Anyone using an aluminum flywheel?

[mike9250]

I've been researching this topic for a couple weeks now and I'm having a hard time deciding on a flywheel / clutch set-up. I originally planned on using a billet steel flywheel, but it seems that it is actually heavier then the stock cast iron piece. I've heard that aluminum flywheels aren't that great on the street, others say that you hardly notice them. Anyone have any real-world experience? My car is mainly a steet car, but it will be raced on a limited basis at some point

[BLOWNBY]

I've been researching this topic for a couple weeks now and I'm having a hard time deciding on a flywheel / clutch set-up. I originally planned on using a billet steel flywheel, but it seems that it is actually heavier then the stock cast iron piece. I've heard that aluminum flywheels aren't that great on the street, others say that you hardly notice them. Anyone have any real-world experience? My car is mainly a steet car, but it will be raced on a limited basis at some point

A litlle info on your car.

Weight (important), power, TQ (important),power adder, gear, etc.

Street miles, tack amount.

[mike9250]

car is a 92 GT with a DSS 308 and S-trim. It's making around 425rwhp , 440trq right now. 3.73 gear. It is a steet car, so it's full weight. I haven't raced it as of yet, but probably will take it out for an occasional test and tune night. I had planned on a steel flywheel , but it seems that they are 5-6 lbs heavier then stock, and I don't like the idea of adding rotating weight

[BLOWNBY]

Definity stay with a sfi steel flywheel. The aluminum will hurt your 60' and gas mileage. You have way to heavy of a car and not enough torque to justify it. The advantage of the aluminum is it will rev faster, that is about it. But you won't make up for it with your setup.

If you are concerned with weight you can get a lightened PP option with Spec that will make some sense.

Others may chime in but I'd get the steel.

I considered an aluminum one when I had a 3400# car with 670 rwhp and 550rwtq. At that point I may have benefited. But stayed with the steel.

For you get the steel.

[straightliner1]

I will be the first to say I don't know as much as Blownby, but I went with an SFI steel flywheel for the acceleration and safety factor. My 91GT is also full weight and I'll be running a T trim on a 348. The torque will be there but the extra weight will help me get er' moving off the line. I always thought aluminum flywheels were for the (lightened) road racing crowd, as in rev fast, come off the corners, gun it!

[mike9250]

After much debate, I finally ordered a Fidanza steel flywheel the other day. Turns out it's only 1lb heavier then stock. All I need now is a clutch. I think I've decided on a Mcleod...

[straightliner1]

Good choice on the flywheel. I totally forgot about Fidanza! Which Mcleod are you thinking of?

[mike9250]

I'm looking at the McLeod dual performance clutch. It's supposed to handle 500hp and have a light pedal. It's also not supposed to have any harsh engagement issues like some of the other clutches out there. Tony at Astroperformance.com recommended it, hopefully it works out. I would kinda like something that has a little bit higher hp rating, but I'm willing to compromise a little 'cause I really want a lighter pedal this time around

[Wedge]

Just for info I run a aluminum flywheel in mine when I was only making 296 hp and 310 torque and the only thing I noticed was out of the hole I had to give some more gas or raise the rpm besides that when I was moving she def reved up faster. I needed a new flywheel when I put my Clutch Masters 6 puck disc in her so I got a great deal from them if I included the flywheel so I did and the wheel was 18.1 rated for safety so I def wanted that. I went that rout for the same reason I wanted traction out of the hole so I didnt mind giving up a little shock and now with 608 trq with my T-trim im thinking it was a smart thing to do but I have no data to back it up. I would say aluminum will probably give you some extra power due to less weight but You do have to drive them a litle dif and if you want the same shock at launch that u would get from a steel at 4500 you have to go to 5000 with the lighter set up. No decision is wrong hear just personel pref I think.

[fanglemeister]

In two otherwise equally built up cars, the one with the aluminum flywheel will be faster. Each pound of reciprocating weight dropped is equal to dropping 4 pounds of static car weight. That said, I agree that you can't really go wrong either way - alloy or steel, just have to adjust your driving style a bit. I run steel now, but thinking about trying aluminum after this one is used up, which should be a long time from now, I only have 3 years of use on the steel wheel...

[BLOWNBY]

There was a testabout a year ago in 5.0 or MMSF that compared a mid 11's second car with the only change that of a steel vs aluminum flywheel.

At the end of the article was basically the two effects; slower 60' yet faster rev, netted each other out and basically was the same 1/4 mile time.

My .02 cents on this guys car is save the $$$ and get the steel as he already did.

But like is being said one way or the other probably isn't going to matter unless you are after every .01 of a second.

[fanglemeister]

Yeps, note that I did not say "quicker", I said the lighter flywheel car will be "faster". Faster has a nice feel to it on the street or roadcourse, but the steel wheel's added punch on slicks at the strip is also a good thing(tm). I just wanted to point out the 1Lb recip weight = 4Lb static weight rule.

I guess this horse has been beaten on hard enough, time to let it out to pasture! LOL