Lightened and balanced flywheels info needed

josé · April 28, 2012, 02:33:30 PM

hello everyone,

I took my flywheel to a machine shop the other day and the machinist was reluctant to lighten and balance it without knowing where to remove material to lighten it without weakening the flywheel,

Whats the ideal (safest) weight a flywheel can go?? as i don't want to take too much weight from it and the engine being worse off from a flywheel that is too light.
Also where is the best places to remove metal to lighten it without compromising the strength of the flywheel?

the last thing i want is the flywheel shattering and destroying my gearbox or even worse.

If anybody could give me some information that would be great.

thanks josh

randombadger69 · April 28, 2012, 02:55:39 PM

Now weighs 3.6kg. Can't vouch for its structural integrity, but only one way to find out!

PeteG40 · April 28, 2012, 07:23:03 PM

ones i get done dont go as far as random badger... to 4kg or 3.8kg... and my machinist has done LOTS of flys - esp vag. Its critical not to go too near the centre mount as it thins there.

djtez · April 28, 2012, 08:13:49 PM

The engineering shop by me AGRA does alot of flys also, well known for there uphill rally engines up here.

they done my fly and got to 4kgs and they were sure that it was the safest limit.

randombadger69 · April 30, 2012, 12:48:48 AM

Scholar were clearly after the scrap metal when they did mine then!

Took a lot more off towards the outside of my flywheel than yours tez!

Im sure it'll be fine (at least i hope so!). I trust scholars engineering knowledge even if they do specialise in ford lumps for formula ford etc.

djtez · April 30, 2012, 10:42:11 AM

i'd imagine it would be fine.

dont think going too light would be beneficial, i think it reaches a certain point where the cons over come the pro's

randombadger69 · April 30, 2012, 04:05:16 PM

Yes, iv done some reading and opinions seem to say this especially on a road car.

Tav · May 04, 2012, 12:09:04 AM

Mine is back from hotgolf on Club GTi. It's down to 3.8kg. There's more to come off but he reckons it'd start running the risk of becoming weak.

I see the yanks love fitting steel bands on their bell housings just in case their light flywheels let go.