Affordable harmonic damper for a 550hp 440 shifts 6500?

Whats a quality made but (relatively) affordable Damper for a internally balanced 440 that makes about 550hp and shifts at 6500rpm? I was about to get summit racings $146, but it looks like the only guy on the comments that said he shifted at 6000rpm gave a negative review and said it didnt last long. Also read a member's post here about that same Damper not last very long either.

Looking to spend $200 or below if thats possible. My main goal is longevity.

i had a 500 hp plus 496 rb.shifted at 6000 for 3 years,only 7,000 miles though, but it did get beat on pretty reg when i did drive it.stock damper

I'd think about the PowerBond balancer , street performance is 152 , SFI is 192 .

That's what I use in applications like that.

which one , the street or the sfi ?

In this particular instance I would base that decision on whether or not I thought I needed the sfi rating( I think the ET break for an sfi damper is 10.99).
I don't feel there is any performance advantage to either, but the sfi unit is made of better material and has a means of capturing the outer ring so it can't spin off in the event of a failure of the elastomer.

I have been running a Professional Products damper on my 451 since it was assembled 6 years ago. It was real reasonable. Spins to 6500 regularly, no issues here.

Thanks for the input. Im listing out my options here that I like for $200 or under. Liking What Ive heard so far about Powerbond. Also like what Im reading about Pro Race Products.

Non SFI

$99 - 440 Source High Strength Steel Damper

$106 - Pro Race Products Pro Street #24279

$153 - PowerBond Street Performance #PB1112ST


SFI

$186 - Pro Race Products Pro Sport #34279

$193 - PowerBond Race Performance #PB1112SS

Don't know if it matters to you or not......
The lower priced Pro Race and the Professional Products dampers are made in China.

The PowerBonds are made in Australia.

I still can't bring myself to using rockers or dampers made in China.

wait I thought pro race was made in Oz? Thought I read that. Just looked at their site, no where does it say where anything is made, so it probably is china. Cant avoid chinese products in america but their are some decent ones.

I have been using this one for about 8 years so far and its holding up fine. Its made in Australia as it says so right on it. And I heard the ones made in Australia are good quality as this one has been for me and the one I have on my buddies car. And it is SFI approved. Ron

http://www.manciniracing.com/prosport1.html

Ron That is one of the Pro Race Products balancers Im currently interested in. You were actually the reason I thought they were made in Australia, I read your post in a similar thread to this one from about 3 years ago. Im going to call them tomorrow, or monday, and see if they still make them there

I used one from Jeg's.It's a Jeg's brand balancer. It's made by Pioneer and is SFI rated. Less than $200.Nice balancer.

I believe the Pioneer sfi units are made by PowerBond.

Also, I didn't say all ProRace dampers were made in china, but I'm pretty sure the budget ones are.
The steel "Pro Race" version is Aussie made.

I would be curious to know if that damper that Ron put the link to is still made in Oz.
If it is, I'd be okay with using that.

I have used 2 of these balancers. The last one I bought from Mancini in 2011 and it did say right on the box made in Australia. Course that dont mean they still are as you are right in calling them and asking if its still made there. Now I only race about once or twice a year but I put alot of street miles on my car and this balancer has worked good and stayed right on the money on my 493 and my old 440 which I bought that one around 2008. Its been fine for how I use it and it is SFI approved. It fit my budget real nice and the pulleys lined up perfect. Ron

I think its still made in Oz land Dwayne but I am not 100% on that. I believe he is going to call Mancini and find out to be sure. I remember Dwayne that you were one of the guys who told me the ones made in Oz land were usually good ones and I respect your advice. Ron

For what it's worth, I've had the 440 source high strength steel damper on my 470 for around three years and have not had any issues. Mainly for street use but, I've had it to the track a few times. I've shifted mine at or above 6000 a number of times and it used to go through the traps a little above 6000 but, most of the time it does not see that RPM.

Rolmac used to come from oz.

The rubber is critical in a damper. I stay away from small "race" or "performance" company dampers that are made in china. I have found in general, rubber that is formulated or designed by Chinese companies is terrible. A very large reputable US manufacturer (like OEM or Dorman) will be good about making sure the correct rubber technology is in place even if made in china and I have had good experience using these. Australian units tend to be good as well.

440Source fluid damper ????

You hit the nail on the head about rubber.

off topic ...

I replaced tie rod ends on my pickup in the fall , one was the lowest grade Napa part , the other a Duralast from Vatozone. The Napa boot split after a couple of months and yesterday I see the Duralast boot is all dry rotted ...

and what does a guy do for replacements ? almost all rubber components related to mechanical components are off shore junk. engine, transmission, suspension related "brand" names. check under the hood of your 90 up vehicle often for deteriorated rubber components. you may be [unpleasantly] surprised at the condition of hoses, boots, connections, etc.

Just got of the phone with pro race products. I asked about which 440 dampers were made in China and which in Australia. He asked for a part number, I gave it, then he said "I'm sorry, that's information we don't share."

Maybe Mancini will pop open a box and tell me what's printed on one

Buy the SFI one , if it comes in with made in China ... send it back.

Sudden jolts to the belts are what tears up the rubber in harmonic balancers....so high rpm 4spd shifts, nitrous hits, even turning the A/C on & off, will all wear out the rubber. I got a Summit SFI balancer on my Mustang and after about 3 yrs. the battery wouldn't stay charged & I couldn't figure out the problem (neither could 3 other mechanics & 1 Mopar dealership mechanic)....turns out the balancer rubber went bad and the outer part of the balancer was still spinning (where the pulley is on a Mustang) but just not as fast as the center part of the balancer. I was surprised it didn't squeal like a pig.

That would have made my decision a lot easier.
My guess is, it it had been Oz made, he would have said so.

The balancer on the 440/505" stroker used to be on my 400/451" stroker.
I bought it from Summit along time ago, but I believe it was made in Australia (Pro Race?) it was the chrome SFI rated one, and has been good for years. I don't know if Summit still sells them, I bought it over 20-years ago.

That doesn't make a difference then because the balancer he wants doesn't have the belts riding on the dampening part ...

Thats exactly what I was thinking, and kinda weirded me out because Ive never been denied that sort of information from someone who knew the answer.

I did call mancini, they're checking the box for me and calling me back. At this point, if its still made in OZ I'll probably buy it from mancini because they're doing some leg work for me, but if not Im going with the powerbond

Thats a good point, the pulley is bolted directly to the inner part of the damper, not the outer ring

When my 440 was overhauled in '96, the original damper was junk. I bought a Fluid Damper, forgot the price but I remember it was pricey for the time. Has been on the car ever since w/ no issues.

Fluidampr b pricy.

Jegs sold me the the Pro Race pro street 34279 for $166, Ill let everyone know where it was made when it gets here

FWIW - i got this one in the spring
http://www.manciniracing.com/chv838inhe2.html

Chinese

If that's an Oz made sfi damper for $166, that's a really good deal.

My pbalancer is the 34279, yours is the 24279. They may be made in different locations, but I doubt it. Bottom line is, if its not made in OZ when I open the box to inspect, its going right back to jegs and Im buying a power bond

Damper arrived today. Ron, looks like they arent made in OZ anymore, or mine wasnt at least. That alone doesnt necessarily make it a bad product, but this combined with my bad experience with the Pro Race representative, and also the scuffing all over the front of the damper (hard to see in the picture) is enough to not want their product. Im sending it back and going to try a power bond

Does it say where it's made somewhere?

No it does not. Just bare metal with a pro race sticker.

Nothing on the box either?

My Bad, right on the box it says Made In China.. I was to focused looking on the piece itself

Finally got my PowerBond Race Performance Harmonic Balancer PB1112SS from summit racing. $193

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pbb-pb1112ss


Its not nice and steel like on the advertisement, looks like it was rattle canned, no sfi sticker and guess what? No county of origin printed anywhere.

The sticker is attached to the letter. I imagine you could peel it off and stick it on the damper. Then hit with some clear paint. As for where it was made, my guess is Australia. PowerBond is a brand name for Dayco.
This from Dayco Australia's Website:

"Environmental Policy


Dayco Precision Holdings Pty Ltd, located in Wagga Wagga, NSW (“Dayco Wagga”) specialises in Manufacture of Harmonic Balancers & Engine Pulleys. Dayco Wagga recognises our responsibility as a corporate citizen to sustain and protect the environment. It is a primary and fundamental objective and will be regarded as such by all persons employed by Dayco Wagga or Dayco Wagga representatives."

About the paint, Dayco Australia's website shows all of their dampers painted black. Why the Summit catalog shows them as shiny metal colored is beyond me.

R.

The other day I noticed trick flow came out with a damper...unfortunately it looks just like a pro sport painted black.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tfs-19012

Personally I've only used stock, oe stock replacement and ati.

Here's the thing. Every part I've ever bought that's made in Australia or the us or Japan, always has a marking on the box or the part that says it's made from that country. Whenever there's no marking it's been my experience and it's made in China. Even the last Australian company I bought from I returned because it was made in China. And not all Chinese products are bad but when someone doesn't want you to know that their part is made in China they will leave the box or the piece blank. That is shady to me.

There are many products that are made in China that I have no problem buying but a harmonic balancer or damper is not one of them

I just spoke with dayco, and they assured me it's made in Australia.

The tech guys were gone for the day so I couldn't ask them what the little plastic part and the O-ring are for. Does anyone know? My little plastic piece arrived broken but if I don't need it then I don't really care I just would like to know what they are for

Looks exactly like the damper I got from Jeg's that is made by Pioneer.

Same here. Mine has been on my 505 for over a year but seen 3,500 hard street miles and lots of dragstrip passes. Rev limiter set at 6,400 rpm and usually shift close to that.

How do they ship overseas or out of country without country of origin labeling?