Atlas 4/5cyl Balance Shaft Delete Kit 2.8/2.9/3.5/3.7L 2004-12
We have rebuilt a ton of these 4 and 5cyl atlas motors and they all seem to fail due to one single component. The balance shafts.
Atlas 4-5 cylinder engines have balance shafts to make the driving experience smoother. but nothing s smooth about engine failure. They wobble up to 12,000rpm, wear out their bearings, and contribute to vibration and oiling issues — eventually threatening motor failure.
Our Balance Shaft Delete Kit removes that threat. It’s a drop-in solution engineered to eliminate the failure point, increase oil flow, cut weight, and give your Atlas build more reliability — whether for daily driver duty, trail work, or performance builds.
The 4.2l Atlas motors made popular by most notably Richard Holdener and NIVLAC57 over on YouTube are awesome baselines for making some really impressive power and ironically don't require balance shafts. Unfortunately, they're super long and require custom oil pans to be made to fit your project.
The smaller 4 and 5cyl options may be a better choice as they're considerably shorter and already come with a rear sump oil pan. think weight and cost savings.
Features & Benefits
FeatureBenefit to YouDeletes both balance shafts entirelyEliminates a known failure mode; no more bearings loosening or wobble-induced damage.Includes bushings to block all oil passages + installation toolClean, safe delete with everything you need; no guesswork.Reduces weight by ~12 lbsBetter throttle response, slightly improved acceleration, and less rotating mass.Increased oil flow to crank, rods, cams, fronts of timing chainBetter lubrication, cooler operation, longer life under load.Designed for 2004-2012 Atlas 2.8/2.9/3.5/3.7L enginesPerfect fit; no machine-shop hacks needed; "bolt-in" (minus balance shafts).What to Expect / Trade-Offs
Vibration will slightly increase somewhat at low RPM (under ~1500-2000 RPM). Usable and manageable — many builders find it worth the trade for reliability and performance.
Not intended as a replacement lighting or power mod — it’s about removing failure points and cleaning up internals. Then again a lighter more powerful engine is a nice feature.
Kit Contents
Delete bushings to block balance shaft oil passages
Custom installation tool (for safe, correct removal & install) You will need to provide a length of 1/2in all-thread and 2 nuts to use the provided tool.
Instructional video coming soon
Who This Is For
Atlas engine owners who want to remove one of the weakest links in the motor
Builders pushing performance / reliability envelope (overland/ trail, or spirited drag or simply daily use)
Anyone tired of balance shaft-bearing failures or looking to simplify the engine and improve longevity
Why Badland Industries
Designed in house with deep experience rebuilding Atlas motors — we’ve seen what fails, and we fix it at the cause.
Quality materials & precise machining .001in tolerance.
Backed by our fit & function guarantee: it drops in correctly, does the job, no surprises.
Small-batch craftsmanship with dedicated support.
Order your Atlas Balance Shaft Delete Kit now — kill the failure point, lighten the load, and build the motor you intend.
Whether you're fitting these unique 4 and 5cyl Atlas Motors into your project car or daily truck, this delete kit will replace the very things trying to kill it.