Heavy Duty Diesel Crankshaft Dampers

Viscous Crankshaft Vibration Dampers by Vibratech For Heavy Duty Diesel Engines

KLM Performance offers the Vibratech Viscous Crankshaft Dampers for the Class 8, Large Commercial Engines, and Over The Road Truck Engines:

Vibratech harmonic crankshaft dampers are the only viscous dampers that are race-proven and built in the USA. These high performance replacement dampers are very different than your stock elastomer harmonic balancer. Vibratech Torsional Vibration performance dampers protect across a broad frequency range and can become more effective as your power level increases. These dampers are designed as application-specific replacement crankshaft dampers.

The destructive effects of torsional vibrations cause:

Signs that the OEM stock vibration damper is now failing:

The bonded rubber on the harmonic balancer is cracked.
There is bulging or missing rubber between the hub and outer ring.
Age and repeated heat cycles have caused the rubber to degrade
A collective failure will be the outer ring separating from the hub causing damage inside the engine bay.
There is a noticeable increase in the level of in-cab vibrations.
A wobble of the damper is apparent during engine operation.
The damper's outer ring is now separating from the hub.

Due to countless combinations of performance upgrades, the simplest and most cost-effective solution for controlling destructive torsional vibrations is to install a Fluidampr performance diesel damper. By design, the Fluidampr viscous vibration dampers protect your engine from these torsional vibrations across a broad range of frequencies and power levels. The earlier a Fluidamper performance damper installation takes place, the more you’ll benefit from its protection, performance, and the ability to ensure long-term engine life.

Why Do I Need A Performance Harmonic Balancer / Crankshaft Damper?

Installation of any performance parts that increase the engine's power output or torque, such as intake, rods, pistons, flywheel, flexplate, fuel pump, injectors, exhaust, cams, and any ECM changes typically will increase torsional vibration magnitude and frequency. These performance upgrades also raised torsional vibrations above the level the OEM damper was not designed to handle. Stock harmonic balancers are typically tuned for a 50hz peak variance at a particular power level. Alter any of the engine's rotating assembly parameters, and it may leave your critical engine components unprotected when torsional vibration is at its peak.

High Performance Diesel Crankshaft Damper Features and Benefits:

Designed to accommodate stock to extreme power levels.
It will not wear out and will last the full life of your engine.
Fluidampr torsional vibration dampers never need to be tuned or rebuilt.
They have proven to save you the expense of costly rebuilds related to damper failure.
As a viscous damper, it continuously adjusts in real-time to control torsional vibrations.
Controls vibrations at all power levels and engine RPMs.
100% Made in the USA!
Reduce wear on the main bearings and timing gear.
Only a Viscous Damper improves valve train operation and efficiency.
It will reduce the risk of Oil Pump Failure.
It provides a more accurate valve train operation.
Lower the risk of crankshaft failure.
Fluidampr® Performance Diesel replacement dampers automatically adapt to your engine modifications.
Fluidampr vibration dampers feature precision machined and computer balanced components.
Fluidampr balancers are approved for Racing applications with their SFI 18.1 rating.
Viscous Crankshaft Balancers provide a proven reduction in the wear of critical engine components.

Please feel free to Contact Us if you have any questions regarding a High performance American-made Viscous Damper for your engine.

Heavy Duty Diesel Damper

What is a Torsional Vibration Damper or Crankshaft Damper?

Torsional vibration is the slight twisting and rebounding motion of the crankshaft generated by the torque load of each power stroke. A damper absorbs this harmful vibration and reduces the amount of rebound resonating back through the crankshaft. Without a damper, torsional vibration can contribute to crankshaft failure, accelerated main bearing wear, and excessive gear wear or engine failure. All of these scenarios can create unexpected costly downtime and increased maintenance costs.

Why do I need a High Performance American Made Vibratech Vibration Damper?

The Vibratech TVDS viscous crankshaft dampers are made in New York State at an ISO 9001 accredited manufacturing facility. The Vibratech facility uses the latest CNC machining equipment and quality control procedures available to produce the best viscous damper on the market.

The benefits of reducing torsional vibration with a new Vibratech TVD damper installed at recommended intervals include:

Prolong engine life
Reduce the main bearing wear
Improve valve train timing
Lower risk of crankshaft failure
Improved fuel economy
Reduce driver fatigue
A noticeable reduction in mirror vibrations

When should the damper be replaced?

Over time on a heavy duty engine, the recommended change interval for most motors is 500,000 miles or 15,000 hours of run time. Your OEM dampers silicone begins to revert from its original state to a solid. As this progresses, the silicone becomes thicker, and the reaction time or shearing of the inertia ring decreases. The reduction of crankshaft damper performance diminishes with age. This degradation has an incredibly negative effect on the damper's ability to absorb the different harmonics of the engine throughout its entire RPM operating range.

How can I tell when the engine damper requires replacement?

Excessive wear of engine bearings
Excessive wear of accessory drive gears
Cracked or broken attachment brackets
Loosening of bolts and fasteners
Throwing or slapping belts
A decrease in engine horsepower and torque
Reduced fuel economy
Annoying Vibrations
Increased driver fatigue
The engine is loud and you feel increased vibrations levels
The serpentine pulley belt may be slipping

Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Crankshaft Dampers or Vibration Dampers

The crankshaft damper is a vital component of your heavy duty diesel engine. This harmonic balancer is one of the most important pieces of equipment on your engine. Vibratech TVD is an American Company that has been producing American Made Torsional Viscous Vibration Dampers for over 65 years. These Vibratech TVD viscous torsional dampers are a free rotation inertia ring surrounded by a viscous silicone fluid enclosed in a precision machined steel housing that is laser welded. The entire liquid-filled crank damper assembly is computer balanced to ensure optimum performance of your heavy duty diesel engine. These performance diesel dampers work on stock and highly modified diesel engines. Original equipment dampers that utilize rubber or elastomer rings to dampen vibrations are prone to deterioration that may destroy engine components in as little as 1 to 3 years. Rubber damper rings dry out and cracks over time, reducing the effectiveness of the damper. Exposure to oils and solvents can cause rubber damper rings to swell and quickly break down. These changes in the durometer, over time, will cause damper failure and damage to expensive engine components.

Crankshaft Damper For Heavy Duty Diesel Engines

Vibratech designs and manufactures high performance replacement engine dampers for:

Torsional Vibrations are a problem that must be controlled for long, trouble-free engine life.

Each time the air-fuel mixture inside a cylinder is ignited, the combustion that results creates a torque spike - an extremely rapid rise in cylinder pressure. This pressure is applied to the top of the piston, which becomes the force transferred to the crankshaft through the connecting rod. Each torque spike is like a hammer blow. This energy hits with enough intensity that it not only causes the crankshaft to turn, but it also deflects or twists the crankshaft ahead of its rotation. This twisting acting and rebound is known as torsional vibration.

Your Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Vibration Damper is also referred to as a:

The destructive effects of torsional vibrations cause:

Vibratech TVD's Viscous Torsional Vibration Damper

The Vibratech TVD viscous vibration damper is a simple design consisting of the precision-made free rotating inertia ring surrounded by a high viscosity silicone fluid enclosed in an entirely sealed leakproof housing.

When torsional crankshaft vibrations occur, the outer housing of the damper reacts with the crankshaft, twisting while it rotates, while the inertia ring inside moves out of the phase with the housing. This relative motion between the inertia ring and the housing causes the inertia ring to shear the silicone fluid, which reduces the vibration.

Viscous Damper Inspection and Replacement

The nature of silicone fluid used within these viscous dampers results in a high rate of energy dissipation, which makes it an excellent damping medium. However, over extended periods of time in service under heavy duty operation, the damper will wear out. Your diesel engine's damper is a wear item that requires the need for replacement.
A worn-out viscous damper or Harmonic Balancer leaves crankshaft torsional vibration unchecked and can cause costly engine damage. This scheduled replacement is why damper replacement is critical to long, trouble-free engine life. While recommended replacement intervals may vary, the average replacement interval is about 500,000 miles (15,000 hours) or at major engine overhauls and in-frame rebuilds, regardless of condition. We hear it far too often from owner-operators that have just endured a crankshaft failure because the damper was overlooked in the rebuild.

Warning signs your heavy duty diesel engine crankshaft damper needs replacement:

Bulged or Raised Cover (Protruding Sealant)
Heat build-up due to other components rubbing on the damper
Fluid leakage from damper around the cover seams or filler plugs
Failure or excessive wear of crank, bearings, or other rotating parts.

Your engine's harmonic balancer or crankshaft damper should be replaced at every significant overhaul or in-frame. Professional truck owners, diesel mechanics, service advisers, and fleet managers all agree that replacing the harmonic balancer every 500,000 miles or 15,000 hours is a smart investment. This small preventative maintenance step provides financial returns over time by helping to maintain the operating efficiency and fuel economy of the engine while reducing the risk of downtime.

NOTE: These American Made Vibratech Heavy Duty Crankshaft Dampers are specifically noted to fit certain model engines. KLM Performance will not be held responsible for the incorrect application or misuse of these products.

Please feel free to Contact Us if you require any further information about the Viscous Crankshaft Damper you need for your engine?

Vibratech Heavy Duty Harmonic Dampers

Vibratech TVD is the inventor of viscous damper technology and has been manufacturing heavy duty viscous crankshaft dampers in the U.S.A. since 1946. Viscous vibration dampers are one of the most critical engine components required for the long-term trouble-free engine life of your diesel engine.

These Heavy Duty diesel engine torsional vibration dampers are available for these applications:

Almost all class 8 truck
Stationary power generators
Fluid Transfer Stations
Locomotive diesel engine
Many more engines.

KLM Performance offers the Vibratech Viscous Crankshaft Dampers for these diesel engines:

Viscous crankshaft dampers operate at any RPM range and power level which is vital seeing as torsional vibrations occur at all engine RPMs and power levels. Torsional vibration is created each time the piston travels through the cylinder. A torque spike is created from the air-fuel mixture combustion; this combustion produces a torque spike which is then transmitted to the piston/connecting rod and then the crankshaft. Even if you run your diesel engine at a constant RPM, the damaging torsional vibrations are being exerted on the crankshaft, main bearings, and accessory drives. Torsional vibration must be controlled, and only a viscous damper can self-tune in real-time to control these forces. The installation of a Vibratech viscous torsional crankshaft damper on your massive duty diesel engine will control these vibrations.

Why do I need to replace my Viscous Crankshaft Damper?

We have learned that after selling these dampers for over twelve years that there are two kinds of diesel engine owners:

Those who read their owner's manual and performed the required services at the proper intervals and those who read something on the internet and choose to just keep going. The owner who wisely spent money on a replacement damper is on the road and making money. The owner who did not replace the vibration damper and just had a crankshaft snap is now looking for a complete replacement engine. The bottom line is that replacing your crankshaft damper will allow you to obtain the longest service life possible from your high performance diesel engine. A damper replacement will lower the overall operating costs of running a diesel engine.

Vibratech TVD Today

Today Vibratech TVD is the largest U.S. manufacturer of viscous dampers. Vibratech TVD offers viscous crankshaft dampers ranging from 5” to 56” for the most popular diesel engines used for on and off-highway trucking, marine, and stationary power applications. The viscous style of the crankshaft damper has since become an industry standard. Vibratech continues to supply to original equipment manufacturers from their ISO 9001:2008 certified precision machining
facility in the United States. Vibratech is both an OEM original equipment manufacturer and an after-market replacement manufacturer of precision crankshaft dampers. These Vibratech TVD viscous torsional dampers can be found protecting business-critical equipment in the agriculture, marine, mass transit, off-highway, oil & gas, over-the-road, rail, power generation, and defense industries.

Vibratech TVD is a global leader in viscous damper manufacturing, engineering, and torsional vibration analysis for gas engines, diesel engines, and power train applications. If you have increased the power output of your truck now is the time to consider a high performance crankshaft damper.

Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Crankshaft Dampers or Vibration Dampers

The crankshaft damper is a vital component of your heavy duty diesel engine. This harmonic balancer is one of the most important pieces of equipment on your engine. Vibratech TVD is an American Company that has been producing American Made Torsional Viscous Vibration Dampers for over 65 years. These Vibratech TVD viscous torsional dampers are a free rotation inertia ring surrounded by a viscous silicone fluid enclosed in a precision machined steel housing that is laser welded. The entire liquid-filled crank damper assembly is computer balanced to ensure optimum performance of your heavy duty diesel engine. These performance diesel dampers work on stock and highly modified diesel engines. Original equipment dampers that utilize rubber or elastomer rings to dampen vibrations are prone to deterioration that may destroy engine components in as little as 1 to 3 years. Rubber damper rings dry out and cracks over time, reducing the effectiveness of the damper. Exposure to oils and solvents can cause rubber damper rings to swell and quickly break down. These changes in durometer, over time, will cause damper failure and damage to expensive engine components.

Crankshaft Damper For Heavy Duty Diesel Engines

Vibratech designs and manufactures high performance replacement engine dampers for:

Torsional Vibrations are a problem that must be controlled for long, trouble-free engine life.

Your Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Vibration Damper is also referred to as a:

The destructive effects of torsional vibrations cause:

Vibratech TVD's Viscous Torsional Vibration Damper

The Vibratech TVD viscous vibration damper is a simple design consisting of the precision-made free rotating inertia ring surrounded by a high viscosity silicone fluid enclosed in an entirely sealed leak-proof housing.

When torsional crankshaft vibrations occur, the outer housing of the damper reacts with the crankshaft, twisting while it rotates, while the inertia ring inside moves out of the phase with the housing. This relative motion between the inertia ring and the housing causes the inertia ring to shear the silicone fluid, which reduces the vibration.

Viscous Damper Inspection and Replacement

A worn-out viscous damper or Harmonic Balancer leaves crankshaft torsional vibration unchecked and can cause costly engine damage. This scheduled replacement is why damper replacement is critical to long, trouble-free engine life. While recommended replacement intervals may vary, the average replacement interval is about 500,000 miles (15,000 hours) or at major engine overhauls and in-frame rebuilds, regardless of condition. We hear it far too often from owner-operators that have just endured a crankshaft failure because the damper was overlooked in the rebuild.

Warning signs your heavy duty diesel engine crankshaft damper needs replacement:

Bulged or Raised Cover (Protruding Sealant)
Heat build-up due to other components rubbing on the damper
Fluid leakage from damper around the cover seams or filler plugs
Failure or excessive wear of crank, bearings, or other rotating parts.
Thrown or slapping belts
The rattling sound coming from the damper
Dents or damage on the damper's exterior housing.

Why should I replace the crankshaft damper on my diesel engine?

Crankshaft damper replacement cost is a prime example of the wise old saying "Pennywise and Pound Foolish."
The cost incurred for an engine rebuild is estimated to be between fifteen and twenty-five thousand dollars. Mechanics often overlook the replacement of the crankshaft damper due to the expense of the rebuild. Your engine's vibration damper is a wear item that needs replacement at a prescribed service interval. Without a properly functioning crankshaft damper, the damaging torsional vibration produced by your engine is no longer controlled. Torsional vibrations are one of the leading causes of crankshaft failure. If you experience a crankshaft failure the cost of your engine, the overhaul is going to look cheap! The Vibratech crankshaft dampers are specially made to control the damaging torsional vibrations produced by your diesel engine. Look to Vibratech for a crank damper that controls vibrations and will allow you to drive for a longer period with less operator fatigue.

All of these Vibratech Heavy Duty replacement crankshaft dampers are MADE IN THE USA!