What Bell Housing Are You Using?
 

Getting ready to purchase a flywheel and bell housing. I will be making approximately 500HP out of my 427FE. Im planning on using a Centerforce dual friction clutch and Ford Toploader. Would you guys have any reservations about using the stock bell housing or should I spend big bucks for a Quick Time or other brand? Also is there a lot of benefit to using an aluminum fly wheel over the stock steel fly wheel? Anybody use a Fidanza aluminum fly wheel? Are they any good?

Thanks,

DOORGUY

stock bell housing. when is the last time you heard of a FE blowing a clutch on a street car?

Street car; steel flywheel. A 427 spins up like a chainsaw anyway

JMHO

Dwight

I am using stock Ford as well.

I have a Lakewood but am using the Ford (COBRA lettered) for now. I prefer the stored energy from a steel flywheel to the slightly quicker spool up of the ally flywheel.

I'm a fan of aluminum flywheels and as light as I can get it. I want it to rev quickly.
Larry

So there you have it.........all flavors :)

Assuming this engine is going into a Cobra replica, the same principal probably applies to the flywheel/bellhousing as to the transmission and clutch - it's a light enough car that stress on the parts typically should be nothing compared to putting it in a 4000 lb Galaxie or 3500 lb Fairlane. So a stock bellhousing should never be a problem in most drving. But, if you plan to do a lot of Banzai driving and frequent the dragstrip, there is a lot of peace of mind with a Lakewood or Quiicktime bellhousing. Clutch explosions with stock bellhousings are truly nasty things and can mess your feet or lower legs up if not worse. I used a medium weight aluminum flywheel on my 4.25 in stroke 428 motor and I'm amazed how responsive and fast it revs. Made me a fan of lighter flywheels, but not necessarily the lightest flywheel you can find.

My advice would be a billet steel flywheel, a blowproof bellhousing, and a RAM or McLeod clutch. No Centerforce.

I agree that you don't hear much about flywheel or clutch explosions, but they do happen, and you don't want 3/16" of fiberglass and some cast aluminum between your legs and the explosion.

DOORGUY,

I think flywheel weight is a personal preference thing in these cars. With these light cars you certainly don't need the mass of the steel flywheel, but if you prefer the performance characteristics of the steel, then that's the way you should go. I personnally prefer the light flywheels.
As far as whether to spend the money on the Lakewood bell housing, well I always remember the Bell helmet advertisement from the 60's....."If you've got a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet". While I would agree that clutch explosions are rare, I experienced one many years ago and I feel very lucky that I still have my feet. An exploding clutch assembly makes a steel floorboard look like it was made of crepe paper.

Just sayin

Ted

Our experience is that the QuickTime units are much more dimensionally "true" than the Lakewood units......despite Lakewood owning QuickTime! We have checked QuickTimes and they are always within specs and have not required offset dowels, etc.

I have been communicating with QT about bell housings. I forgot to mention this with my first post. What chassis is it going in? I ask because the QT's have a lower indexed clutch fork that can get tangled with the frame rails. It can be re-indexed but you need a bigger window, of course it finishes up on the drivers side. We also typically trim the bottom flange of the blow proof bells for increased ground clearance. Both of those mods weaken them and nullify SFI ratings of course but now it makes it more like a factory bell with an inspection cover that is stronger on the top and will be more inclined to spit stuff out the bottom. I'm good with it going that way but you can't count on it of course. My FE bell is iron like the most raced 427 in history which also has an explosion blanket over the top of it.

My understanding is that Lakewood is no longer making a bellhousing for the FE Ford.

Alot of info
 

DOORGUY Guy a first name is nice to have. Here's the info I have and the carp I have received over the years for staying honest.
Flywheels, I have run both. I started with a 40# flywheel with an SFI certification. This was on a 452 fe motor with a small camshaft. Motor made 368 hp and 448torque. Motor was all done by 5,800 rpms. I could turn it to 6,200 rpms but was loosing power fast. Bell housing, always lakewood. I have 5 vechicles and all have lakewood bellhousing. Has there been problems with them, YES. Alignment to block, starter problems with not enough engagement due to block plate. This bellhousing needs work to get it centered on block. Total time was 3 hours for me. I have blown 1 disc in 28 years of racing. I still have both feet, 10 toes and legs. I have no fear of a clutch explodion and being hurt.
Here come the issue, I have seen a couple of clutches blow and people where hurt. These stock aluminum bell housing are OK for street, without alot of abuse. IF anyone here thinks that this will protect there legs and feet, I will give you a phone# of a guy who lost 1/2 a foot and has a permenant limp. He thought the same. I stock bell is for normal driving, not abuse. Your legs and feet, How much are they worth?? I have seen a clutch explode and part flew 100 ft into stands. the windshield blew out and people got hit. No body was hurt bad, just cuts. This is enough of personal thoughts, here's facts
Lakewood bellhousing, They sell a complete enclosement to keep parts inside the bell. Motor plate needs to be used. On an FE motor, there is a complete of side notes. 1 The starter will not have complete engagement. The block plate is 1/8" or 3/16" thick. This limits the starter gear from complete teeth engagement between flywheel and starter. Solution is to to trim out the hole on the plate to clear the starter housing. Other guys have had their starter housing machine at the mounting plate to get full engagement. Other problem with lakewood, if using a GM input shaft trans, you may have to remove .375" off the end where the shaft goes into the pilot bushing ( too long ). You need to install the bell housing and measure to the bottom of the crankshaft. If you don't do this you can and will destroy your thrust bearing in the motor and possible motor seizing. Lakewood are only ballpark to lineup on the back of a block. You need to center it to the block. Mine was .034" out of center. Took 3 hours of no and off with grinding the holes to center. They have off set dowel pins. My bell was too far out. This was a new bell out of the box. When done my bell was .003" out of center in all 4 locations. 12, 3, 6, 9, oclock postions. I welded a nut to both side to keep this centered if I needed to remove and reinstall this. Reason later. Safety wise, this bellhousing has a test of a 40# flywheel blew apart inside and everything stays in the bellhousing. Remember this number, 40#. I only buy SEFI parts that are tested and stamped. Note about this too. I used a 40# flywheel because of I build and run torque motors. I don't care about HP. I run a 6 spd or 5 spd trans. I stay with a 3.31 gearing. With last motor I build will goto 3.07 gears due to the 600+ torque. I have a 482 motor with 540+ torque. I have gone to a 22# aluminum Fidenza. It has a steel insert which can be replaced without replacing the whole thing.
Quick time bellhousing. In the beginning there was a Major issue. Their claim was the bells where SEFI tested and passed. They where NOT stamped. I had a nasty fight about this with the old owner. and finally got the turth about the testing of EACH style bellhousing cost $25,000.00. This is alot of money for a small company. Next issue was the testing used a 28# flywheel to explode in the bellhousing and it holds. What do the guys using a 40# flywheel have to work with?? This bellhousing has alot better tolerances and is tighter to the clutch assembly. Less area for speed of parts to accellerate. The bottom of the bellhousing is trimmed for cobras, Lakewood is not. Since 3 years ago the problem was solved. Today the bells are SEFI stamped. They line up on the blocks without any adjustment. This info is from other guys here on CC. I am going to buy one for my last motor and save 20#'s over a lakewood. IF going to run a 40# flywheel, I would find a used bellhousing and used that if no damage to the bellhousing is seen.
Last thing, Centerforce clutches, THEY SUCK... It cost me $8,000.00 dollars to fine out the weight on their pressure plates cause shifting problems. They deny this. I went through 2 trannies to find this out. Companies that sell cars complete and use centerforce remove the weights. My shifting problem was over 3,000 rpms and the clutch fork would bent and not disengage the clutch. I removed the weights after many calls to tech at centerforce. Everything is to blame but there product. I finally removed the weights and the shifting problem was gone. 5,800 rpm shifts and no problems. I mailed the weights back to them, I got no respondance. I worn out this clutch when I went to the 482 motor. It was slipping. I have been running a streettwin from Bylkins. NO problem great shifting, good feedback on pedal. no slipping, no noise, Great setup. Very easy to install and assembly on car. Bolts on OEM 11" bolt pattern. My flywheel has multi bolt patterms for both Ford and GM clutches. If it broke at a race I can replace it in 2 hours and use what ever pressureplate I needed. Disc has to be GM spline. Even a reman could be used in a pinch.
This is the best info I have. I have no problem running a aluminum flywheel that is SEFI. Bellhousing depending on weight of flywheel and max rpms. Around 6,500 rpm max, either belhousing. Over this rpm, a am staying with Lakewood, remember your feet and walking. Centerforce, JUNK, Buy something else. Streettwin is not cheap but both Ford, GM and I thing Dodge are now running twin disc setups. They handle alot of power easier that a single disc running a high clamping load pressure plate and loose feel, heavy pedal to push, wear and tear. If you can't send back the Centerforce, remove the weights. The only thing they do is load the pressure plate for a higher load on the disc. Releasing can also be a problem with the steel ring and the weights binding between the fingers on the plate. Sorry for the long story but this is alot of info and compared flywheels, bellhousings and clutches. I have been though alot over the 15 years of playing with my cobra. Rick L. Ps last note, when you check your starter for engagement, you want between .035-.055" between the teeth on the starter and the flywheel teeth air gap at the bottom on the flywheel. Good luck. Rick

Rick, My name is Mike. Thank you and all the others who have responded. I do value my legs and feet. Looks like an SFI rated Bell is in order. Still deciding on the steel or aluminum for the Flywheel. Also thanks to you and Brent for the clutch info.

Note that in the QuickTime line the SFI rated bells are the same as the non-rated and cheaper. You pay for the rating....if you don't need it, go non-rated.

Actually Brent pointed out last spring that Quicktime SFI rated and non-rated bellhousings are not the same and posted links to them. The SFI rated BH has a larger bolted flange around it, similar to the Lakewood. The non-rated BH has a smaller flange with fewer bolts securing it.

Here is the unrated one. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/qti-rm-6056/overview/

And here is the rated one. Quick Time Bellhousing RM-6056-SFI Quick Time Ford Engine Bellhousings - Free Shipping on All Orders @ JEGS

Mike
Also note that there is more to flywheel weight than just steel vs alum. Stock Ford flywheels come in different weights, as do the aftermarket ones. You can buy lightweight steel. Ask what they weigh when considering which to buy. Alum and steel both have advantages.
Doug

I stand corrected!

I was told they are the same although I thing the non-rated unit would be fine for most street use.

The non-rated one is absolutely fine for street use. In fact, most guys buy the SFI rated bells then have to cut the flanges off the bottom for ground clearance, which pretty much nullifies the SFI rating anyway.