Consensus on AL vs Steel flywheels?
 

What is everyones experience with using an AL or Steel flywheel in a track oriented car?

I'm going to be running a TKO600 RR version behind a 600+hp FE with a big flat torque curve. Have a 3.70 locker right now but may move to a 4.10. My car is a pig weighing about 4k.

I see a lot of conflicting opinions on flywheel materials and weight.

Anybody have some real world experience they'd like to share?

no real world, but i talked with mcleod and they stated that unless i wanted to burn up their rst clutch i needed their steel wheel. mine will be 90% street though. if that ratio was swapped, i would have gone aluminum and they would have recommended it as well. their alum 168 tooth LS wheel was 14 lbs and the steel is 24.

You need 11 or better torque multiplication -- so your first gear ratio X's your rear end ratio --- answer should be 11. or higher

Use a FLUID DAMPER balancer

You'll hate an aluminum flywheel for a 4000# car on the street.... end of story.

Here's what Modern Drivelines says about Aluminum flywheels...

<quote> Aluminum flywheels were designed to lessen the rotating mass of the motor allowing the motor to spin up faster. A good application for this is road racing or auto-crossing. Aluminum flywheels don't present any issues on the street. However, the engine pulsations may be more prevalent as they are not dampened by the heavier steel flywheel. There is a steel facing that can be replaced once is it worn out. <end quote>


I disagree with them about the "street".... having owned more than a couple drag cars.... which used aluminum flywheels way back when.... but they were radical as well and a little tough to drive on the street anyway. But in a heavy street car - that flywheel mass or lack thereof will definitely be felt/noticed.

These guys make a nice piece.... and have one for your FE

http://www.fidanza.com/aluminum-flywheels.aspx

To answer your question about track experience with aluminum: I have an aluminum flywheel with an 11" long style pressure plate in my Mustang and have found it liveable on the street. It works great on the track. The only issue I have on the street is that at lower rpms I have to be smooth or it can lurch back and forth, but it isn't a low rpm motor. It has a 378 with a big cam and ports and a larger cube motor with more torque would be easier to manage.

I put an al flywheel in my 69. TKO 5 speed, mild 350. I read a Vizard article about rotating mass and quicker RPM increases due to the lack of it. I would never do it again. I didn't put many miles on that car but I can tell you that it was not smooth. It was an irritating feeling....knowing that if I had done a steel FW that thing would have been smooth.

Quicker RPM increase? LOL do the math...if you race and points are on the line....great. If it's mainly street driven go steel, cut down on the cheeseburgers and you might end up with the same result.

My Nova has an Aluminum McLoed flywheel and an RST clutch. and i drive it on the street!! no issues, it did take a while to get to the point of not stalling it every time i let the clutch out, and the smell of the organic clutch is not that plesent. but it sure revs fast!!! there is some trade off but i would never put a steel fw in a car that is going on the track, trust me you get used to it in a hurry.

Greg you can't beleve everything you read on the internet you know!!

Uh, doesn't his post say a track oriented car? :unibrow: That's what an aluminum flywheel was made for..

oops...missed that part!