New and Used Supercharger Parts: A Buyer’s Guide

Saving money while purchasing supercharger parts can be simple if you know what you can get away with purchasing used. Many parts can be refurbished, or pulled off of blown superchargers and still used successfully. Here's a short guide to help you save some money while working on your supercharger.

Pulleys

A supercharger pulley is best when purchased new, but if you know what to look for you can salvage used parts. If you can verify the pulley was made with a quality steel instead of soft aluminum, you can typically reuse the pulleys. You will have several sizes of pulleys to choose from, so it's best to know which size you need going in to it. You can check with salvage yards and online ads. You want to be able to look at the pulley to ensure there are no cracks in it first, so online isn't a good option unless you find them from a trusted seller.

Blower Belts

The belts should be purchased new. The only exception to this is if you find someone who has purchased belts that they can not use with their system and are selling them at a discount as a result. If you can confirm the belts have not been used, then saving some money on buying them is feasible.

Lysholm Screws

In twin-screw superchargers, the lysholm screws are important. These can also be quite costly. You can purchase these used if you look for a few things. Check the screws very closely to look for signs of uneven wear. If you see wear patterns that look uneven, this is not going to do anything but cause you grief later. The grooves should fit together closely and tightly. You can actually spin then together in your hand to make sure they will spin smoothly. This part will be integral in the supercharger itself, so it's important that you either inspect them very closely, or just splurge on new ones.

Crank Hubs

A crank hub can be purchased used, but again only if you are willing to do some homework. You want to check for the markings to ensure it's the right fit for your supercharger. You also want to look for signs of wear. If they look overly worn, then you wan't to keep looking for another part. The holes should all be the same size, and should look completely even.

Incomplete Kits

Many online sellers will offer incomplete kits for hundreds of dollars less than a full kit. This is a good way to add a supercharger to your vehicle for very cheap. However, you need to know which parts are missing. If the kit is missing injectors, pumps, or compressors, then it's probably not worth the money. You also want to check the serial numbers to ensure the parts are actually what is being listed. It's not uncommon to find online auction listings for certain supercharger kits, just to find they are not factory made parts, or are factory seconds that would never have been sold to the public. You can check the serial numbers easily enough with an internet connection.