Flywheel and Clutch

[JamesAE86]

I've just picked up a second-hand Techno Pro Spirits 4kg flywheel for the AE86, if I fit this and an upgraded clutch what will the effect be? pros and cons on a daily driver?

[firehawk]

JamesAE86 Wrote:I've just picked up a second-hand Techno Pro Spirits 4kg flywheel for the AE86, if I fit this and an upgraded clutch what will the effect be? pros and cons on a daily driver?

The engine will pick up revs like a motorcycle. We have a 4.5kg Toda flywheel in our race car and the throttle response is just something absolutely phenomenal. As a potential drawback, the car will also decelerate faster when you lift off the throttle - if done while cornering, this may cause unwanted oversteer response from the car (especially with a 2-way LSD). Also, the car will lose speed easier when going uphill, so you'll need to apply more throttle when climing the hill. Same thing with accelerating from standstill - you need to rev the car a bit more before lifting the clutch and apply more throttle when the clutch starts to bite. If you go for a metallic clutch disc, it'll bite very abruptly so you have to be quick with the throttle.

Anyway, I value the responsiveness of an engine very high and definitely think that the benefits of a lightweight flywheel outweigh (pun not intended) the drawbacks. It's just a matter of adapting to the new nature of the engine. For a daily driver the quick response may not offer much actual benefit but if you go to trackdays/driftdays, you'll most certainly notice the difference.

Edit: Whoops, the Toda FW is actually 3.7kg, heh.

[Ian - AE86]

I agree as i just said on Twincam user group...sheesh its a small world!! i have a Toda lightened flywheel too and i have had other 86 owners and enthusiats compliment the pure responsivness to the throttle that my car has...it rerally is motorbike standards rite up to the 8500rpm limit.

same goes for clutches...I have an ORC with twin plate and apart from teh rattling of the bearing with teh clutch in some people are not fond of this sound...like a motorbike too with a dry clutch actually!! it is purely a track clkutch kit and daily drivers shud really consider what clutches they want/need as u will get freaked wityh a really heavy clutch day in day out...

i on the other hand dont mind cos i have no ps and a real heavy clutch so my arms are like legs and legs are like.....well big legs from the work out i get!!

[Hen]

Light flywheels are great.

As mentioned above, response is awesome. The only downfall in a daily driver is that it is easier to stall when starting from a standstill. Only a little embarrassing, and I'm sure you'll get used to it.

As for clutches, don't go for anything silly unless the car is seeing track/drift work with lots of flat changes or clutch kicks. A heavy duty organic clutch should be fine for an NA 4A, though you may want to go for a button clutch if it's FI or you flog it mercilessly.

Hen