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Flywheel suggestions

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Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Hi, my Boss is getting a few upgrades installed next month (Kooks headers and x pipe plus 305/35-18 Nittos). Whats a good direction to go for a flywheel? The cars is now seeing the track two or three times a month. Still have it streetable though. I was thinking of of a spec one clutch with a lightened flywheel. Aluminum or Steel?
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
steveespo said:
Steel for a street car is my opinion. The inertia helps make street starts smooth otherwise you have to rev the motor and slip the clutch more on takeoff.
Steve

+1

Additionally, I'd look into the Centerforce clutches for our cars, or McLeod RST depending on amount of money you have to spend.
 
898
544
Lightened steel flywheel for street driving.

I have the RXT and aluminum flywheel. It is great for the track, but you do need to slip the clutch more. If I drove the car on the street regularly I would have gotten steel.
 
I went with the RST + lightened steel flywheel, just because I also drive the car every weekend.
After break-in and pedal spring removal, the clutch/flywheel combo feels pretty comparable to stock -- with the exception of the little extra slip from a dig and the pedal engagement point (a little higher than stock).
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
What benefits did you guys see from a lighter steel flywheel. Was the engine much quicker to rev?? I guess what I am asking is was it a worth while mod for the track??
 
I haven't tracked on the new setup yet, but the main thing I noticed on the streets was a faster rev during downshift blip rev matches. So that should translate to a faster revving engine during corner exit.

I also paired the clutch flywheel with an aluminum drive shaft. I think just the lighter rotating mass by the new parts should yield some noticeable difference at the track. Now I have to keep an eye out on the rev limiter for a few laps, before I get used to it.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Lightening any sort of rotating mass in the driveline will ease acceleration; it will also increase braking performance when the clutch is engaged compared to the stock flywheel. It's just less inertia to speed up (or slow down) in both cases.
 
898
544
Mad Hatter said:
What benefits did you guys see from a lighter steel flywheel. Was the engine much quicker to rev?? I guess what I am asking is was it a worth while mod for the track??

In addition to the above comments, many of the better aftermarket clutches do not mate well with a stock flywheel.
 

Justin

Save the dawn for your dishes!!!
The McLeod lightened steel flywheel is the same weight as the stock flywheel. I know this cause it's what McLeod told me on the phone.

I have had a a centerforce dyad and McLeod. I like the McLeod over all over the centerforce. But both are great clutches. If I need the insane holding power the dyad offers I will go back to it.

I have had spec in an older mustang and I felt it was a pos and lasted 2 months in a nearly stock car. Just my input on spec clutches. I will never buy one again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
173
38
Why did you not like the DYAD? I've had really good luck with Centerforce and have been looking at a DYAD for my GT500.
 

steveespo

Lord knows I'm a Voodoo Child
Moderator
4,008
1,924
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Cookeville TN
Justin said:
The McLeod lightened steel flywheel is the same weight as the stock flywheel. I know this cause it's what McLeod told me on the phone.

I have had a a centerforce dyad and McLeod. I like the McLeod over all over the centerforce. But both are great clutches. If I need the insane holding power the dyad offers I will go back to it.

I have had spec in an older mustang and I felt it was a pos and lasted 2 months in a nearly stock car. Just my input on spec clutches. I will never buy one again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Justin
I read that the McLeod steel was 5.5 lbs lighter than the stock Ford flywheels. you are probably correct since the info came from McLeod themselves, didn't weigh mine too busy putting it all back together last Fall. One other positive is it is SFI approved, always a plus for a high revving high horsepower engine.
Steve
 
I weighed mine. The Mcleod lightened steel is 20lbs, stock is 19.5lbs. It's inertia that maters and I don't know how that compares....

I'm running the RXT clutch which is great for the track and not a compromise for the few times I use the car on the road. Would imagine the Aluminium flywheel would be more of a noticeable difference.
 
6,363
8,191
IMO aluminum all the way with (if applicable) a single disc clutch. If you change the diff gearing the difference between an aluminum and a steel wheel will be even more glaring. The exception of course is at the drags, where steel is usually king.
 

pufferfish

Supporting Vendor
1,094
66
Maryland
aluminum with a spec stage 1 here and this is what i know from my experience with it:

FANTASTIC!

i have 3.55's (so less off the line torque production than your 3.73's) and i have NO PROBLEMS taking off even in second gear (although i do that much less since swapping the 3.73s for the 3.55s). this whole "steel for starting inertia" thing is overinflated and insignificant for this engine. maybe the 4.6 needed the steel, but they had like 70ftlbs of torque less?

i DD the car in DC traffic, hook up my trailer with gear and tow to the track, absolutely rip through the track and then go back home. if that doesn't debunk the myth, i don't know what will.

my experience with the stage 1 is equally as awesome. it feels slightly stiffer, but after a couple of weeks, its just normal. i can slip it in traffic and get her real hot doing that and it never chatters. the dual discs have come a long way in terms of clutch in noise, but my understanding is their light pedal effort doesn't help with the pedal to the floor syndrome some are having. sure they hold 900ftlbs, but who even needs that? the spec stage 1 is 550ftlbs, which is far greater than the MT82 is rated for.

well, i think i might have been the one to put the idea of the spec stage 1 and aluminum flywheel into your head to begin with and those are all the reasons why. others will have their own opinions based on their experiences with other clutches, but rest assured, this would not be a bad choice whatsoever.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Yup the spec 1 was your recomendation quite a while ago. Funny story about that! I bought spec1 clutch through CJpony parts, I ordered the kit for a 2011 to 2014 GT and was sad to see that a 6 bolt clutch arrived. Thats what happens when you do not do you homework!! Being in Chile makes sending it back more expensive then getting a new one! Will see if I can find some one to sell it two.

But a a spec one (nine bolt...) with a aluminum flywheel will be my next clutch!
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Got me worried again for a sec!!

But this is from the Spec website

"These clutch kits have the 9 bolt pressure plate cover pattern for use in cars beginning 3/2011 production or in a any car fitted with a 9 bolt pressure plate pattern flywheel. All SPEC modular flywheels have a 6,9 and custom 12 bolt pattern for use with a number of pressure plates."

The spec clutch I have has 6 bolts :( and my OEM has 9.
 
I could've sworn the McLeod I bought had 8, that's why i'm questioning the 9 bolt pattern. Hopefully someone can chyme in, but triple check again if you're looking at the right flywheel!!

http://www.americanmuscle.com/mcleod-steel-flywheel-8bolt.html
 

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