A "bad" harmonic balancer

On another thread, I had written up about a harmonic balancer that is missing a section of the rubber between the metal rings (Rough idle... post #58).
I was looking in my garage for something else, found this and took pictures of it. I “think” it came from a '79 Dodge motorhome 360 engine (but could be wrong on the year, but it is definitely from a 360).

I then took a stick flashlight to show the absence of rubber.


What kept the outer ring from falling off - IDK.
Note: I bought this engine used, years ago like this, and found this upon engine disassembly. On a test run, I didn't notice any unusual vibration or anything. Engine was reported to have 30k miles on it - but no way confirmed.

BudW

I saw a whole bunch of these failures on RV's where the rubber was eaten by PS fluid leaks and the outer HEAVY piece was long gone. They come in for hot A/C etc. The goobers replace the missing belts and never notice the missing big yellow chunk of Hyundai foundry. I would hate to be anywhere near one of these when the weight flies off. I had a '55 Chevy with a 430 Buick in it and lost the harmonic balancer at WOT and it went through someone's garage door and took out the side of his car. They are an inspection item, but do we?

I've seen them at work where the outer ring is missing. The complaint is something like the customer notices a vibration. Without the outer ring, it obviously doesn't dampen the torsional firing pulses that way. More often is a complain of a rattle or noise from under hood. The ring may be loose but trapped by the pulley on older cars and wobbling, slipping, rattling around on newer ones where the damper ring is also the pulley. Have also had complaints of the alternator light on, no power steering, etc. Outer ring/pulley gone, and the belt is dangling in the breeze and/or shredded.

In a lot of those cases, there's also a fluid leak (usually oil from the front crank seal) that degrades the rubber and then,,,,,,,,,,,,,,disaster.

There was a guy down my street when I was about 16 who had a Nova, 4 speed and a hole in his hood from a damper letting go...