Counter Balancer Alignment

ocotillo_jim · Dec 12, 2006

Hi Guys,

To make a long story short, after a rebuild, my 2000 fe501e had a vibration that wasn't there before. I've checked every possible cause, and have now worked my way down to having the cases split on my bench.

I suspect it may be that the counter balancer is not aligned properly.

In the shop manual it describes the method of installing and aligning the counter balancer to the crank. Section 11 page 46.

This is the method I used when re assembling the engine.

I've replaced all the recommended bearings, plus some that were suspect.All bearings are good now. All the related counter balancer bearings are fine, no slop, no noise, runout, etc.

The shop manual describes the installation in detail, and involves lining up some markings that are on the gear that is attached to the crank, and markings that are on the gear wheel of the counter balancer.

When the counter balancer is installed this way the weight is not exactly opposed to the heavy end of the crank. It is off by a few degrees. Is this supposed to be aligned like that?

I did this at re assembly, thinking that the engineers who designed this thing and the guys that wrote the shop manual, knew what they were talking about. And, maybe it is ok that the weights are not opposed exactly at "180 degrees". Thinking that maybe there are some forces from the combustion explosion that are being compensated for.

If I assemble the counter balancer without using the marks or the method described in the manual, that is, aligning it such that the weight on the counter balancer is exactly opposed the the heavy end of the crank, then the marks don't line up.

Ignoring the marks on the gears, common sense tells me that the weight of the counter balancer and the heavy end of the crank should be exactly opposed, an the counter balancer weight should not be off of that alignment by a few degrees.

Is there an error in the manual? An error in the way the markings were put on the gears?

This has me perplexed, and I don't want to assemble it until I'm sure I'm doing it right.

Any body have any pictures of this assembly?

Thanks,
Jim

dsducati · Dec 12, 2006

In theory, the crank throws are only balanced to oppose about 2/3 of the piston and rod weight so that front to rear shaking doesn't get out of hand with nothing to oppose it. A counter rotating balancer helps out by throwing the extra 1/3 downward when the crank is also downward and being counter rotating, when the crank throw sends the 2/3 to the front, the balancer is throwing 1/3 to the rear to minimize the fore and aft shake. So to me.... when the crank weight is down the balancer should be up and when the crank throw is to the front the balancer will be to the rear.
dan

popup · Dec 12, 2006

the keyway on the crank & the balance shaft both have to face the same angle about 11.30 for t.d.c. mine didn,t have any marks on either gear,i have since taken the counterbalancer out

weed

ocotillo_jim · Dec 13, 2006

dsducati said:
In theory, the crank throws are only balanced to oppose about 2/3 of the piston and rod weight so that front to rear shaking doesn't get out of hand with nothing to oppose it. A counter rotating balancer helps out by throwing the extra 1/3 downward when the crank is also downward and being counter rotating, when the crank throw sends the 2/3 to the front, the balancer is throwing 1/3 to the rear to minimize the fore and aft shake. So to me.... when the crank weight is down the balancer should be up and when the crank throw is to the front the balancer will be to the rear.
dan

Makes sense to me. I've attached a picture that describes what my disturbed engineer mind sees.

Still bothers me that Husaberg could screw this up, either in their markings or shop manual.

I'm still awaiting more input before I put it back together.

Thanks
Jim

dsducati · Dec 14, 2006

Except you didn't catch the conflicting statement in my last sentence.

Getting old I guess. When the crank throw is down, balancer will also be down as stated in the first part of the reply, not up as I stated later.
dan

Taffy · Dec 14, 2006

i think i may have it jim. this is my 2002 engine but see if the cap fits.

on the counterbalance shaft there is a gear that is run by the clutch drum. behind it it runs the bottom gear for the cam chain. on the inside of the cases is the gear that runs the counterbalance back down on the crankshaft.

that short shaft on later models has two allen key grooves cut in it. only one of which is used. i've twice gone 'omigawd, which one!' but luckily i could see the 'stain' of the unused groove on the inside of the gear.

i think you need to check this but you can start by remembering if you had the two keyways cut in the shaft like mine?

regards

Taffy

Clint · Dec 19, 2019

I'm in the same situation with a 2006 Fe650e. The balancer shaft has two keyways cut into it. If one is at the 12 o'clock position and another at the 3 o'clock position, which one do I use? Despite searching in the forum and workshop manual, I have not been able to find a definitive answer. Can anyone help me out?

Also, when the piston is at TDC, is the balancer shaft weight supposed to be at BDC or slightly before or after BDC?

Thanks in advance.

Taffy · Dec 19, 2019

at TDC for the piston, the dots on the intermediate gear and the dot on the crank intersect. try fitting the IG without a key fitted and it should be easy.

i thought it was only the early ones that had two key-cut-outs? like 2001-2002?

Taffy

Clint · Dec 19, 2019

Thanks for the reply Taffy. Using the method you suggest, the counterweight of both the crankshaft and intermediate (counterbalancer) shaft will be at BDC when the cylinder is perfectly vertical and the piston at TDC. I assume the keyway on the intermediate (counterbalancer) shaft and gear should align when the dots are positioned correctly. Unfortunately, they don't. The keyway is off by about three teeth either clockwise or counterclockwise depending which keyway is used. It appears I'll have to split the cases, pull the crankshaft and realign it with the counterbalancer gear.

Taffy · Dec 20, 2019

the single dot doesn't quite disect the double dot but this is what you are aiming for. I always used to find that the oil had "stained" the IG just in front of the wood ruffe key trench. where there is no gear contact it would stain the IG shaft. look for "the stain".

Taffy

Clint · Dec 20, 2019

Thanks again Taffy. There are no stain marks on my intermediate gear but I'll figure it out. I believe the idler shaft gear and counterbalance weight gear became misaligned when I was doing some preparation work before bolting the cases together. This would explain why the keyways were so far off from where they should be. I'll post which keyway I used once it's back together and running.

Taffy · Dec 21, 2019

I didn't write that correctly (at the beginning).

look at the Intermediate Shaft for a stain between the woodruffe key slot and you. the gear keeps the shaft clean except where the gear has its 'slot' for the key.

cheers

Taffy

Clint · Dec 29, 2019

My suspicions were correct. My counterbalancer was misaligned by one tooth. Once that was sorted, it became evident which woodruffe keyway to use. If one is at the 12 o'clock position and the other at 3 o'clock, definitely use the 3 o'clock keyway. I don't know if this applies to all Husabergs but it works for my 2006 Fe650e.

Taffy · Dec 30, 2019

well done Clint!

Taffy

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