I may be off in the weeds... Would there be any cooling benefit to installing a clutch fan on a Flatty? Anyone ever done it? Could a clutch fan from a Ford Ranger be adapted to work? I’ve seen Harmonic Balancers for Flatty’s, why? What are the benefits... I know neither of them are “traditional”... Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Having just installed a clutch fan on my avatar, I can say that I'm very pleased with it. Much quieter than the flex fan it replaced, the fan along with the full shroud I installed has stabilized engine temps at low speeds. They also reduce fan power requirements. Mine is on a SBF, you may have issues finding one to fit a flathead. All currently-available automotive clutch units fit either a 5/8" or 3/4" shaft and there's two 4-bolt patterns, although most units offer both. You also have to have the correct rotation; clockwise for any v-belt style fan drive. Most late-models with serpentine belts are counter-clockwise, they won't work right. You'll need about 4" from the face of the pulley to the radiator to have enough room to install one, although you may be able to cheat that to a bit less with the right clutch. There's limited fan sizes available to fit the clutches also, I had to trim one to fit.