Counterweights on Crank

[CarlG]

Suggestions as to where I can send my crankshaft to have counterweights installed and balanced???

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Carl,

Many may chime in with suggestions for addresses of different shops; but it may be wise to consider mailing your flywheel & clutch plate with your crankshaft to obtain overall proper engine balance at different RPM's.

With this in scenario in mind, shipping prices from your area could be a factor to investigate.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by H. L. Chauvin

... shipping prices from your area could be a factor to investigate.

We here in Alaska are use to getting royally reamed on freight costs, so I'm well aware of that. It's just a fact of life living here!

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Carl,

It is a long way from Alaska, but Ron Kelley in Royce City, Texas, (adveritsed in MAFCA), added counterweights to mine a few years ago.

His assistant pointed out that Ron used to be a calibration technician for Texas Instruments years ago & that all of his equipment remains delicately calibrated & always in top notch condition.

Very well pleased with his work for also balancing & lightening my flywheel with the crank attached.

Maybe someone may recommend someone closer to you -- perhaps not the best of suggestions with attention to distance; just do not like to see sincere questions such as yours linger with absolutely no positive leads and/or responses.

[colin1928]

Carl my 1st question would be what style of weights do you want fitted and how close to full counter balance do you want
The removable weights made by Dan Price are real close to full weight and very well made
Berts do a nice welded on weight
depends a bit on what you want the crank to do
Colin

[Patrick L.]

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I haven't jumped in because I thought some shops on the west coast would be brought up.
Its along way away but there are a couple on the east coast. Schwalm's near Philly Pa has a good reputation and have been doing it for a long time. J&M near Boston also has a good rep, but, I'm not sure if they're able to add weights or not, I'm thinking they do but not sure. There may well be others I'm not aware of.

[CarlG]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Henry:
I wish I could drop the $$ right now for one of Ron Kelley's engines, and I still plan on doing that. But for now, having him do the crank isn't a bad idea at all. I already have his lightened flywheel and pressure plate.

Colin:
Bert's will only install weights on cranks used in their engines. I'll have to check out Dan Price.

Patrick:
You have given me several sources to check out. Thanks

Thanks guys!

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi carl,

One suggestion to perhaps save on postage may be to ship the crank to be counterweighted & balanced; then go to a local shop to see which position is best to mount the heavy attached flywheel & the pressure plate to avoid having to pay for costly shipping of the latter two.

When Mr. Kelley balanced all of mine together he placed a dab of yellow paint on the crank bolt hole, the flywheel bolt holes,(i.e., flywheel crank bolt hole & flywheel pressure plate hole), & the pressure plate bolt hole for precise balancing of the entire assembly.

[daveymc29]

Some machinists have told me that it doesn't make much difference on a slow turning engine how well it is balanced. I have found that to be patently false. Lots of horsepower is lost with the parts bouncing along inside there with one heavy spot fighting another. Balance everything to zero and a stock engine will absolutely amaze you. Ford was pretty close with the production engines and many builders can't get that into their thinking. I had a guy with a perfectly stock Phaeton drive right around me in my roadster in the middle of the hill just east of Albuquerque. All he had was a "zero" balanced, stock engine.

[Logan]

Ill second sending it to ron

[H. L. Chauvin]

On the other Model A Forum, Mr. Brumfield mentions one of the most "simple" test which observant Model A owners usually experience in deciphering the difference after having crankshaft counterweights provided on their 80+ year old engines:

Because of the lack of Model A (4) cylinder engine "vibrations", one can finally "see" out of one's rear view mirror(s).