Is it better to use an early or later crank-pulley/balancer? i have my choice between the two pictured and i'm at odds at which to use..

 

I like the way the earlier one looks better but i've never heard any discussion on if one is better than the next.. Any thoughts guys? Thanks

Dustin

Southern Oregon Y's Guy

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1441322018

Bill,

The earlier pully has no damping ring for torsional vibration with it. Looking at the pics again I see rubber on the earlier one but you should still check for timing alignment and use the one that has the better surface for the crank seal.  Almost all modern V8's have such a damper including the later one in your picture.  The damping is the metal ring  isolated by the rubber from the rest of the the pully.   Before you put it on permanantly check that the timing pointer lines up with the timing marks on the metal ring with piston #1 at TDC. The ring can come loose from the rubber and slip around putting the marks out of "time".  With the age of these pieces the rubber often has gone bad and the damping ring will slip.  They are repaired for not too much $$.  Many people have used Damper Doctor.

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

The ’54-’56 damper uses a ½” wide belt while the ’57 and up damper uses a 3/8” wide belt.  The difference in size can be seen in the damper pulleys.  This can also be a determining factor in which damper to use.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Are the wider, early belts harder to come by? Seems like a wider belt would be stronger therefore a better choice.. I have both an early and later water pump pulley as well to fully complete either set-up..

Dustin

Southern Oregon Y's Guy

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1441322018

The wide belt dampers are in shorter supply than the narrow belt dampers and that’s simply due to both their age and by lieu of the number of years they were initially available.  The belts for either are readily available though.  From an efficiency standpoint the narrower design is more desirable and this design will also have a longer life span or last more miles than the wider design when loading is equal.  Regardless of which damper belt width is being used, it’s important that the other pulleys being used also match in belt width.  Using the wide belt on a narrow grooved water pump and/or generator/alternator pulley would not be a good thing.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)