Lower Pulley on Lightning without Cage

[wsa111]

I know this subject has been beaten the death, but has anyone seen front top main bearing wear on a lightning with a 4# lower pulley without a cage??

[BIRDMAN]

Wish I could help but I've only seen:

1) 7 rods blow out of the block
2) Detonation
3) Head gaskets blow
4) Front main seal leak
5) Boost bypass valve on Eaton lock up
6) Spark plug spit out
7) Electric water pump fail
8) Boost leak
9) Turkey pan elbow deteriorated
10) And a dirty air filter

[Red99T/A]

Wish I could help but I've only seen:

1) 7 rods blow out of the block
2) Detonation
3) Head gaskets blow
4) Front main seal leak
5) Boost bypass valve on Eaton lock up
6) Spark plug spit out
7) Electric water pump fail
8) Boost leak
9) Turkey pan elbow deteriorated
10) And a dirty air filter

Well thats not too bad, at least you haven't had the dreaded flat tire!

[BIRDMAN]

Well thats not too bad, at least you haven't had the dreaded flat tire!

I know right, I've been so blessed.

[DolSVT00]

I know this subject has been beaten the death, but has anyone seen front top main bearing wear on a lightning with a 4# lower pulley without a cage??

I ran an uncaged 11" lower for 4 years and never had an issue at over 600hp daily driving. My rotating assembly was externally ballenced though.

I ran a 4# and a 6# for many years on the stock engine and never had a problem. One thing people forget sometimes is that not all pulleys are the same, some manufacturers turn them down a little further than others. I always used masking tape around the hub to help center the pulley and tighten it with cerrated washers to stop it from backing out. If someone installed one with a wobbling pulley and a really tight belt which can happen, as stated above I could see the posibility of wearing out the front main, although the seal would go out long before the main did.

[wsa111]

Randy, thanks for the reply. I only have 36K on my truck so i didn't think i would see an immediate problem.
Chris at Cars & More in Goose Creek has a Harley Truck with a Lightning blower pulley & needs it tuned.
I deliver parts to him & he has been trying to get in touch with you.
Thanks Bill

[DolSVT00]

Randy, thanks for the reply. I only have 36K on my truck so i didn't think i would see an immediate problem.
Chris at Cars & More in Goose Creek has a Harley Truck with a Lightning blower pulley & needs it tuned.
I deliver parts to him & he has been trying to get in touch with you.
Thanks Bill

He needs to go through CPS.

I dont think you will ever have a problem honestly, as long as its not wobbling. Vibration will hurt it more than stress, the shoulder on the damper goes about an inch and a half through the timing cover and onto the crank snout, the keyway is even longer than that because it goes through the lower timing sprocket too. Needless to say there's a lot of room for it to transfer load. There are guys that have actually broke the crank snout, but honestly I belive its because they put aftermarket dampers on an internally ballenced shortblock instead of having the entire rotating assembly ballenced with the damper and flexplate and even at that I belive its cracking from vibration because of being unbalanced rather than being stress.

[wsa111]

Thanks, Randy, i'll pass the word to Chris. Bill