turboAWDfanatic
20+ Year Contributor
- 347
- 35
- Aug 22, 2005
-
Colorado Springs,
Colorado
I recently got burned by a shop that resurfaced a flywheel for me and messed up the step height. I asked them for measurements when they finished it and the person I was corresponding with didn't do the actual machining so they didn't have the measurements but assured me that it would be in spec. Big mistake. When I installed it in the car with my new clutch I noticed the p.plate fingers were flat rather than pointing outward a little but it's a different clutch than I was running before so I figured it wasn't a big deal. Long story short, the clutch would only disengage enough to shift at low and mid RPM, but was dragging at 4,500 RPM and I could not shift at redline. (BTW, *everything* in my clutch system is tip-top. OEM master/slave, stainless soft line, properly bled, welded clutch pedal assembly, nut welded on clutch pedal lever clevis for more adjustment, new fork/ball,etc.) I've had all of this dialed in since having big issues 12 or so years ago with heavy ACT pressure plates I was running. I actually have more than enough throw because if I adjust too far the p.plate fingers start to contact the springs on the clutch disc. I pulled everything out and took the flywheel to a local machine shop where they measured the step at .601". =O It should be somewhere in the neighborhood of .610" but I'm aiming for .612" since the SBC TZ/B clutch disc I have runs a bit on the thick side. My mistake for trusting the shop.
At this point, I believe a lot of us have read RRE's writeup on proper flywheel stepping (and/or TRE's info page). So when I took my flywheel to the local shop mentioned above, I was armed and ready with all of RRE and TRE's recommendations. As expected, the shop fumbled around with the measurement while I watched, but eventually came up with the .601" step. I spent about 20 minutes talking with them and they gave me all sorts of assurances that their machine is set up right, that they could nail the .612" step height perfectly, and that it would be dead flat across the whole surface. Well, I went and picked it up today, and as per RRE's recommendation I told them to measure it in front of me and it's .003" deeper on the inside edge of the friction surface. FUUUUUUuuuuuuu. I spent about another 20 minutes there trying to figure out what the deal is and they were telling me that the way they have to set up the machine for a stepped flywheel makes it so that the inside will always be a bit deeper and that it won't be an issue at all. I took the flywheel home but after measuring it myself I found it to be .611" on the edges and .614" in the middle and so I'm going back tomorrow to ask for a partial refund and then try and find another shop that can actually do it right.
My question is, has ANYONE found a machine shop that will actually measure with the same or similar method that RRE shows us in their tech article, listen to all the recommendations from RRE/TRE, then machine it to the proper step height flat all the way across? So far I've been getting blank stares whenever I try to bring this up and I keep getting told I shouldn't worry about it. Seems everyone wants to measure with a depth gauge right off the step itself without worrying about measuring in other spots. I fear that I'm going to go to every machine shop in town and get the same sort of response. If anyone knows of a shop in CO that can do this properly *PLEASE* let me know. I'm hesitant to throw in this flywheel the way it is and would really like to get it PROPERLY stepped first, even if it means shimming the fork more or finding a way to shim the flywheel to make up for the material taken off.
At this point, I believe a lot of us have read RRE's writeup on proper flywheel stepping (and/or TRE's info page). So when I took my flywheel to the local shop mentioned above, I was armed and ready with all of RRE and TRE's recommendations. As expected, the shop fumbled around with the measurement while I watched, but eventually came up with the .601" step. I spent about 20 minutes talking with them and they gave me all sorts of assurances that their machine is set up right, that they could nail the .612" step height perfectly, and that it would be dead flat across the whole surface. Well, I went and picked it up today, and as per RRE's recommendation I told them to measure it in front of me and it's .003" deeper on the inside edge of the friction surface. FUUUUUUuuuuuuu. I spent about another 20 minutes there trying to figure out what the deal is and they were telling me that the way they have to set up the machine for a stepped flywheel makes it so that the inside will always be a bit deeper and that it won't be an issue at all. I took the flywheel home but after measuring it myself I found it to be .611" on the edges and .614" in the middle and so I'm going back tomorrow to ask for a partial refund and then try and find another shop that can actually do it right.
My question is, has ANYONE found a machine shop that will actually measure with the same or similar method that RRE shows us in their tech article, listen to all the recommendations from RRE/TRE, then machine it to the proper step height flat all the way across? So far I've been getting blank stares whenever I try to bring this up and I keep getting told I shouldn't worry about it. Seems everyone wants to measure with a depth gauge right off the step itself without worrying about measuring in other spots. I fear that I'm going to go to every machine shop in town and get the same sort of response. If anyone knows of a shop in CO that can do this properly *PLEASE* let me know. I'm hesitant to throw in this flywheel the way it is and would really like to get it PROPERLY stepped first, even if it means shimming the fork more or finding a way to shim the flywheel to make up for the material taken off.
