Aluminum Flywheel

[saltshaker]

What do you think about using a aluminum flywheel on a health 428? what are the advantages and disadvantages? Jon

[convincor]

Just bought one myself Jon.
Aluminum flywheel vs Steel and Clutch ?
Got it here for $250 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...3612&viewitem=

[RICK LAKE]

saltshaker Jon it's a trade off about physics. It's about stored energy and about the trade off of how fast you want the engine to spin up up. I stared with a 40 lb flywheel which is great for burnout and cruising a slow speeds. For racing you want the lightest and smallest setup you can get. You know that the rotating assembly,"flywheel, crank, rods, pistons, rings, spacer, and crank dampener ALL need to be together for the correct balancing of the motor. I am now running a 22 lb flywheel. The motor respond quicker with have less weight to spin up. It's ALL about APPLICATION of what you are going to do with the car. You can run an aluminum flywheel on the street without any problems. There is a metal ring attached either with rivets or bolts that can make it rebuildable. It's about matching up, the motor max output, weight of the car, and driviablity you are looking for. Most BB cobra run 11" or 11.5" stock or 1 step above stock clutches. They will last for years under normal driving and even a little showing off. After this you are looking at more expensive single purpose setups. Road racers use multi 6-8" disc clutches for racing. For big HP and torque on the street and have a lite clutch pedal you may want to look at a Street twim disc setup from Mcleod. What trans and motor are you looking to run?? What bellhousing are you looking at. There is alot more to this that just weight of the flywheel. Hope this helps a little. Rick L.

[Mac VABCH]

Jon,

An aluminum flywheel will be slightly more difficult to drive smoothly on the street. If your applications is mostly street driving and a few HPDE events I would stay with a steel flywheel. I recently switched to a 7.25" multi-disc clutch and button flywheel. The total weight of the clutch, flywheel and ring gear is 17.4lbs it is very difficult to start out with the light clutch and flywheel. Its like driving with a toggle switch for a clutch. Since my car is strickly a track car this is fine for me. Make your determination based on what your application is, the few hp that you are going to get back by going with a light weight flywheel in my opinion is not worth it for a street driven car...Just my opinion...Mac

[blykins]

On a lightweight car such as a Cobra, I would encourage it.

The only downside is the expense up front. Otherwise, you have less weight hanging off the back of the crank and it lets the engine rev more freely.

I had one on my Cobra with a 428 and it liked it just fine.

If you're looking for a good brand flywheel, shoot me an email. I sell RAM and McLeod. The RAM wheels are a little less expensive.

[hi-tech cobra]

I have not installed my alum flywheel yet. Got ARP bolts for it. Are any washers required to prevent digging into the aluminum?

[sllib]

I think ARP says no washers.
Bill Stradtner

[Balance_Point]

I would lubricate the threads and under the cap especially without a washer.

[Ronbo]

Yep no washers. Locetite green on the threads. No oil, in fact rinse everything down with carb cleaner so the loctite actually works. Loctite red is way too miserable to get loose down the road.

Seems a little nuts but the flywheel bolts have an ovesized head and the aluminum is tougher than you'd think.

If I remember correctly Joe told me they use loctite blue on theirs with no problems.

[Rick Parker]

When I attached the aluminum flywheel I did not want the heads of the bolts (ARP) baring down on the bare aluminum. I obtained the metal ring that is used with a flexplate in and Automatic trans application, it's a pretty common piece. It has the 6 holes in a ring the diameter of the crank flange, and distributes the clamping force a little more evenly IMO. It is made of a semi hardened material. Red Loctite all the way. No regrets.

Ronbo...The Green Loctite is for small diameter fasteners to be "Wicked" into the threads after assembly. It's not a high strength thread locker.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

Ronbo...The Green Loctite is for small diameter fasteners to be "Wicked" into the threads after assembly. It's not a high strength thread locker.

Huh, I didn't even know there was such a thing as "Green Loctite." This just might be the first post where I actually learned something from this forum.

[Ronbo]

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

When I attached the aluminum flywheel I did not want the heads of the bolts (ARP) baring down on the bare aluminum. I obtained the metal ring that is used with a flexplate in and Automatic trans application, it's a pretty common piece. It has the 6 holes in a ring the diameter of the crank flange, and distributes the clamping force a little more evenly IMO. It is made of a semi hardened material. Red Loctite all the way. No regrets.

Ronbo...The Green Loctite is for small diameter fasteners to be "Wicked" into the threads after assembly. It's not a high strength thread locker.

Yep, medium high. The green settels better in fine thread bolts than blue or red, there's also a loctite green bearing set. There's also a loctite yellow which you use if you never want to remove the bolt. Back in Cleveland a machinist friend of mine was also a rep for loctite he was the one who I found out about the yellow stuff from. I'm not sure where you'd get it as I've never seen anyone selling the yellow. (not that I'd ever use it)

Let's see if this works... http://www.henkelna.com/cps/rde/xchg...on%3Dsearch%7C

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Ronbo

...the yellow stuff from. I'm not sure where you'd get it as I've never seen anyone selling the yellow. (not that I'd ever use it)

Now I have heard of yellow Loctite. The auto threads on it all say it's a real bitc* to remove, but the literature says it's only medium strength. Speaking of literature, here is a list of most of the Loctite products, their color, and how to loosen them if you have to. Uhhh, for instance, say you got confused and put Loctite 262 on your spinners....
http://www.type2.com/library/chemicals/loctite.htm

[patrickt]

Here's a guy over on the pelicanparts forum fighting the yellow Loctite.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...hreadid=406038

[Ronbo]

The stuff he had was more of an amber-ish color. Looked like honey.

The removal process was high heat and impact tools. (not or like red)

Probably some stuff NASA needed...

Lot of people think you need the high strength stuff, but lack of prep is the big problem with loctite not holding.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Uhhh, for instance, say you got confused and put Loctite 262 on your spinners....http://www.type2.com/library/chemicals/loctite.htm

But that would save on wire.

I have some of the yellow stuff, it was given to me by a NASA engineer here in Houston. It is waaaaaay beyond "medium." Let's just say we have bicycles and skateboards with bolts and nuts a mushroom cloud can't loosen. I would NOT put it on anything I ever wanted to get apart.

[Ronbo]

I also forgot to mention, if it's an coated bolt buff the threads with a wire wheel so the threads are bare metal. Loctite loses some bond strength against the usual bolt coatings like black oxide and zinc.

You know it's funny my experiance with the yellow stuff was almost 20 years ago. Strange how some things just stick with you.

[Clois Harlan]

I have been running an aluminium flywheel for about 6 years and I have no complaints. Take off's on the street are predictable and then when we do get on the track it spins up as you would want it to. I recommend it but as Brent said the $400 - $500 is the initial kicker.

Clois

[bulletbrown]

I would agree with blykin , it was the right thing to do on my 428 . It spools up quick and I,m using a Center Force Clutch and I could not ask it to work any better.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by bulletbrown

I would agree with blykin , it was the right thing to do on my 428 . It spools up quick and I,m using a Center Force Clutch and I could not ask it to work any better.

My feelings exactly. I have the Centerforce aluminum flywheel, clutch & PP. I have no idea why the aluminum flywheel costs $750. The ones that cost half that much are undoubtedly just as good. It was probably just a waste of money.