Trick Flow Balancer - long read

[Lionized]

I have recently had the displeasure of dealing with Trick Flow and their extremely unhelpful tech department and would like some feedback from this forum.

Last August I purchased their 19012 balancer through Summit and have now had the opportunity to install it. No problem, right? Should be simple enough; factory 383 (mild build) with no power options. Simple one groove set-up.
Wrong.
The crank pulley I was replacing was under drive. Purchased a factory reproduction 6.5" crank pulley which is the EXACT depth of the under drive...doesn't fit. It's out by approximately 5/8" or about the width of a groove. WTF?!
Though about using a two groove crank pulley but that wouldn't work. The groove closest to the timing cover will always be the water pump/alternator.
Long story short, I had a pulley custom made then contacted Trick Flow. The response I received was quite laughable:

My email to them:
"Good afternoon,
I purchased this balancer through Summit and I'm not having any luck with the installation of my crank pulley. It appears to be out by one full groove width (approx. 5/8"). Have you heard of this issue previously?
This balancer is installed in a 1969 Dodge Super Bee, 383.

Sincerely,"

Response:
"Hello

I have not had any issues"

Pardon me?! That's it? Technically he did answer my question but...seriously? I spent the day resisting the urge to call his number and choke him through the phone. Then I composed this:

"Thank you for responding to my email Howard.
While you may not have had feedback regarding this matter, I do think that it is worth looking into. I have had to spend a significant amount of money to have a custom pulley made in order to be able to use your part, which I understood to be suitable as a factory replacement.

Is there someone else in customer service or management that I should be cc-ing regarding reimbursement or a resolution to this issue?"

His reply today:

"Hello,
I'm really sorry that you had a issue there are many variations of pulleys and brackets out there , I haven't had any calls as far as this balancer not fitting ,and you did have the option of returning it if it did fit.
Thanks"

Wow. Really?

 

[Fran Blacker]

If you compared them side by what's different? I know its on the car.

 

[66Satellite47]

I know your pain. Anything other than the true stock stuff is an incredible adventure. My ATI balancer had a different dimension than stock, which I had the new pulley machined to compensate for. Still didn't fit. Ordered a spacer, which was not at all the dimensions listed. Gave up. Re-measured the dimensions actually needed & found the spacer needed at 440 Source. Dampers, pulleys are APITA. Brackets also vary widely on the BB Mopars depending on the original water pump & power options. Proved to myself the old adage in performance cars, "you always have to make it fit".

 

[coloradodave]

Lionized, I feel for your situation. However, I feel that the time to contact Trick Flow would have been BEFORE you spent any money to try and make their part work. After the fact, they didn't have a chance to try and help you.
As for "Howard", as soon as you didn't get any useful information from him you should have ESCALATED your complaint to a supervisor. Just keep going up the line until you get satisfaction or you run out of people...
I also am curious as to the physical difference in your old balancer and the Trick Flow unit. Did you happen to try contacting Bouchillon Performance to ask for help?
It's unfortunate that you had to spend money to have a pulley modified, but, in the end, that was your choice. At this point I don't think a manufacture is going to help...JMO, but you asked.

 

[Lionized]

If you compared them side by what's different? I know its on the car.

Finally got around to this. The Trick Flow outer ring is approximately 1/2" wider than the original. The inner face of both feel about the same thickness. Certainly not feeling like 5/8" difference but could be the shape?

Lionized, I feel for your situation. However, I feel that the time to contact Trick Flow would have been BEFORE you spent any money to try and make their part work. After the fact, they didn't have a chance to try and help you.
As for "Howard", as soon as you didn't get any useful information from him you should have ESCALATED your complaint to a supervisor. Just keep going up the line until you get satisfaction or you run out of people...
I also am curious as to the physical difference in your old balancer and the Trick Flow unit. Did you happen to try contacting Bouchillon Performance to ask for help?
It's unfortunate that you had to spend money to have a pulley modified, but, in the end, that was your choice. At this point I don't think a manufacture is going to help...JMO, but you asked.

The most recent reply to Howard did ask to have this issue referred to a member of the management team at Trick Flow.

Further investigation into Mopar crank pulleys point to the possibility that a '66 - '68 Hemi single groove crank pulley could have possibly worked. Not having one here doesn't help at all though. Also, not knowing if it would work would prevent me from ordering one. Delving into the unknown...again.
This pulley I had made will work. Just waiting for it to come back from the anodizing shop.

 

[Fran Blacker]

When you wrote it was a 1/2" thicker, I thought hemi crank pulley. They sell shims to fine tune it if needed. If you need a measurement let me know.

 

[Lionized]

When you wrote it was a 1/2" thicker, I thought hemi crank pulley. They sell shims to fine tune it if needed. If you need a measurement let me know.

What I needed was a crank pulley which was 5/8" shorter. The groove on the crank pulley was out from the water pump/alternator by that much. The only thing I changed was the balancer.

If you own a Hemi single groove crank pulley which bolts up to the "thick" damper I'd certainly be curious to know how tall it is.

 

[vintage chromoly]

We have a saying.
“If it comes in a box, it will most likely need work to fit”

This goes for quite a few hot rod parts.

Frustrating (and rewarding),
I know all too well, but that’s part of hotrodding.

As for your situation, I have to agree that you should have reached out to trick flow before you had parts made / modified.
As frustrating as it is when a part engineered for an application doesn’t fit (think BBM headers), it adds insult to injury when the manufacturers don’t have an answer.

 

[Fran Blacker]

I have a 2 groove pulley but the outer groove only is for power steering. The groove closest damper is the same distance as a single groove pulley. Should be able to measure tomorrow will try to do pictures.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Pictures are lousy. Put tab of tape measure against front of damper and these are the measurements without allowing tape measure tab.
Damper to back edge of pulley 1.125" damper to front of back groove 1.626". The angle of the camera distorts the measurements so don't go by pictures. Pictures are more to show you how I measured.