the question of how to remove harmonic balancer without a puller. Due to a variety of car manufacturers, the procedure in some cars might be different. However, we will show you the most general process that you can perform on almost all cars to remove harmonic balancer without a puller. 

For this procedure, you will need a few tools like a wrench, sockets, hammer, durable rubber strap, screwdriver, etc. that you can buy from different websites or shops. after you acquire all of them it’s a four step process that goes – 

• Access the harmonic balancer by removing the serpentine belt
• Find the center bolt and remove it using a socket
• Remove the pulley
• Remove the harmonic balancer using a durable strap

We will make sure this article carries all the necessary information for you to make the process easier. So, let’s start by answering a fundamental question.

What is a harmonic balancer?

A car engine is not an easy piece of tech. It’s a machine that generates a lot of energy to run a car that weighs thousands of pounds. So, it’s evident that such a machine will generate a lot of vibration and vibration can cause the engine to fall apart. 

Not to let the engine fall into pieces due to the vibration, a harmonic balancer or in other words, a vibration damper is installed in every car engine. It has two parts, a mass which is bolted to the engine’s crankshaft, and the other part is a component that can dissipate the energy produced from the engine.

A rubber insulator separates these two pieces. The mass rotates and absorbs the energy from the crankshaft when the engine is functioning. It’s a lot of pressure for this one part. That’s why it can crack, or the two parts can get separated. This can cause many issues, such as an oil leak.

But you can’t figure out whether it’s the harmonic balancer causing the oil leak because there are many other reasons why that can happen. 

How to know when you need to replace the harmonic balancer?

There are many ways to tell the harmonic balancer needs a replacement. These are more accurate signs that will help you to figure out whether you need a replacement or not.

• Transmission damage
• Squeaking sound
• Damaged edges of the belt
• Unusual engine vibration
• Incorrect timing marks
• Alternator not working properly
• Power steering malfunction
• Irregular idle

These are the most common symptoms of saying that you need to replace the harmonic balancer. The most uncomplicated process to not let these happen is merely removing the harmonic balancer from the engine. Now, we will show you a step-by-step process of how you can remove the harmonic balancer without a puller.

How to remove harmonic balancer without a puller?

It’s a short 4-step procedure for which you require – 

• Working gloves
• Wrench
• Screwdrivers
• Eyeglasses
• Jack strands
• Floor jack
• Pickle fork
• Sockets
• Hammer
• Chisel
• Durable pulling strap

Now, if you have all the necessary tools, we can start the procedure.

Step 1 – Access the harmonic balancer by removing the serpentine belt

First, remove the engine covers and locate the serpentine belt. It is usually under the spring tension. If you have located the serpentine belt, use a wrench to push the tensioner towards the opposite side to release the serpentine belt. 

Remove the belt carefully. It’s a crucial part of the engine. This belt provides power to the compressor, air condition and many other parts of the car.

Step 2 – Find the center bolt and remove it using a socket

The center bolt is the bolt that holds the harmonic balancer with the crankshaft. You cannot remove the harmonic balancer without removing the center bolt first. So, using a socket that fits the bolt, remove it and safely place it nearby.

Step 3 – Removing the pulley

Most vehicle engines are now equipped with a pulley that holds the harmonic balancer apart from the center bolt. To remove the pulley, you need to rotate it a little with a screw driver’s help and pull it out using a pickle fork.

You might not need the pickle fork; you can do that with bare hands. It’s just safe to use a tool instead of hands.

Step 4 – Remove the harmonic balancer using the durable strap

What you have to do is firmly position the durable strap around the center of the harmonic balancer. After that, keep pulling the durable strap until the harmonic balancer comes out. 

Final Words

So, this is the process of how to remove harmonic balancer without a puller. A little side note is that just because you can avoid the use of a puller, you shouldn’t. It’s always best for you to use a designated tool to do the job. 

But, if you don’t want to use a puller, this is the procedure to follow. I hope you will remove the harmonic balancer following this technique as this is the most common procedure considering all the car models. 

Some car models may have several serpentine belts. Please remove all of them using the first step of this process. You’ll be good to go.