Aluminium Flywheel

Have a look here

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. Mild steel is not recommended IIRC, something like EN8 is quite often used.

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Reply to
David Billington
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I'm making an aluminium flywheel for a friend's race car. I need to put in a steel insert for the clutch to work against. Does anyone know what grade of steel to use? A Vickers hardness test on the original steel flywheel gives a Hv of 183 (mild steel). Should I be using a steel grade thats a bit tougher? as the original seems to be mild steel will this do?

Appreciated......ttfn.....Alistair

Reply to
Alistair Ross

For many years flywheels for American cars were simple cast iron. Perhaps still are. Bruce in Bangkok (brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)

Reply to
Bruce

If your asking these kind of questions, I don't think you are qualified to make this flywheel. Your ass will be the first in line when this flywheel lets go at ???? RPM. Depending on the car, the RPM can be well in excess of

7000.
Reply to
RJ

Reply to
Salamanda

Can I thank RJ and Salamanda for their helpful comments and maybe my original posting was not clear. I was asking about the steel insert that the friction material on the clutch works against not the flywheel. The original steel flywheel was worn, and this is what caused me to ask the first question about what steel is used, as it seems to be nothing much better than mild steel. When I have a moment I will ask the guy that runs our mass spectrometer what the actual makeup of the steel is, but his initial tests seem to show mild steel

I asked this question on this group as I was tapping into the wealth of knowledge you 'guys' have. I would like to fit a steel insert that does not wear too quickly but then I do not want to fit one that glazes and slips. None of the racing boys seeem know what material is used as they just tend to drive the cars. So the simple question is/was what steel is used?

We are in the business of turbo machinery and spin Al-alloy rotor hubs all day long and have yet to have one fail.

Thanks....ttfn......Alistair

Reply to
Alistair Ross

Have a look here

formatting link
. Mild steel is not recommended IIRC, something like EN8 is quite often used.

Alistair Ross wrote:

Reply to
David Billington

This gent is obviously not an amateur.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

Reply to
Gunner

Alistair,

If it's a conventional clutch plate assy a bronze insert is used. in drag racing my Lenco's use a Torrington bearing faced into a Ti. insert sleeved by needle bearings. What type of race sanction or car is this for? I can do a little digging for you. I have tons of flywheels around the shop and the factory based (throw-out clutch friction type) all appear to be bronze if I am interpreting your question correctly. It seems you have your "A game" going for you but please be careful. The lawyers love tearing us guys to pieces when things go wrong. Trust me, been there. If I can be of any help please let me know.

Rob Fraser

Fraser Competition Engines Chicago, IL.

Reply to
RDF

Many years ago I made a flywheel for a Tojeiro formula junior I restored to autocross with. I needed to mate a full-load Ford 1600 to the modified VW transaxle (early Hewland gearbox) that the car came with. This uses a recessed style flywheel, like the original VW, but very thin. I think the original motor was a 1 liter Cosworth. I found an aluminum flywheel intended for a VW-Corvair conversion. For the center, friction surface, I just used 1/4" thick, 1020 steel plate drilled to fit the Ford. After final machining it needed to be only about 3/16" thick to fit. I used flathead allen screws countersunk into the steel surface, super Loctited, with pins in between each screw to attach it due to the low clearance requirement.

It worked fine for several years for me. The car was so low on the more modern tires that I occasionally scraped the uncovered lower section of the flywheel on the ground, digging a nice trench in the asphalt of bumpy tracks. Never bothered it one bit, I think it just flexed.

I took it to Norwalk drag strip once out of curiousity. I had NO traction with my road racing slicks, but it still ran 13 seconds flat in the 1/4 mile, but I ran out of top speed (100 mph, really geared tight) just past mid-track. I just sat there for several seconds with my foot to the floor, screaming that little Pinto motor at 7000 rpm trying to gain a few tenths.

I finished 3rd in A-Modified in the SCCA SOLO II national championships in 1973 or '74. That year I won the A-Modified class in local and regional events and set Fastest Time of Day 29 races out of 30, losing only at the Nationals. The only car that even came close to me until then was a 427 Cobra (NOT the Mustang, a real Cobra). The year after I sold it the car took first in the women's A-Modified division. Ahh, the good ol' days. I told the new owner, "Don't even think about trying to take the flywheel off".

John Tojeiro was the designer of the AC Ace, which became the foundation for the Cobra. Here is some more information on Tojeiro. Somewhere on the web there are pictures of a car just like mine but I can't find them right now.

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Reply to
DT

=============== Consider flame spray

One vender is Flame Spray, Inc. located at 4674 Alvarado Canyon Road in San Diego 619-283-2007. Reported that they can do cerments as well as most metals/alloys. Should be able to advise best choice for your use.

They can apply to an aluminum flywheel or build the old wheel back better than new.

Reply to
F. George McDuffee

Reply to
David Billington

I modify Tilton aluminum flywheels a dozen or so times a year to fit Lotus engines. Lately I have noticed the steel friction plate is laser or plasma cut with an unfinished edge, I guess the engine builder corrects its balance. The steel appears to be mild, it drills easy enough. Nodular iron was preferable to gray cast iron, but a little heavy.

Reply to
Stupendous Man

If nothing else, buy a new pressure plate and use the friction plate from that, cut to fit.

Reply to
Rex

Reply to
pgrey

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