F1's KA Flywheel from eBay.

[eazye2000]

Disclaimer: As with any other post replied to, or created by myself...Please don't judge on grammar or choice of words. I'm a High School graduate from Florida.(they couldn't even teach us how to vote right).....

Ok, so I've seen a few posts about eBay's 'junk' clutches and flywheels... About everyone saying it's good, it's bad, it's ok for the money, etc. yadda yadda..... Whether it's the XTD, XTR, F1, Gripforce, whatever. So I figured I would buy the one that I thought 'could' work the best for everyone and do a little writeup with pictures! (c'mon, you all know we love pictures!) And the one I picked was F1's Prolite chromoly 12 pound flywheel.

First reason I considered it was because it has a full faced friction side. Compared to other brand flywheels, there is only the 'factory sized' friction surface which I think is 225mm. This one has just a somewhat 'unlimited' surface size. With the possibility of maybe bolting on a larger pressure plate/clutch setup..? I don't know. That's why I got this one...

Second, why not? There seems to be big controversy out there about non name brand companies trying to make a buck off booming markets. Well, turbocharging the KA isn't really a 'fad' or an 'original' thing anymore. AND PLEASE don't think I'm comparing no-name company crap to AMS when I say this. But AMS just kind of, out of the blue, started offering 240sx stuff outta nowhere. Granted they had the money, time, and patience to test their stuff.... I'll keep it at that so this thread doesn't get off topic like others...*cough*And third, I'm bored, unemployed, and I came into a bit of money and thought this would/could be beneficial to the community. Something else to add. When I called the company directly to order this flywheel, I actually talked to them for quite a while. I asked them if it was comparable to other name brand flywheels and all that jazz. I also asked them if it could/would be capable of something like the RB20DET flywheel with the 350z clutch to make a super-setup. They said they didn't know, but could manufacture/machine one to my specs that would bold up, and have the same starter ring as the KA's flywheel...But machine/drill it to accept a 350z clutch package. So that was kind of a plus to me that they even offered that option.

Another side note. Per my scales astronomical calculations:Stock Flywheel = 20.5 lbs F1 Flywheel = 14 lbs

So here is the part you were waiting for, the pictures!

Fresh out of the shipping box!

WTF, Taiwan?! LoL

Surprisingly, it was packaged pretty good.

Engine Side

Clutch Side

Stock KA24DE Flywheel weighing up

F1's "12lb" Flywheel that's really 14lbs

*edit* Yes, my wife did get pissed that I weighed my 'car parts' on her "Bed Bath and Beyond digital scale with Body Mass Index electrodes". Almost as mad as when she came home and found all the nuts, bolts, brackets, and timing chain covers in the dishwasher....

[WBY]

I'm curious, at the beginning of your post you say that they advertised it as a 12lb. flywheel and yet when you weighed it, its actually 14lbs? If thats true that its actually 14lbs. then how do they get away with advertising it at 12lbs? Anyways, let us know if you notice any difference after installing it!

[crzycav86]

they could probably blame it on scale calibration and stuff.

i think what you should have done was weighed yourself, and then weighed yourself again holding the flywheel, and then considered the difference of the two to be the weight of the flywheel.

i think the scales are calibrated to be more accurate at weights closer to that of a person.

[babowc]

i suppose one problm with that sort of design would be that you'd have to shave it if anything went wrong.. but with others.. you can just unbolt and buy new friction plates/surface plates.

anyways, tell us how this goes!when are you planning on installing this?

[eazye2000]

they could probably blame it on scale calibration and stuff.

i think what you should have done was weighed yourself, and then weighed yourself again holding the flywheel, and then considered the difference of the two to be the weight of the flywheel.

i think the scales are calibrated to be more accurate at weights closer to that of a person.

That's what I'm going to do with the both of them when I get home today. I gotta head to my part time job at the theater on base right now, though. I'll stand on the scale holding the flywheels and measure the difference.

I plan on having all this installed by the end of the month. I got a few other things I'm trying to document as well right now, but I'll try to pay attention to detail the best I can. I'm still deciding on a clutch right now, but the Competition Clutch, Stage 4, that AMS offers is looking like it's gonna be the ticket for the amount of torque I plan on making.

Thanks for the support!

[daconkiftador]

awesome, when do you think you'l have it installed?

[babowc]

^ reading skills > you !

haha he said end of this month.btw.. what wheels are those?

[WDRacing]

Personally I'm glad you went with the F1. Although I like the replaceable friction plates, the full surface will work just as good but require a machine shop when you swap out the clutch friction disk in however many miles.

Make sure you take that to a machine shop and have it checked out and balanced. With that done it should be as good as any stock unit.

Don't be afraid of the Made in Taiwan sticker either. The US has been outsourcing to 3rd world countries since Vietnam. You don't see people not buying Nikes because a bunch of old ladies in a sweat shop made them.

Over half of the steel purchased and used in the united states is shipped in from China. They could cripple us with a trade embargo...lol.

For the record, we had a member build his own clutch friction plates out of skill saw blades and they worked fine. That was about 3-4 years ago, I'll see if I can find a link.

WD

[babowc]

FYI...i just saw my K1 Rods from AMS..they're made in china, loli was surprised.

[s13rb25det]

I just got my f1 flywheel also. it looks pretty nice I will let you guys know how it drives when I get my motor put back together. right now I am taking the whole rotating assembly to be balanced.

[eazye2000]

I just got my f1 flywheel also. it looks pretty nice I will let you guys know how it drives when I get my motor put back together. right now I am taking the whole rotating assembly to be balanced.

I'm doing the same thing this week. I gotta drive almost an hour to and from the place.

And I also confirmed the weights on both the F1, and the stock unit.At home: Weighed myself and put a few things in my pockets to get exactly 230 pounds. Stock Flywheel=251 which is 21 pounds. F1=244 which is 14 pounds. If that doesn't suffice for people, I'll take them down to the post office on base and have them weighed. Or to the shipping dock at the clinic..

[WDRacing]

What would be better would be the Base Hospital...just drag both of them in a wheelbarrow and just help yourself to one of the scales...LOL. Make sure you get pics though!!!

WD

[eazye2000]

Heck yeah! I worked there for a little over a year. I'm still friends with the BMET there so that's no problem. I could do a little overkill and have my wife get the forklift out of the dock!And get on AIM WD, ya bastage....!

[Edub1]

Could someone please explain the different surfaces you guys are talking about. I only know of one type of flywheel surface - the one pictured.

[babowc]

that version has a replace-able faceplate/surface plate.

[Edub1]

Thanks, for what those cost a replacable surface is a must.

Personally, I'd put my money into other things. One thing that should be kept in mind is that rotational force increases a lot as the mass is moved away from center and decreases near the center. So the only real benefit is if the mass is removed from the outer edge. Removing it from the center doesn't do much.

Just my 2 cents.

[eazye2000]

Edub1, the one you are talking about is like the XTD Flywheel? Here's a pic of it.And this is no way directed negatively towards anyone. But this is how I look at it.Like the F1 and XTD, they are cheap. About 190 shipped. and you can resurface them 2-3 times. Fidanza cost 300 shipped and the replaceable plate is about 60-70 bux each time you replace it. Generic Flywheel Cost- 190 +20(resurface) +20(resurface) +20(resurface).Fidanza Flyswheel Cost-300 +60(new plate) +60(new plate) +60(new plate).Generic Flywheel after 4 Clutch Jobs=250Fidanza Flywheel after 4 Clutch Jobs=480

[Edub1]

Stock flywheel after one job = $20 FTW!

If the clutch setup uses more surface area it might justify the cost. Other than that, I'd go for one that takes the weight off the outer circumfrence like that one you show.

I'm just pointing out that that's where it matters - taking from the center doesn't do squat.

[WDRacing]

Stock flywheel after one job = $20 FTW!

If the clutch setup uses more surface area it might justify the cost. Other than that, I'd go for one that takes the weight off the outer circumfrence like that one you show.

I'm just pointing out that that's where it matters - taking from the center doesn't do squat.

Umm...actually you're wrong. I assume you're just saying this incorretly. Removing weight from the outside of the FW is better then the inside, but lightening the FW at all WILL make a difference. Also, the difference between the two on a dyno will be VERY hard to see. You're acting like its a huge gap between the two. I just want to clear things up for the noobs who are going to read this.

WD

[Edub1]

Umm...actually you're wrong. I assume you're just saying this incorretly. Removing weight from the outside of the FW is better then the inside, but lightening the FW at all WILL make a difference. Also, the difference between the two on a dyno will be VERY hard to see. You're acting like its a huge gap between the two. I just want to clear things up for the noobs who are going to read this.

WD

No, I'm saying the oposite. I don't think there will be much difference between any two wheels but if one must buy a lighter wheel it is better to buy one that takes weight from the outer edge than from the center. The physics of rotating mass show a monumental difference based on how far the mass is from the axis of rotation.

Spin a 6" metal disk that weighs 2lbs and you can stop it easily with your hand. Then spin a 2lb bike wheel at the same speed and grab the tire - plan on a broken hand.

Of course a flywheel isn't that dramatic but you get the idea.

[s13rb25det]

I just weighed my flywheel also it does weigh 14lbs and not 12 like advertised.

[eazye2000]

Ok, a semi-update:

I took my crank, underdrive pulley, and F1 Flywheel to the machine shop to be checked out for balance. They are checking the Flywheel for flatness as well. Measurements are expected to be given to me. The crank was already balanced, but I'm having everything checked out again for the sake of this writeup. Should be done by the middle of the week, and I will keep everything updated as well as I can.

*edit*Flywheel came back straight, and already zero'd out.
Modified by eazye2000 at 1:34 PM 2/21/2007

[eazye2000]

*Another Update*

The guys that own the eBay stores, 'Gripforce-Clutches' and 'Gripforce-Brakes' hooked me up with another deal to try out for the Nico guys. They are the ones on eBay that offer the 'F1' Flywheels and clutches. I called them up today after getting their flywheel and told them my power goals for 400hp/400ftlb. They told me that their 'Stage 3' setup is only good for a little over 300ft lbs, and probably wouldn't work. They didn't beat around the bush or anything of the sort, and told me the straight facts about their products. They also said they get their stuff from the same manufacturer as ACT. Which is why they DO offer some of ACT's line of products I guess.

So after talking with them for a bit again, we came up with this:-ACT's Extreme Duty Pressure Plate. Good for 426 Ft Lbs of torque. -Carbon Metallic Segmented Disc. (Looks like a street disc, but has 2 types of friction material on it. Sprung as well)

I was going to go with 'their' 6 puck sprung clutch, but it was on backorder and would be available Friday. But I wanted everything here by Friday, so I got the Carbon Metallic one for only 20$ more. Supposedly the CM one offers a bit better drive ability than the 6-puck as well.

Right now, I'm trying to get them in touch with WD to see if they would be interested in being a sponsor of Nico. They do sell on eBay, but wouldn't you if you had basically no overhead and could sling tons of quality parts all day long?

Here is some of their contact information:

Speed Solution International, Inc.1350 W. Lambert Rd. #BBrea, CA 92821Business Hours: 9AM - 6PM (PST) Mon~SatPhone : (562) 905-3233, Fax : (562) 905-3238e-mail: [email protected]

EBay Stores:http://stores.ebay.com/Gripforce-Brakes ... e-clutches

*FYI* Speed Solution International is NOT a NICO Sponsor as of now. Buying anything from them is at your own risk. If everything works out nicely, I'm trying to get them in contact with WD for sponsorship of the site.
Modified by eazye2000 at 2:10 PM 2/22/2007

[eazye2000]

Expect more information by the end of the weekend! Everything should be in today, and put in the car by the end of the weekend! I tried to keep my 'end of the month' goal, so bare with me!

[jc9up]

thanks for the info, was looking for a reasonable flywheel...let us know how it all works out!

[eazye2000]

Ok, work got canceled for tonight, so here are some pics of what came in today!-ACT Extreme Pressure plate good for 426 Ft Lbs of Torque.-Carbon Metalic clutch disc. Should offer a bit better streetability than a 4-6 puck.-Throwout bearing, pilot bushing, and not shown is the alignment tool because my kid ran off with it.

I'm going to try and get things together tonight and at least in the car this weekend. By next weekend, it should be up and running!

[BoostFab]

i'm going to be testing out the xtd stage 3 on my boosted hadbody, we'll see how it turn out.

[eazye2000]

Yes! Please let us know how it turns out! That was my original choice, but I'm shooting for 400+ ft lbs. If we can get some good information and actual 'users' of these clutches, that would be awesome. All we seem to hear about "XTD" and all the other odd-balls is what people 'have heard' or 'seen' but never actually experienced themselves.

SHARE my minions, SHARE !!

[Reno]

bump

[eazye2000]

Ok, ok. I've gotten a few e-mails on this subject, so I might as well post on it.

The car is running with the stock ECU, SAFC-II, and my AEM Wideband. I've got it down to the best I can right now, and she's still being broke in with a total of 10 miles on her. Engine was totally gone through and everything beefed up, etc etc.As far as the clutch/flywheel goes, it feels very snappy/strong. I've not been able to get on it that much, but anything over 1/3 - 1/2 throttle will break the tires loose. Same setup as before, but with lower compression and everything now. The car in general seems more responsive with the underdrive/lightened crank pulley and the flywheel along with the whole rotating assembly that got balanced.

I hope you guys can make heads and/or tails of this, but it's late and I'll think of some brilliant s*** for you guys tomorrow.. hah