Sounds like you lug the motor a lot! Downshifting won't kill you and luging a motor is harder on it then letting it rev a little higher.
Aluminum vs Steel flywheel revisited...
- Thread starter tomcat
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Sounds like you lug the motor a lot! Downshifting won't kill you and luging a motor is harder on it then letting it rev a little higher.
Here's my concern. I had an aluminum flywheel. I thinks its stock. It looks like the center section is replacable. But it looks like its riveted in. Didnt think I could change it. So I bought a used almost new steel flywheel. I think its from spec. It was said that it only had 1000mi on it. I paid $60 for it. I cleaned it up and it looked brand new. I took my car to the track a few weeks ago and made some runs. It seems like its down on power. It just didnt pull on the top end like it did before. Somethings not right. Would the switch from aluminum to steel make that big of a difference? I also made a few other changes so Im not totally convinced its the flywheel. I had the S/C loose. I think something is going on there also. The boost doesnt seem right.
The aluminum flywheel was so warped it couldnt be resurfaced, thats why I didnt reuse it. Here's a pic of it.
i believe this is an F1 Racing flywheel, do an ebay search. i have the same one just put it in and i actually like it better than the stock flywheel i was rocking.
It has a Ford part# on it I think. Ill take a picture of it and post.
When my current clutch setup decides to go south, I will get a billet steel piece. I use the car for drag racing and the inertia is actually helpful on launching the car with a steel piece. You don't have to launch the car so high to get the desired results.
Damn you must have smoked that clutch....I did the same thing now that I recall. I switched to a fidanza 7.6 and it uses a flywheel with a different bolt pattern. It lasted about 5k miles. That POS is out and an RXT is going in. The stock flywheels are McLeod aluminum ones. That is the same one I reordered.
So I take it everyone in this thread is going to be using this flywheel from now on!
ACT 99-04 Mustang GT PROLITE Aluminum Flywheel (6 Bolt) [ACT-600420] : Lethal Performance, Performance parts for Ford Mustangs
ACT 99-04 Mustang GT PROLITE Aluminum Flywheel (6 Bolt) [ACT-600420] : Lethal Performance, Performance parts for Ford Mustangs
IIRC, the oem flywheel can be sent to McLeod to get a new insert installed. As I remember, it is $120 (but I could be wrong about the price).
When I installed my Spec 3+, I also wnet with a Fidanza Aluminum. Figured it would be easy to just replace the insert (as long as the bolt heads weren't worn down to a nub) when I replace the clutch. I had chatter durning the 500 mile break in, but now it's smooth and without any chatter, even in stop & go traffic or in reverse. Maybe I'm just lucky, but still I attribute that to: 1. the install (everything inside of the bellhousing was replaced and installed by a great mechanic), 2. The break in (I kept it under 4,000rpm for 500 miles), and 3. The adjustment (Ford HD TOB adjusted with LDC spring so TOB just stops spinning with pedal all the way up).
As I understand it, you will feel the difference between steel and aluminum at 2 different times. Race from a roll and the aluminum will have the advantage. Lighter rotating weight makes for faster acceleration. Race from a stop and the steel will have the advantage in the first 60 ft. Pick your poison. It's all good.
When I installed my Spec 3+, I also wnet with a Fidanza Aluminum. Figured it would be easy to just replace the insert (as long as the bolt heads weren't worn down to a nub) when I replace the clutch. I had chatter durning the 500 mile break in, but now it's smooth and without any chatter, even in stop & go traffic or in reverse. Maybe I'm just lucky, but still I attribute that to: 1. the install (everything inside of the bellhousing was replaced and installed by a great mechanic), 2. The break in (I kept it under 4,000rpm for 500 miles), and 3. The adjustment (Ford HD TOB adjusted with LDC spring so TOB just stops spinning with pedal all the way up).
As I understand it, you will feel the difference between steel and aluminum at 2 different times. Race from a roll and the aluminum will have the advantage. Lighter rotating weight makes for faster acceleration. Race from a stop and the steel will have the advantage in the first 60 ft. Pick your poison. It's all good.
I have been through 2 Spec 3+ plus clutches over the years... The first one I used the Fidanza aluminum flywheel as mention throughout this thread. I liked it at first but I had nothing to compare it to other than the stock flywheel... I had a lot of chatter, and even some slight clutch slip after the break in period (my car is at 600hp with the whipple).
Recently, i've switched to the Spec billet steel (with another new Spec 3+ clutch). Night and day difference with drivability... No chatter AT ALL and absolutely NO slipage.
When you compare the two flywheels together, there is an obvious weight differance but when your dealing with a 600hp+ car, the weight differance does not impact performance. You can't tell if your car is spinning an aluminum or steel flywheel.
that being said, IMO I'd go with the billet steel over the aluminum. The billet steel also has the removable friction plate like the aluminum.
Recently, i've switched to the Spec billet steel (with another new Spec 3+ clutch). Night and day difference with drivability... No chatter AT ALL and absolutely NO slipage.
When you compare the two flywheels together, there is an obvious weight differance but when your dealing with a 600hp+ car, the weight differance does not impact performance. You can't tell if your car is spinning an aluminum or steel flywheel.
that being said, IMO I'd go with the billet steel over the aluminum. The billet steel also has the removable friction plate like the aluminum.
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