Resurfacing Flywheel

[52dodge]

Whats everyone's opinion on resurfacing flywheels for new clutches,my old clutch always grabbed smoothly and never got burnt,i bought a new clutch disc and pressure plate and am not sure if what to do about the flywheel.I dont think getting it resurfaced is going to be easy cause its a fluid drive setup and the flywheel is part of the torque converter/fluid coupler.I dont see how they could do it.Can i just buff it up with Emery cloth or sandpaper or something?

[Daliant.]

If it doesn't have any stress cracks or heat marks and it was smooth before I would just clean the surface up with some 80 grit on a DA sander and slap it back together. The fluid drive takes a lot of shock load off the clutch so they usually don't see a lot of abuse.

[Dave72dt]

To do the job right, if the flywheel surface isn't as slick and smooth as the new pressure plate, it needs to be done.That will give you the longest life and smoothest operation.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Dave72dt

[52dodge]

its smooth with no heat cracks, 80 grit seems kinda aggressive and wouldn't leave it very smooth?? Idk thats why im asking lol

[52dodge]

my disc is a ten spline,does anybody make a clutch alignment tool for this? all the ones i have found are 24 and up spline

[plymouthcranbrook]

I have replaced several clutches over the years most recently on my 52 Plymouth and have never had any problems with anything. The most I've ever done is smooth it with a fine emery cloth

[Don Coatney]

To correctly re-surface a flywheel it must be ground and not turned on a lathe. The lathe cutting tool will chatter and not remove hardened hot spots that are not visible to the naked eye. Were it me I would re-surface the flywheel while you have it apart.

[Merle Coggins]

I had the "flywheel" of my Fluid Drive unit reserfaced when I redid the clutch in my truck. It wasn't to bad at all.

 

Remove the nut in the center. You'll have to flatten out the lock plate, then it should come off without too much resistance.

 

Then I found a pipe coupler that fit down in the hole, to press against the tubular shaft. I had to knotch it a bit to clear the end of the key.

 

Then I used an "H" bar puller and popped the "flywheel" plate off. It actually came off easier that I though it would.

 

I then dropped it off with the clutch. They were able to resurface it just like any other flywheel. Then set it back on and tighten the nut. Rebend up the lock plate and reinstall the FD unit. 

 

With "flywheel" removed

Edited April 21, 2013 by Merle Coggins

[Don Coatney]

Might be a good idea to flip the ring gear too. The shop that does the re-surfacing should be able to do this.

[Dave72dt]

http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/products/?product=350

universal clutch alignmnet tool. These actually don't work too bad. Access to a lathe, you can make your own. it doesn't have to have splines, just fitsnugle in both the disc and the pilot brg and have a method to pull it out after. Yes many clutches have been installed without surfacing the flywheel and will work satisfactorily. It will work best if it is surfaced. Personally, I've never enjoyed redoing what should have been done the first time. Same thing witht he throwout brg and pilot brg. The cost is negligable compared to thge time and labor to go back in.

[Dodgeb4ya]

You need to be careful that you don't wobble the FD clutch plate side to side too much as the bellows and graphite seal ring may leak later. The graphite ring seal and early style bellows seal is somewhat delicate and unsupported with out the transmission input shaft keeping everything in alignment..

The FD driven plate or clutch plate seldem ever gets any damaging wear. I just scuff the surface up with roloc discs when I do a clutch job for clutch disc braek in.

Bob.

[Daliant.]

its smooth with no heat cracks, 80 grit seems kinda aggressive and wouldn't leave it very smooth?? Idk thats why im asking lol

You want the surface a little rough to break in the new clutch.

[52dodge]

ok so some of you guys are saying the surface should be smooth as possible and some are saying a little rough to break in the new disc?

[Niel Hoback]

  The surface should be about the same as a newly turned brake drum.

[Don Coatney]

Should look like this with swirl marks still visible.

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

I'd just quick sand the FD clutch driven plate and put a new disc and pressure plate on it being it's a fluid drivecoupling  job. Regular flywheel and pressure plate job I'd always have the flywheel surfaced.