Lightweight flywheel and new clutch

If you are going to go anywhere, better make sure your tranny can handle the load. Gear changes for the power hungry should be talked about here. Is that a LSD I see in your pocket?

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sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
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Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Lightweight flywheel and new clutch

Post by sixsracing »

I was involved in some spirited driving today and my clutch is starting to complain. I would like to install a lightweight flywheel and a Sachs kit at the same time.(soon) So, has anybody out there seen a deal on any of these items. I have searched a bit and I've got the pair down to about $300.00. Am I in the ballpark or can I do better?
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
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Calimus
Grand High PooBah
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Re: Lightweight flywheel and new clutch

Post by Calimus »

have you checked MJM (https://www.mjmautohaus.com/catalog/)? I haven't checked their prices for those items, but they are a decent parts source that I've been using for a lot of other stuff. The fact that many of their parts have free shipping doesn't hurt either.

As far as the lightened fly wheel goes, I looked into those and found that help the top end, but at the cost of some low end grunt. Not really sure what the real numbers would be, but I live in the low end for curvy roads so I'm not concerned about the extra rev's up top.
16' Challenger ScatPack
05' Yamaha FJR1300
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sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Re: Lightweight flywheel and new clutch

Post by sixsracing »

Thanks for the tip Calimus. MJM has the best price on the clutch so far. I e-mailed them about the flywheel cause there is no listing on the site.

The lightweight flywheel should not affect HP, it allows the motor to attain higher revs more quickly. So, you may go by the natural low rpm powerband but it won't change where it's located. Am I making sense?
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
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bbrown
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:44 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Location: Longview, TX or Exeter, ME

Re: Lightweight flywheel and new clutch

Post by bbrown »

I know Euro Sport has the clutch kit with the lightened fly wheel that you are speaking of. They list theirs for $300 as well (probably the same sight you are referencing). I have liked what little experience I have had with Euro Sport (I bought plugs and wires from them last summer) and their customer service is top notch. I have heard the same thing about the lightened flywheel allowing quicker revs without changing the power band. I think the price isn't bad as it comes with a lightened flywheel (8.5lbs vs the stock 12.5lbs), pressure plate, clutch Disc, trans main seal kit and alignment tool. I have looked around at Autotech and TT and they don't have the lightened flywheel and clutch kit in one package. TT has the Sachs clutch kit, but no flywheel for $125 and Auto has the same deal for $110. The savings of splitting the kit and flywheel are negligible so if you want both a lightened flywheel and clutch kit I would go with Euro Sport. Can a machine shop just take down some of the weight on the flywheel? I know some auto part stores will resurface a flywheels so long as it doesn't have cracks in it. If you could get a shop to lighten the flywheel for under say $100 it could be a good deal and then you could buy just the clutch kit from Autotech. Just rambling on I will stop now.
~Buster

1986 VW Cabriolet 1.8 5 spd.


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[(O)__(O)]
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Re: Lightweight flywheel and new clutch

Post by sixsracing »

Most machine shops won't do the flywheel lightening because you need to take down both the friction surface and the shoulder the exact same amount. Doesn't sound like a problem until you try to do it on a machine not designed to. The other way to lighten a flywheel is to make it out of something lighter to begin with like aluminum, much more preferred.
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
User avatar
bbrown
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:44 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Location: Longview, TX or Exeter, ME

Re: Lightweight flywheel and new clutch

Post by bbrown »

You have a solid point there. I believe that Euro Sport just lightens OEM fly wheels. I am guessing they have a nice CNC machine to put the fly wheels on to easily and accurately machine the flywheel down to spec. Don't know if I have seen an aluminum flywheel for our 8v's. I know they have them for the big boy VWs, but I guess they need every advantage they can get to keep up with us :mrgreen:.
~Buster

1986 VW Cabriolet 1.8 5 spd.


~__|__\__
[(O)__(O)]
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