Harmonic Balancer Brand Reviews?

dahoseman

New member
I have a 2004 Sprinter 3500 with the 2.7L. The harmonic balancer is on it's way out, so I began looking for replacements. Obviously, the OEM unit from MB is bordering on insanely expensive for what it is. However, I don't want a replacement which will fall apart in a few months and I would gladly pay for the Merc unit if the less expensive alternatives are actually inferior.

After doing some searching, there are several various alternatives.

OEM Mercedes-Benz
Part Number: 5103972AB
List Price : $409.00 - Dealership
However, I found it for:
$284.20 – sprinterparts.net

PowerBond
Part Number: PBB-PB1582N
$179.97 - Summitracing

Dayco
Part Number: PB1582N
$178.33 - Rockauto

ATP
Part Number: 102274 {#5103972AA, 5103972AB}
$129.97 – Summitracing

Dorman
Part Number: RNB-594-326
$123.98 - Partsgeek

Anyone with any actual experience with these? As expected, reviews of the Dorman unit are ..... not surprisingly ...... crappy. However, if any of these seems to meet or EXCEED the longevity of the OEM unit, I would be happy to avoid giving more money to MB without good reason. If there is a "better than OEM" alternative that I'm missing, I would also like to know about it.
Thanks
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
Euro parts SD carries a balancer that is supposedly made by the same manufacturer is Mercedes. With a little googling I found it's available on Autohaus AZ for less money. It is made by Corteco.

Anything but OE or OEM is not worth the gamble.
 

sailquik

Well-known member
dahoseman,
The Mercedes Benz OEM Part Number is A 647 030 01 03.
The part number you looked at is the MOPAR/Dodge/Chrysler Part number
Often the MOPAR cost is significantly more than the genuine Mercedes Benz Part.
Here's a place that offers the genuine part for $240.00.
Says it's from Corteco with the genuine MB Part number.
Send me you VIN and the Part Number can be matched to you VIN#.
I'd suggest taking your VIN # to your nearest MB Sprinter or Freightliner Sprinter
Commercial dealer and get the real price for their parts counter.
Roger
 

dahoseman

New member
Thanks, Sailquik. I'm relatively new to the Sprinter world, so I'm still learning the quirks.

I actually got a higher quote from the MB counter in Denver (~$450). It seemed fairly insane to me, so I started to look for alternatives. From doing some research, it seems like the harmonic balancer is a common point of failure so I was hoping that an aftermarket was available that was redesigned or less prone to failure. If the OEM MB part is best, then I will stay with stock ...... or Corteco

VIN# WD2PD444345650777
 

HelloPitty

Member
Is there a "FedEx" version of the Harmonic Balancer offered through some MB dealers, or is that a myth?
It seems I read that since this part fails (mine did at 165,000 miles), that there was a more robust one made.
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
Thanks, Sailquik. I'm relatively new to the Sprinter world, so I'm still learning the quirks.

I actually got a higher quote from the MB counter in Denver (~$450). It seemed fairly insane to me, so I started to look for alternatives. From doing some research, it seems like the harmonic balancer is a common point of failure so I was hoping that an aftermarket was available that was redesigned or less prone to failure. If the OEM MB part is best, then I will stay with stock ...... or Corteco

VIN# WD2PD444345650777
For info the damper 647 030 0103 is $446 list and 334.5 trade.
Not exactly cheap but the dealer one is the 5th iteration!
Is the aftermarket item on Fleabay a NOS unit???? !
You will need the crank bolt 000 000 001 884
That is $15,00 list & $12 trade!
Don't forget a new crank seal and a 3/4 drive torque wrench with values of at least 250 ft lbs plus a crank holding tool!
Dennis
Mechanic
 

220629

Well-known member
For info the damper 647 030 0103 is $446 list and 334.5 trade.
Not exactly cheap but the dealer one is the 5th iteration!
That could make a difference.


Is the aftermarket item on Fleabay a NOS unit???? !
...
Dennis
Mechanic
That can bite you even at a dealership. Do they discard the older style and re-stock? If they had a large(r) inventory and not many sales it is conceivable that you could be paying more for an old(er) iteration (NOS New Old Stock). There's no value in that.

Is there any method for determining what vintage the replacement MB HB actually is? At least Dodge assigned part number suffixes like AA, AB, etc. to give some clue.

vic
 

dahoseman

New member
For info the damper 647 030 0103 is $446 list and 334.5 trade.
Not exactly cheap but the dealer one is the 5th iteration!
Is the aftermarket item on Fleabay a NOS unit???? !
You will need the crank bolt 000 000 001 884
That is $15,00 list & $12 trade!
Don't forget a new crank seal and a 3/4 drive torque wrench with values of at least 250 ft lbs plus a crank holding tool!
Dennis
Mechanic
Good discussion here. This is why I wanted to bring up the topic. Hopefully we stir up some information that helps out someone beyond just myself, before they install an inferior part.

No matter the manufacturer or list price, all vehicles have production compromises, weak links, or designs prone to failures which were not fully anticipated by engineers or testing. Given that the earlier T1N original harmonic balancers seemed prone to early failure (comparatively) and, more importantly, resulted in catastrophic consequences, I had assumed that an improved design was available from either MB or aftermarket. If nothing else, it would be nice to have a redesign which doesn't turn into a grenade when it fails

Thanks, Linden
Is there a fairly easy or visual way to tell the difference between the 5 generational changes in OEM dampers/balancers?
Also, simply out of curiosity, what are the actual changes?

Thanks
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
I have a friend who's outer ring let loose. 2004 with 204K miles on the clock. I've removed the outer ring.

Two questions:

1. This caught her right before she was getting ready to head out on a trip. My junkyard Russian Sprinter mechanic I lean on from time to time says she would be fine driving it a few K miles, at least, prior to a catastrophic failure if it ever would occur. Has anyone out there in Sprinter Source land had the outer ring fail, drove on it, and then had either the crank wheel blow up or worse yet, the key?

2. Seems like there's a lot of information out there stating only go with OEM on a new crank wheel/dampener. Sounds like the OEM producer is Corteco. Does only Mercedes/Mopar have the latest version of the Corteco or do these other suppliers of the Corteco product have the latest version? Huge price difference at $600+ for MBZ vs ~$220 for Corteco.

Thanks team.. Greatly appreciated.
 

220629

Well-known member
... Has anyone out there in Sprinter Source land had the outer ring fail, drove on it, and then had either the crank wheel blow up or worse yet, the key?
...

Thanks team.. Greatly appreciated.
I can't help with that answer.

Looking at it anther way, I recall some members here reporting that they drove many miles without issues after removing the ring while on trips. How many miles is the person considering for the trip?

Another possible factor. Once the bond has partially separated is the HB still doing its job? Maybe many have been driving without the benefit of a HB without knowing it.

vic
 

MillionMileSprinter

Millionmilesprinter.com
Corteco is Corteco. MB has lots of overhead costs. You do the math...
Your russian friend is correct. Or I should say I have had the same experience. I have never had the inner pulley explode or do any kind of damage whatsoever when the outer balancing ring is removed in an emergency circumstance.
Glad your friend caught it before it did major damage!
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
she’s pretty oblivious to anything car related. I found it.. Wasn’t too difficult when she brought it over for me to look over some house battery issues and you could hear clanking. How she hadn’t heard it and brought it to my attention before is a little beyond me as it wasn’t clanking just a few weeks ago when I did some routine maintenance.

Thx! I won’t worry about any old versions, or iterations as Dennis stated, being in current stock!
 

PATECO

Member
When mine went at 228,000 miles, I replaced with the Doorman. It only lasted a couple of months before it let go too. I then went with they Dayco, and it has been fine for several years. Now at 320,000 miles
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
When mine went at 228,000 miles, I replaced with the Doorman. It only lasted a couple of months before it let go too. I then went with they Dayco, and it has been fine for several years. Now at 320,000 miles
That’s great info. Thanks for sharing. :thumbup: I’ve already ordered the corteco for her but this is great info for others in the future. Cortecos can be difficult to track down and I’m sure dayco is easier to source.
 

skippytdi

Member
That could make a difference.



That can bite you even at a dealership. Do they discard the older style and re-stock? If they had a large(r) inventory and not many sales it is conceivable that you could be paying more for an old(er) iteration (NOS New Old Stock). There's no value in that.

Is there any method for determining what vintage the replacement MB HB actually is? At least Dodge assigned part number suffixes like AA, AB, etc. to give some clue.

vic

the original introductions of the original sprinters were either freightliner or dodge imo if you bought a freightliner by rights you got a more stable product it was the gamble mercedes played and lost. politics!
 

alexk243

KulAdventure
I can't help with that answer.

Looking at it anther way, I recall some members here reporting that they drove many miles without issues after removing the ring while on trips. How many miles is the person considering for the trip?

Another possible factor. Once the bond has partially separated is the HB still doing its job? Maybe many have been driving without the benefit of a HB without knowing it.

vic
I did about 400+ miles with the outer ring removed, but I had the shop that removed the outer ring torque down the harmonic balancer to make sure it was tight before driving on. I wouldn't recommend it though, its doable, but at certain speeds there was defiantly some heavy resonating rumbling from the engine.

There is good info about it in this thread
 

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