Everyone, even shops, have always told me that the balance shafts were to get rid of vibrations inside the car. Not to "balance" the bottom end. I eliminated my balance shafts and barely noticed any difference. I havn't had a single bolt or oil filter or anything back out on me. From my own experience I got nothing but good out of eliminating them. and I will always continue to eliminate them in my dsm's. Oh, and shep even said in one of his interviews that he used to drive the talon to work every so often when it was an 9 sec car. Trailered to the track, yeah that'd be smart incase it breaks, doesnt mean its not street driven.