If you look at the photo above that is half of the engine case the balancers are behind the sprockets . So almost middle , I would say. Not being a smart *** this time , my balancers never made any noise that I noticed,before I removed them.

 

Some more pics, sorry about the qaulity of the last 2 but notice the large deep grooves in the shoes...less than 2500 miles

 

Great pics Chad. Thanks!

 

Your welcome . I'm trying to remember but I think the whole assembly weighs 9 lbs. It was 9 or 11, I cant remember but thats a TON of reciprocating weight.

 

The chains will actually be tighter at start up. the oil pressure is higher when cold and the tensioners are hydraulic,not to mention the chain will stretch ever so slightly when hot.

 

Must be pretty problem free,I don't hear much about them.

 

Have you ever been told not to rev a "b" motor as high as an "a" motor. The reason is the balancers can come apart.

 

I read that some guys will weld the counter balancer sprocket to the crank in a couple of places to keep it from slipping at high RPM. Same with the crank itself.

I'm beginning to think that the Beta motor was not the best idea in the world. Seems that the Alpha motor with the rubber mounting was a pretty good design.

 

That makes sense.

 

Great pictures. Would like to comment that most people do not realize that on roller chains when the outer links groove into the softer guides as soon as they groove to to roller part of the chain the wear stops and the chain rolls across the tensioners. I have pulled a balanced engine apart with 175k that had the same grooves but only the faintest area of wear were the rollers roll across. Also it may look like it would make noise but there is constant tension on the drive and little noise comes from it. Just a steady whirr. You can put a stethoscope on right side and listen.