What is a Harmonic Damper?
Why should I be bothered about it when I am rebuilding my engine?
In the eight years we have been repairing these automotive parts this is our most often heard query, even from experienced mechanics and engine rebuilders.
- Harmonic Damper or Torsional Vibration Damper is the correct name for the crankshaft balancer or pulley which is on the front of the crankshaft of your car, bus, truck or boat engine. It absorbs critical vibrations in your engine which would otherwise cause the crankshaft to fail and the vibrations would rapidly wear out other engine and vehicle components.
- There are hundreds of harmonic damper designs but the most common design uses a metal hub with a spigot on which the oil seal runs. On the outside of the hub is a layer of rubber and on the outside of that is an inertia ring of metal.
- The damper works because usually they are made from cast iron, which of itself absorbs vibrations, the rubber also absorbs vibrations acting as a spring and the inertia ring dissipates harmonic vibrations in kinetic energy and heat.
- The design of each damper has been engineered to match the vibrations set up by your engine. This means that just any old damper or balancer won't work on your engine, you must use the one that was manufactured for your engine.
- Rubber tends to last only about 10 years, after then it breaks down becoming either shrunken and hard, or soft and gluey. At this point the harmonic damper ceases to do it's work and wear will occur in your engine.
- Most engine rebuilders only consider the harmonic damper as the very last item they have rebuilt on an engine; some rebuild the engine and ignore the damper altogether. This is a mistake as if the engine needs rebuilding then likely the damper will need it too.
- Rebuilding an engine several times because of damage caused by a malfunctioning harmonic damper can be very expensive.
Our small team are working every day custom remanufacturing to as-new or better standards Harmonic Dampers for dozens of different makes and models.
Contact us
- If your engine is vibrating at different speeds
- If you are rebuilding your engine
- If you are a collector of classic cars and engines
damperdude - at - gmail.com
Our service isn't fast or cheap but it will provide you with many more years of comfortable safe driving in your precious collectible car, truck or boat.
Yes we are based in New Zealand and yes we do trade internationally. We accept credit cards, paypal and payments direct to our bank account.
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| International Fire Truck before restoration - note rubber distortion |
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| Buick 1950s before restoration |
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| Buick after restoration with custom made rubbers |
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| Cadillac after rebuild with new hand laid rubbers inside |
29 Russell Street Waihi
3610 New Zealand
