A non-answer to your question.......!
You guys keep calling this POS a "balancer"?
It is a hub in reality, that is somewhat balanced to the rotating assembly and has no capability to dampen harmful harmonics.
Further, it is a cast piece like Buick used on the 2 barrel economy V-6's, and they just added an interuptor ring for the crank sensor. So after 20+ years of higher RPM ever expected of it, not to mention the fatigue factor of the material, why would you expect it to hold up?
Oh, I should have mentioned all the flex you get from the tired old cast crankshaft certainly adds to the carnage.
One of the reasons many 109 blocks can stay together in the 9's is an affordable forged steel crank used with a real harmonic balancer.
Just now replacing a crank and hub on a GN that has never been raced, but had its share of moments on the street, and this is not the first one.
As these original engines and parts age, we will see more disasters like this coming up.
Chris, this is like the chicken/egg question, which one came first? Neither one was and designed and built to do the job we ask of them.:biggrin: