FORD RACING FLYWHEEL

[calcoral]

who made the ford racing flywheel for a fe i cant remember? and does anyone know how much can be removed safely and still be useable? i am pretty sure it will be scarred up after shredding my clutch but i havent got it out yet...thanks lee

[pbf777]

     There were a couple of different vendors but McLeod was one.

     To the best of my knowledge there is nor ever really has been a specification for "how much can one remove 'safely' from  a flywheel"; rather the O.E. always said: "If the surface is damaged beyond usability, replace it!; and in the aftermarket not really being aware of the application or environment generally just remain mute.  This makes it the judgement call by the new 'project engineer'........YOU!, with perhaps some comment provided by a if knowledgeable machine shop contracted for the service.   

     Scott.

[frnkeore]

If it got knocked around pretty good, I would first have it magnafluxed (MPI) , before making any decisions of what to do with it.

[pbf777]

I would first have it magnafluxed (MPI)........

     Mannnnn, if you're gonna look that closely save the time & money and just toss-it!   

     I don't disagree with the idea, and probably is the right thing to do, but might just prove an exercise of futility as cracks that would require magnafluxing to spot, if these really were a make or break on whether to reuse or not, with the heat and the smudging of the surface material often these may be hidden below the surface, hence one reason the O.E. just says "toss-it".  After grinding won't work either as the grinding stone pushes the surface material, more efficient at removing material but still not so unlike the friction disk does and covers over these smaller cracks.  And really the idea that minor surface cracking can be just "ground-out" and effectively returning the piece to "like-new" condition is also a fallacy, though popularly practiced.    

     Besides, they would all probably fail such an inspection anyway, and then of coarse most customers are under the impression that so long as the fissures aren't too great it'll be O.K.!   

     So again, there really is no true break-point for yeah or nay for re-usability, just common sense weighing the observation of the current condition, does it appear obviously "done-for" or not; understanding how it got to state that it is in,  does the system seem capable or are we "barking up the wrong tree"; and then of coarse direction provided by the 'project engineer'; though realize that for example myself, I have handed customers their stuff back and refused to surface it if I truly thought it was a bad idea. 

     It doesn't take witnessing to many flywheel explosions to convince one that they don't want anything to do with such an incident!   

     Scott.

[Gregwill16]

A factory FE flywheel does have a "depth mark" on them and you can also somewhat go by the bevel on the edge. But I don't remember seeing a depth mark on an aftermarket wheel though.

[rockhouse66]

A factory FE flywheel does have a "depth mark" on them and you can also somewhat go by the bevel on the edge. But I don't remember seeing a depth mark on an aftermarket wheel though.

I just had a Ford Racing flywheel resurfaced and there is no depth mark like a factory part.

[BattlestarGalactic]

We talking a steel wheel?  I would not worry much about it.  I can't see it getting that much damage to hinder its usability.

Now it is a cast wheel, pitch it without thinking.

[pbf777]

A factory FE flywheel does have a "depth mark" on them and you can also somewhat go by the bevel on the edge.

     That "bevel" is a "depth mark" set forth by the O.E. as a guide for the re-machining of the flywheel?   

     Scott.

[Gregwill16]

A factory FE flywheel does have a "depth mark" on them and you can also somewhat go by the bevel on the edge.

     That "bevel" is a "depth mark" set forth by the O.E. as a guide for the re-machining of the flywheel?   

     Scott.

🤣 smh

[pbf777]

🤣 smh

     Maybe I'm misunderstanding your intent, but that bevel I have witnessed to vary greatly in its' execution and presentation in many instances of observation, either and or both on the I.D. & O.D. of the face, and therefore really makes for a poor indicator in the grand scheme as to where one is at in the material removal, though I have heard of others referencing it over the years; though I think this falls under "wives-tales" rather than any true engineering fact.    

     Also, the only other mark I have ever seen is in some instances the flywheel face will exhibit a peen mark, but this is a result of a brinell test process, also not a true indicator aid provided by Ford Motor Co. for the purpose of a resurfacing procedure, though in instances where it is still present (and you have a depth value reference, from where?) it can aid in how far the face may have been taken down, but not a statement of how far you can safely go.   

     The O.E. castings in some instances do have a stepped face, and one in the resurfacing does need to recreate this depth-value for proper execution, if all else is in duplicating the original format. 

     So help me out here, I'm always game to learn something (if that's possible), and hopefully I'm not the only one at a loss here, O'-Great-One   

     Scott.

[Gregwill16]

Lol, you can find a way to turn any post into an argument and never pass up an opportunity to be condescending. 

[calcoral]

my main concern was that the rivets would have gouged the flywheel surface too deep to machine.but after removal i see they did not. but after seeing the heat discoloration on the back of the flywheel i will be ordering a new one and new arp bolts. thanks for the reply s and sorry for not explaining my concerns correctly. also sorry for any friction this may have caused...lee         

[pbf777]

     Yes, it got hot, for sure; but this discoloration exhibited in bright steel isn't that unusual, though is definitely an indication of slippage whether intentional or not. 

     I'm not seeing the flywheel face but you said it might not be greatly damaged and if so the next investigation would be to what extent is it warped?  A straight edge laid across and feeler gauge inspection is a start as they general pose a cupped effect as a result of the pressure plate pulling the outer inertia ring rearward.  If this doesn't seem too excessive (say .025" - .030" or so, after that it needs to be a "heavy" wheel), then I will mount it in the flywheel grinder and make  a preliminary grinding effort and see how it looks for cupping, and run-out warping, and this will then provide a good indicator of just what it's going to take to clean-up, or if it would be advisable to replace.    

     Scott.

[BattlestarGalactic]

Have to agree.  It got hot, but if it is not warped badly I would entertain the thought of just grinding it.

The three areas were basically under the levers where the most force is applied.  I think that wheel is relatively thin(large undercut area in the middle) and thus it transferred the heat marks to the back side.

[2ndgear]

Something to think about. As the pic. showed the flywheel been heated up and with that it could have hard spots in it after grinding it. It could cause clutch chatter. Its like when your rotors are warped and you cut them ,the brake pedal will start to pulsesate after a shot time. That is do to hard spots on the rotors because they got to hot. That does not go away without buying new rotors.