2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

Lightened Flywheels

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 14, 2002 | 12:58 AM
  #1  
gotorx7's Avatar
Thread Starter
The 7 can't lose!
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 487
Likes: 1
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Lightened Flywheels

Sorry if this has been covered a thousand times before, but the Search has been turned off

What's the general concensus on Lightened flywheels?

I have to replace a clutch in my S4 Turbo soon, and this would obviously be an opportune time to do the flywheel also...

I am not into drag's, but DO hate to be taken at the traffic lights

So what would you guys recommend? Material? Weight?

Cheers,
Dave
Reply
Old Mar 14, 2002 | 01:45 AM
  #2  
XLR8's Avatar
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
iTrader: (52)
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,902
Likes: 10
From: NJ
Personally I have never had anything but stock flywheels. However, a lightened flywheel allows your car to rev much quicker. It's taking more weight off the drivetrain, in turn putting more power to the wheels. If you are not into drags I would go for aluminum. It's the lightest without spending big money. Many companys recomend not using Aluminum for the street, only steel. But I have talked to many guys that have had no problems with them, even with dragging occasionally.
Reply
Old Mar 14, 2002 | 08:08 AM
  #3  
vaughnc's Avatar
knowledge junkie
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,595
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta, GA
lightweight steel is a good choice as it gives you faster reving and is heavy enough to keep the rpms up and not sacrifice torque.

Anything lighter is only good for high rpm racing and kills streatability.

Personally I'd think about changing pully ratios to recover rwHP and not touch the flywheel.
Reply
Old Mar 14, 2002 | 08:33 AM
  #4  
Grimlock's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 628
Likes: 0
From: Miami, Fl.
Thumbs up

i have the aluminum 12lb. f/w in my 88TII. you do loose some low end torque but the mid/high range pull is awsome!

in short 28lb vs. 12lb.

you get faster revs, faster spool up, car feels much lighter, still very streetable!

if your not dragging your car get one! trust me the difference is like night and day!

oh yeah i got the Rx7.com one, it's about $400 i believe. i have dragged my car, really hard too. i mean taking off at 5000+rpms a few times. they are not weak they can hold up. i have had mine in the car for over a yr. now and would highly recommend one to any TII owner.

Last edited by Grimlock; Mar 14, 2002 at 08:39 AM.
Reply
Old Mar 14, 2002 | 10:44 AM
  #5  
Jerk_Racer's Avatar
Rotary Freak
Tenured Member 20 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 0
From: Okinawa, Japan
I have the 9.5# unit and love it. The ring gear and friction plate are steel, but the rest is aluminum. It doesn't have a problem with stop and go traffic. Stop and go on steep hills can be tricky. At least in Seattle it can be with all the traffic and hills around here. I don't drag race, but it never seems to have a problem with getting up and going from stoplight to stoplight. Grimlock is right, before and after is a night and day difference. It livens up the engine greatly. The car feel more like a sports car now. Low end torque isn't a problem either. It is totally streetable. If people say their car had idling issues after installing one, they had problems to start with and this only exaggerated it. It feels like the car had lost a couple hundred pounds in the higher gears.
I changed mine out because I figured if I was going to replacing my clutch, I might as well take care of this. I've never looked back. It's been over a half a year now.

jerk_racer@hotmail.com
Reply
Old Mar 14, 2002 | 11:28 AM
  #6  
Kurgan's Avatar
Gaijin Racing
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 0
From: Normal, IL
Hope you have an air gun that can do over 300 ft/lbs of torque in reverse to get that f'n flywheel nut off, especially with the engine still in the car.

I wouldn't go any lighter than a 12 pound flywheel, and I like the idea of the non-aluminum ones as well...
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 09:25 AM
  #7  
Full Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA
I just bought an 18 lb light-weight steel flywheel for my car for 2 reasons. 1 it's my everyday driver and I know that aluminum 12lb flywheels were not designed for stop and go traffic, they were designed for continuous movement like on a track. I also drag my car on the strip and don't need a thousand pieces of aluminum tearing my legs off from that thing shattering. Just the thought of your legs getting chopped off should sway your decision on getting lightweight steel. Bottom line, alumumin probably won't break, but you'll probably never get crabs from some las vegas hooker, right?
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 10:52 AM
  #8  
LLADNAR's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: Carbondale, KS
Originally posted by Kurgan
Hope you have an air gun that can do over 300 ft/lbs of torque in reverse to get that f'n flywheel nut off, especially with the engine still in the car.

I wouldn't go any lighter than a 12 pound flywheel, and I like the idea of the non-aluminum ones as well...
try getting the flywheel nut off with the engine out of the car,,,i tried making an engine brake with a piece of thick iron and the amount of pull i was putting on it was just bending it to ****,, so i jacked up my explorer and parked it on top of the engine,,it finally came off then.. it was tring to move the explorer too,,,that ****** was really on there
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 11:56 AM
  #9  
SupSai7's Avatar
Highly Effective
Veteran: Air Force
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 413
Likes: 3
From: STL, MO.
I heard many differant stories on the aluminum flywheel vs steel flywheel, fom the aluminum f/w crowd I heard they are great and can be streetable by all means and just takes a little while too get used too. And makes a significant diff. in acceleration and feel. From the steel f/w crowd I heard that a lightweight f/w ain't worth the $$ but then again they mostly have the 17 and up pound steel f/w which isn't much of a diff. than stock. Hey your in Australia you need to check out www.japperformance.com for a f/w(you probably already knew that) but just makin sure .
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 02:42 PM
  #10  
LS1FC's Avatar
LSX7
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: Florida
I have a 12lb aluminum flywheel from Racing Beat in my GTUs. It definately makes a difference, I dont think its a night and day difference but, it is a noticeable change. However if I had it over to do again, I would just leave the stock one and maybe get a pulley kit and an intake. Just my opinion. And yes, that flywheel nut is a bitch to take off. By the way my GTUs is still for sale, go into for sale section.
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 04:04 PM
  #11  
Jaybr's Avatar
Full Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Chesterfield, VA
I just put a Bonez street/race clutch and lightweight steel F/W in my NA. I could definately tell a difference, but I wouldn't call it night and day. The engine revs faster but it's almost like stock taking off.
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 05:13 PM
  #12  
MIKE-P-28's Avatar
Driven a turbo FB lately?
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,444
Likes: 0
From: Fort Branch, Indiana
Originally posted by LLADNAR


try getting the flywheel nut off with the engine out of the car,,,i tried making an engine brake with a piece of thick iron and the amount of pull i was putting on it was just bending it to ****,, so i jacked up my explorer and parked it on top of the engine,,it finally came off then.. it was tring to move the explorer too,,,that ****** was really on there
LOL 3 / 4" impact gun, and it goes D D D D DDD vroom off in 2 seconds

I tried getting one off with a 3 1/2 foot of cheater pipe on a 3/4 drive rachet and i said SCREW THIS. Went and got dads Snap On 3/4 and bam it was off
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 06:17 PM
  #13  
gotorx7's Avatar
Thread Starter
The 7 can't lose!
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 487
Likes: 1
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Thank you all for your advice...

I'l start checking some prices out!

Cheers,
Dave

My RX-7's
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 08:20 PM
  #14  
ponykiller's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 819
Likes: 0
From: KC
I am going to order a 17# steel flywheel from mazdatrix this week. I am running a hybrid turbo, so I want to be very sure it will not shatter from the extra power. What clutch are you using? I get the impression that with an aluminum flywheel you must slip the clutch a lot more to get moving from a stop, so consider getting a really tough clutch (ACT heavy duty) to go with an aluminum flywheel.

Kris
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2002 | 09:00 PM
  #15  
live4boost's Avatar
AKA ShepFC3
Tenured Member: 25 Years
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 743
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City, UT
I like my 18lb one. Ive never driven anything less so I don't know the difference. But it is very streetable and I would recommend it.
Reply
Old Mar 16, 2002 | 07:56 AM
  #16  
gotorx7's Avatar
Thread Starter
The 7 can't lose!
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 487
Likes: 1
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Originally posted by ponykiller
I am going to order a 17# steel flywheel from mazdatrix this week. I am running a hybrid turbo, so I want to be very sure it will not shatter from the extra power. What clutch are you using? I get the impression that with an aluminum flywheel you must slip the clutch a lot more to get moving from a stop, so consider getting a really tough clutch (ACT heavy duty) to go with an aluminum flywheel.

Kris
I haven't decided on which clutch I'll use yet ...
I was thinking of having my own clutch rebuilt with heavier springs, etc...

Thanks for the advice!

Cheers,
Dave
Reply
Old Mar 18, 2002 | 09:57 AM
  #17  
Grimlock's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 628
Likes: 0
From: Miami, Fl.
the night and day difference

is for TII's.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
LongDuck
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
12
Oct 7, 2015 08:12 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:00 PM.