Just saw this and I have never heard of or have seen one before. Is this just one of those gimmicky items or does it actually work for a Bdl
(https://i.postimg.cc/RZxK9ZNn/20471-D5-C-BF62-4859-A2-C1-C88-F0920-CA92.png) (https://postimg.cc/Vd4dW19Y)
That is a blast from the past, I installed a few back in the old days. I doubt they worked.
:oops: Deleted
I took the time to blow up the pic of the device packaging and found out I misunderstood what it was. :embarrassed:
I installed. Couple in the 90s on softails ,just a gimmick
I still have them front and back on my '84. Do they work? :nix:
Is that a pulley cover, with a hollow track around the outside that contains something (balls, BB's, etc) that will dynamically balance the wheel as it rotates....?
If so, I guess it depends on the "wheel" your attempting to balance, it's size, weight, and rpm range...
There is a product by Centramatic called "Centramatic Balancers". They are used on truck tires and RVs to balance the tires.. You install two per axle, between the hub and the wheel. They are sized to the application (single wheel/ dual wheels). Many RVers and truckers swear by them...
https://www.centramatic.com/balancers.rhtml
So in that application, the "concept" appears to work well...
It's the same concept as dyna beads. As long as you have enough moveable mass, they should work. Whether it's needed or not... :nix:
I originally thought the question was about the wheel version also and responded that way. Then I blew up the OP's pic and see he was asking about a clutch basket balancer. Apples and oranges here so I removed my original opinion on wheels. :nix:
Quote from: fbn ent on April 27, 2021, 08:25:35 AM
I still have them front and back on my '84. Do they work? :nix:
Front and back in the primary....Compensator and clutch basket.
I believe they "were" using mercury way back, and I can't remember if it was them that machined & sealed in the stuff in flywheels. Long story short, they leaked & made a BIG mess, not to mention toxicity.
Mine are still good after all these years. Probably have 50K miles on them (probably twice that. :scratch:) . IIRC they did help but it is still a Shovel...
I bought the one that fits on the engine sprocket for my Sportster 20 years ago.
I took it to work and X-Rayed it - uses mercury so the short answer is it will dynamically balance minor imperfections...
Never did fit it. Perhaps I should?
They also did a version the fitted to the flywheels, that may well have worked very well indeed. You had to send them your flywheels and it wasn't cheap!
Thanks guys for the info
Whether they work or not on car/truck/RV tires is hard to say, but least not forget that those are round, equal(ish) distributed weight, and can be perfectly balanced on a tire balancer. HD flywheels are NOT balanced, in fact intentionally so. 60% balance factor is common. They are also connected to reciprocating pistons/rods. You really think an ounce or so of mercury is going to magically "balance" all that?
-JW
Quote from: JW113 on April 28, 2021, 08:17:35 AM
Whether they work or not on car/truck/RV tires is hard to say, but least not forget that those are round, equal(ish) distributed weight, and can be perfectly balanced on a tire balancer. HD flywheels are NOT balanced, in fact intentionally so. 60% balance factor is common. They are also connected to reciprocating pistons/rods. You really think an ounce or so of mercury is going to magically "balance" all that?
-JW
Heavens No!
If I thought the thing would work well I would have installed it years ago. I have had no need to pull the primary cover in all those years. But when I do, well, I just might fit it.
Dynamic Balancing is a different kettle of fish! It just might achieve that. Decades ago I could even do the calculations.
I'll toss in 2 cents.
Think about the in balance vector that is generated by a 45 deg V twin. Due to the imbalance of the reciprocating parts the vector rotates in the opposite direction of the rotating crank. To counter balance that vector, the weight has to turn in the opposite direction of the crank. It's the reason why counter balancers turn the opposite direction in TC softails and M8s. How is a liquid or balls going to cancel that out? They more than likely want to rotate in the same direction.
The item shown looks to be a balancer for a BDL clutch. That may help with the clutch shaft but the major imbalance is typically the crankshaft.
A friend used one years ago only changed the rpm vibration .