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I've been seeing this for some time now. I think the first time I read about AL flywheels and racing not being a good thing was from DSP when Rob was running 11's on NOS. Most of us seen that and went right out and some put there stock ones back in and most just skipped right over the whole idea. Those of you that have them, tell me this? Can you sit at any light and hold clutch in and hold the Rpm's at any given number? Say 2k, 3k or 4k whatever and just hold it there? Yes, you can. We all do this on the Dyno's as well, take the car up to fourth gear and hold it at 4k, then punch it. With the wheels turning and all we can still do this. Now knowing all the benefits from an AL wheel, how does one become convinced that it has become bad because someone says it? Not a bash to anyone here. But none of those benefits are lost due to higher launches. AL wheels rev the motor much faster, rpm's spool turbo's faster, crank is less suppress by the twice heavier Iron wheel, which is less inertia, horse power is gain threw that loss to the rear wheels, faster shifting, less rpm and boost drop between those shifts and when you fully let of the pedal. If you want to get really technical, how about less starter strain on the bendex (Sp) during cranking and might even go into less battery draw,,, lol, lol, ok, ok. anyway. The only problems I found to be with the AL wheel from start to finish here was first. AL wheels and 6 puck racing clutches take time to learn. Very hard to break in a new clutch when RPM control from a dead stop is very hard after the stock wheel is pulled. So to high on RPM's and your risking glazing the clutch if happens to many times, to low stall the car and that's not cool around other cars at the light looking at your sharp ass ride. After break in, next problem was wheel spin. With all them gains from that flywheel and other modds I put on the car at the same time ( see pic ) ( downpipes on the car already ), the clutch would grad that wheel and send all the TQ to them wheels in seconds. Most of you know what I'm talking about. So the problem really was not the AL wheel, more to much power for street tires. Which lead into the next problem. Hitting the REV limiter. I know this sounds kinda hard to do, but trust me and again sure many of you know all about this too. Setting the RPM's at say 3k for street show off use will break the tires for a controlled wheel spin, but watch out. That boost will come on line very fast and send that Tach needle shooting up faster than you think. While trying to control the car, the wheel spin, watching the Tach all in seconds takes work even for those that can drive. The final problem and one that I have been posting about lately is the two piece wheels and those damn Steel inserts. What some have known for some time now and others like myself are founding out. Certain clutch materials are to hard on that thin steel insert and will cause it to wrap and have engagement problems and burn up the disc, take out the tranny sychos if not taken care of. So after talking with Greg Dupree about solutions, is when he talked about the carbon insert that RPS will be working on and putting out. Now just the next day when I went to my clutch shop that's working on my car, I brought up this carbon light flywheel solution and the guy pulls one out from behind the counter. So that's where you all are seeing this new clutch web site come from. I've talked with the owner for long enough to know that they too, will stick by there clutches and products to the fact of free replacement as well. So the problem is not Al wheels and racing. It's making sure the wheels can withstand the power it's about to impact for longer than a few times at the track. Having tires that stick not allowing the Rpm sky rocket, a clutch that is DUAL FRICTION. With a softer yet still hard compounds used on the flywheel side and Kevlar and such on the pressure plate side. Why some use the same material on both side beats me. For it was told to me that it will even still kill a carbon/steel flywheel if used like that. So I'm looking at changes to the disc itself. I'll keep you guys posted with pic's when done. But to me, I think with the right set up in clutch that can hold 600 to 700hp and 700ft/lbs or tq. with this carbon/steel flywheel, you have Level 10 Auto performance in a manual for far less money. You can launch at 6k rpm's and they have stall converters that are what 3k,4k avg.? So where leaving the line at a higher motor speed. They can leave with boost, but so can we. But this is getting on to a whole other post,,,lol. I really did have more , better pictures of my ClutchMaster wheel, but lost them from Z32.org's loader. I posted them in Feb 2001 if anybody can get them.
[ http://www.southbendclutch.com/ ] This insert is $100 from them and that's way stronger and cost $10 less then replacing the steel stock inseret that they come with. So it only makes sence to spend the extra money when going with Aluminum. 
 STAGE V++++
Going to XIII and beyond :) |
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When did a modd go from good to bad? ( Aluminum Flywheels ) - 
