[YellowMenace]

Well professor, there is an alternative. In fact there are several.

Don't use smaller, aftermarket balancers.
Replace your oil pump gears with billet.
Do both.

I have opinions from well-known engine builders and from a product manager at Ford that broken oil pump gears are a problem, both with OE and aftermarket balancers. Smaller diameter balancers are believed to increase the risk somewhat. That's far from what I would consider an ignorant stance. In fact I'd consider it a well-informed perspective.

I don't have full engineering and testing data. But I don't have that for any other mod I put on the car either. I just use what seems to work for people whose opinion I respect. As far as I'm concerned, expecting a consumer to require this kind of data before making a purchase is rediculous.