Difference in balancing?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,554
Likes: 3,309
From: Cental, MI
Darkhorse is THE authority on all facets of Harley crankshaft work. You need ta learn yo-self! 
You wanna learn more? Google "Harley secondary balance" and see why the 45 degree single crankpin engine cannot be perfectly balanced under any circumstances (other than counterbalancing weights).
You wanna learn more? Google "Harley secondary balance" and see why the 45 degree single crankpin engine cannot be perfectly balanced under any circumstances (other than counterbalancing weights).
No Vids nor showing off ****... Just results.. and it sure ain't rocket science what it takes to balance a 45 degree or a 35 degree nor a 60 degree engine crank...
Again... I wonder what balance "Factor" he used on said 88" engine... but... also I don't Care to watch someone on You tube... who built a Shaker!!! Thanks
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,554
Likes: 3,309
From: Cental, MI
Getting Easy for me... Even Easier for my Partner... because in some regards... like Harley Bottom End Blueprinting... He Really Is
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,315
Likes: 1,663
From: Tampa
Nah.... They Say Ignorance is Blisss... and I do Not need no Internet Education... Like I said... My ex Partner is simply the Best... and I can do as well as most any..
No Vids nor showing off ****... Just results.. and it sure ain't rocket science what it takes to balance a 45 degree or a 35 degree nor a 60 degree engine crank...
Again... I wonder what balance "Factor" he used on said 88" engine... but... also I don't Care to watch someone on You tube... who built a Shaker!!! Thanks
No Vids nor showing off ****... Just results.. and it sure ain't rocket science what it takes to balance a 45 degree or a 35 degree nor a 60 degree engine crank...
Again... I wonder what balance "Factor" he used on said 88" engine... but... also I don't Care to watch someone on You tube... who built a Shaker!!! Thanks
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,554
Likes: 3,309
From: Cental, MI
Bullshit is touting someone who does this kind of work
Glad you gots a hero... but... I like my **** to be Right!!!
or is 88 inches to much to do Properly???
If so Better tell my Partner to redo my 114"....
You do know there are different Balance Factors [percentages] right??
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,315
Likes: 1,663
From: Tampa
Yes. Balance factor is the percentage of reciprocating mass needed to be incorporated onto the bobweight along with the rotating mass for balancing.
Now, do you know what effect the different balance factors have on the engine balance?
Now, do you know what effect the different balance factors have on the engine balance?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,554
Likes: 3,309
From: Cental, MI
We did Not use the same factor for the DragBike that I put in my Personal Street Bike... certainly..
Seems [by memory] that the Percentage was lower for the Drag Race Engines.. But I would need to dig up Notes to Verify... My memory is Not what it used to be.,.
Does 60 or maybe 65% ring a bell?????
This is the kind of **** I depended on my partner for... Luckily he is still available, as I have 2 Shovelhead bottoms to "Re-Build"
Edit;
I believe most of all this is Moot as of the Two piece or maybe now one piece cranks tho...Whoever made thos already chose, and we cannot change it... that I know.
Last edited by Racepres; Jul 17, 2019 at 01:12 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,315
Likes: 1,663
From: Tampa
Far as I have learned...,all it can do is Move the Inherent Vibration [RPM for the sweet spot] because as you pointed out... the Odd Crank is Not really a thing anyone can truly Balance... except with a Balancing assembly [Crank] counter attached...
We did Not use the same factor for the DragBike that I put in my Personal Street Bike... certainly..
Seems [by memory] that the Percentage was lower for the Drag Race Engines.. But I would need to dig up Notes to Verify... My memory is Not what it used to be.,.
Does 60 or maybe 65% ring a bell?????
This is the kind of **** I depended on my partner for... Luckily he is still available, as I have 2 Shovelhead bottoms to "Re-Build"
Edit;
I believe most of all this is Moot as of the Two piece or maybe now one piece cranks tho...Whoever made thos already chose, and we cannot change it... that I know.
We did Not use the same factor for the DragBike that I put in my Personal Street Bike... certainly..
Seems [by memory] that the Percentage was lower for the Drag Race Engines.. But I would need to dig up Notes to Verify... My memory is Not what it used to be.,.
Does 60 or maybe 65% ring a bell?????
This is the kind of **** I depended on my partner for... Luckily he is still available, as I have 2 Shovelhead bottoms to "Re-Build"
Edit;
I believe most of all this is Moot as of the Two piece or maybe now one piece cranks tho...Whoever made thos already chose, and we cannot change it... that I know.
The only thing that pisses me off is what would the bike feel like to me at a different percentage? I'm talking apples to apples comparisons here. My old Sportster, then knock it down to 52% to see where the vibes went. The only reason I'm irritated about this is because the bike buzzed at 65 mph as an OEM 883cc Sportster, as a 1200cc Converted Sportster, and as an 88ci with a balanced crankshaft.
The only thing that made the issue go away completely was to install a 55T rear pulley to move the vibes so far up the rev range I never hit them. That worked, but I lost all my fun torque.I've also had Twin Cam engines balanced as well, but since they're rubber mounted I never noticed a difference. It's as if balancing is pointless on rubber mounted engines and pointless on rigid mounted engines too.
Last edited by Mattbastard; Jul 18, 2019 at 06:03 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,554
Likes: 3,309
From: Cental, MI
Yup. Darkhorse used a 60% on my street build, and we never got into any other percentage during discussions.
The only thing that pisses me off is what would the bike feel like to me at a different percentage? I'm talking apples to apples comparisons here. My old Sportster, then knock it down to 52% to see where the vibes went. The only reason I'm irritated about this is because the bike buzzed at 65 mph as an OEM 883cc Sportster, as a 1200cc Converted Sportster, and as an 88ci with a balanced crankshaft. The only thing that made the issue go away completely was to install a 55T rear pulley to move the vibes so far up the rev range I never hit them. That worked, but I lost all my fun torque.
I've also had Twin Cam engines balanced as well, but since they're rubber mounted I never noticed a difference. It's as if balancing is pointless on rubber mounted engines and pointless on rigid mounted engines too.
The only thing that pisses me off is what would the bike feel like to me at a different percentage? I'm talking apples to apples comparisons here. My old Sportster, then knock it down to 52% to see where the vibes went. The only reason I'm irritated about this is because the bike buzzed at 65 mph as an OEM 883cc Sportster, as a 1200cc Converted Sportster, and as an 88ci with a balanced crankshaft.
The only thing that made the issue go away completely was to install a 55T rear pulley to move the vibes so far up the rev range I never hit them. That worked, but I lost all my fun torque.I've also had Twin Cam engines balanced as well, but since they're rubber mounted I never noticed a difference. It's as if balancing is pointless on rubber mounted engines and pointless on rigid mounted engines too.
On newer assemblies...certainly Twinkies... I would sure like to know just how in the wide world of sports they can be balanced, after they have been assembled...... when they cannot be Split!!!! Hell.... the Crank halves are welded to the pins.. Unless something changed when I wasn't looking...
