My clutch is going... by the time you read this it could already be gone...

Serisously though I need to replace my clutch and I want to go with a Lightweight flywheel while I'm at it. I need some recomendations.

-I don't want to spend over a grand if possible
-I don't want the flywheel to be really loud though, I'm worried about the chatter

Is there a specific weight I should go with to minimize chatter but still have the performance gains?

Brand recomendations weight recomendations? Also I think I'm going to go with an Exedy clutch.

Thanks for the help!

 

Mao, There are a number clutch and flywheel options on the market and it is important to get a product that you are going to be happy with long term as this isn't a job you want to do more often than required. I understand your concern relative to clatter (A.K.A. gear noise or gear lash). The only way to insure that this sound is not audible would be to use a steel flywheel. Steel units will have a greater dampening affect on the noise naturally produced by your transmission whereas Aluminum units, with their lighter weight and different harmonic resonance points will generally amplify this noise.

If you choose to go with Aluminum, for the benefits of improved MOI (moment of inertia) and increased weight savings, you will inherently have some clatter. Using a thicker (more viscous) transmission fluid can help to reduce this but in most instances the noise will not be supressed fully. Higher viscosity fluid can also affect the way the shifter feels, leading to greater notchiness.

As a point of reference these weights may provide insight to the differences in the available options (these are relative to the parts that are manufactured by SPEC). The total weight of the stock clutch assembly is 46-lbs (this is for the SAC equipped pressure plate). The stock flywheel weighs in at ~30-lbs. SPEC's steel flywheel has a weight of 27.6-lbs, and their Aluminum flywheel weighs 14.2-lbs.

Ultimately there is not a given weight threshhold that will or will not equate to gear noise. Different metals have differerent resonant frequencies and thus will allow for transmittance of sound at different points. Also, because each transmission will have slightly different tolerances there will be variance in the point that such resonance occurs. Furthermore, stiffer bushings and increased chassis rigidity (associated with the addition of chassis bracing and sway bars) will affect the way that sound is transmitted and amplified in each car.

On a positive more positive note, reduced rotational mass, relative to the driveline, will allow the car to gain and loose RPM more quickly. It will also lead to more effecient power transfer which will allow you to get more power to the ground.

Remember, the lower the MOI (of the flywheel and other drivetrain components) the greater the RPM required to produce forward motion from rest. This means that with lighter flywheels you will need to increase your RPM's when leaving from a stopped position. The increase in RPM required to pull away is minimal but it is worth mentioning because the car will "feel" different as a result of the lower mass.

I have personally used Aluminum flywheels in most of my daily driven and track cars because I like the benefits of lower mass. But I do want you to understand that lower MOI assemblies can be an acquired taste. I hope this info helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

 

I really appreciate the info this helps a lot!

 

I may have a brand new, new in box JWT clutch and flywheel for sale if you're interested. That's if the current buyer falls through. Let me know if you're interested.

 

No problem at all!

 

I ran a UR flywheel and JWT clutch for a while before going multi-plate. The UR flywheel was pretty quiet overall and well worth it. I would recommend it.

 

I love my JWT full setup

 

+1 the JWT setup works well for me.

 

I think I am going JWT theres a really good deal in the classifieds now too