I've pulled prob 10 balancers now and I always put a small pry bar though the spokes so it wedges itself on the block and juts used a deep well on a 1/2" ratchet with a couple foot breaker bar. Haven't ever really had an issue getting one out. Just put a little more *** into it...

 

A mechanics trick is to brace the breaker bar against the frame rail and then use the starter to break the bolt loose. Works really well, and it's worked every time I've tried it.

I had to do it recently on a Duramax. I bought a brand new $250 matco 1/2" ratchet and broke it immediately trying to get the bolt out, none of the impact guns we had or break over bars or jack handles on break over bars would get it loose. The bolt was so tight the engine was torquing over pretty hard in the engine bay while we tried to break the bolt loose with the starter and bar on the frame rail, hit it 3 times before the bolt finally loosened. I've done this probably 20-30 times on various vehicles over the years. Sounds dangerous, it kinda is so be smart, but it works in a bind.

 

 

i had a buddy hold the socket and drive on there. Then slid a 4 foot pipe over the drive and bolt broke loose like nothing. This was of course with engine out with plenty of room. If its still in the truck then you have to defiantly get creative.

 

Yeah with the motor out that's a whole other challenge and that sucks too because then i'm sure the motor is trying to move around on you while you're trying to hang off of it.

Before tool companies made special tools for Honda balancer bolts we used to have to call out road side service trucks that work on 18 wheelers and get them to use their 3/4" drive impacts on the crank bolt. Most honda motors spin counter clockwise so using the starter with the bar on the frame wouldn't work, it would tighten the bolt instead..