Do you guys think it is necessary to balance the turbo shaft after installing a Wicked Wheel? From what I have heard on other forums most people do not balance the shaft after installing them and have had no problems. Has anyone here had a problem with their turbo becasue they didn't have it balanced after installing a WW?

 

I've had my WW in for a year now and so far so good. Love the sound!

 

the wicked wheel i bought was balanced already. it has wheel paint on it. if your rotating assembly is within spec now, then adding a balanced wheel shouldn't affect it. i did learn one thing, do not reach in and spin the wheel with your finger. the oil and "stuff" on the wheel accumulates on there in perfect balance. when you move it with your finger, it wipes off the oil and other stuff that is on there. this then causes a small inbalance. this causes a very mild vibration in the turbo shaft. it doesn't seem like alot, but at 150,000+ RPM, it can be very serious. if you want to spin the wheel, grasp the center part with the 5/8" socket (i believe) end.

 

That's good to know Strokin! but i think your 150K rpm figure is a tad high.
Nut

 

Not so high as you might think. Completely stock it will spin 100,000+...and that's at 15-17 psi. Add enough drive pressure to kick it up to 30 psi.........

At any rate, it's spinning really, really fast.

 

friday i learned that one some of the new ACERT Cat engines, during testing that they have measured up to 280,000 RPM out of a VGT turbo that has had the vanes stuck in the closed position. it didn't come apart. most OTR diesels run their turbos around 160,000 RPM at full boost which is about 30-45 psi. stock powerstrokes run around 130,000 RPM.

 

I don't know if one could even hear the whistle at 280 grand. It would drive every dog insane though!

 

I gotta' wonder just how much "oil and stuff" could collect on ANYTHING spinning at those rpm's.

Pop

 

at idle, they are "only" spinning 15,000-20,000 RPM, so my teacher says. i find it hard to believe that high, i could understand 7,500-10,000 RPM at idle

 

Yes, the turbo definitely spins over 100k rpm. But back to my point, has anyone ever experienced any problems with a wicked wheel they installed and didn't have balanced afterwards?

 

Not every dog - mine is 16 1/2 years old, and she doesn't hear much of anything anymore. Well, except my truck when I arrive home. She knows I'm home and expects to be fed within 30 minutes - either that, or she leans her tired old nose against the sliding glass door and just stares at me until I give in.

 

no, not me.

 

Not me. I check my shaft for play once a month or so. So far it's dead on.

 

01f350 - most people have no trouble with a WW that hasn't been balanced. I had this discussion through email with Jody Tipton and a couple of other people. The general consensus was that 1) though the wheel is sold balanced, the original compressor wheel and shaft were balanced together, so adding a perfectly balanced WW may still cause vibration and early bearing failure; and, 2) the best way to fix turbo surge (short of a new turbo) is the ATS ported compressor shroud.

It has a few upsides:
You don't need to remove the turbo to replace the housing.
It uses the stock compressor wheel - no balancing needed.
It reduces surge more than a WW.
It flows more air than a WW in a stock housing.

It has a few downsides:
Price.
It uses the stock compressor wheel. If you like the sound of the WW (and who doesn't?), then, sorry - it works best with the stock compressor wheel, so it doesn't sound as good.

I have one - it is sitting in my garage awaiting installation. BUT - I need to do my taxes and a bunch of other things first. Then, I'll do some fun work to the truck.

 

Oh darn!....Honey i need a new turbo for my truck....how much Dear?.....
oh about $3000....what? ....oh look i found this SALE on a BB turbo for only
$1600....oh good buy it!