Lightened ring gear, riffle drilled and star flanged axles?

[Jim Caughlin]

On the subject of flywheel weight, reducing clutch and flywheel weight and diameter made HUGE improvements in my car. I would have to think that alum torque converters would have the same effect for the auto trans guys.

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

[Ed Wright]

Jim, I have heard mixed reviews about those. I'm told by a gentleman that runs a fast hood scoop SS car they can be worth as much as a tenths. A friend with a good, conventional SS car he saw nothing, but a much lighter pocket book. Might be related to RPM range?
I can't afford the five grand I was told they cost anyway.

[james schaechter]

I think that the Benefit would be so small. It would be hard to measure. There are a lot of good cars out there without any of this stuff.That being said, I think if you keep picking away at the areas mentioned, to lighten the car in all areas you can, especially unsprung weight, it can make a difference. It can make a good car a great car! Hard to measure, but sometimes that is the difference between qualifying or not at INDY.
I can tell you that our car has been one of these efforts. We have worked over the years to lighten up things we could afford. It maybe isn't quicker or faster in good conditions, but we can move weight around better and the car is more tune able to be good even in rough track conditions. If you think you can pick one of these things and make the car fly, you will be disappointed. If you are scratching out every Hundreth to be competitive, it might be worth it.

I don't think a bracket car would be worth doing it for the cost involved.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Jim Caughlin

On the subject of flywheel weight, reducing clutch and flywheel weight and diameter made HUGE improvements in my car. I would have to think that alum torque converters would have the same effect for the auto trans guys.

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

When I ran a stick in my car 7 lbs off the flywheel was worth 2 tents.

[james schaechter]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

When I ran a stick in my car 7 lbs off the flywheel was worth 2 tents.

Wow what was the total weight before for your clutch assembly?,

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

When I ran a stick in my car 7 lbs off the flywheel was worth 2 tents.

Mike, that is a large enough radius to see something. An axle? Not so much.

[impstocker]

I use to run a 11 pound aluminum flywheel in my 4000 lb 68 Impala 396/325. All the "experts" told me I needed to run a 30 lb flywheel to get that Chevy moving. Never had a problem with light flywheel. Car never bogged, left pretty hard. The "experts" most of the time were guys who ran Automatics.
I also use rifle drilled axles, star flange too, same rear in my 65 Impala now. I felt for the little extra wht not. Just my 2 cents.

Will Lamprecht I/SA 65 Impala in progress

[james schaechter]

Originally Posted by impstocker

I use to run a 11 pound aluminum flywheel in my 4000 lb 68 Impala 396/325. All the "experts" told me I needed to run a 30 lb flywheel to get that Chevy moving. Never had a problem with light flywheel. Car never bogged, left pretty hard. The "experts" most of the time were guys who ran Automatics.
I also use rifle drilled axles, star flange too, same rear in my 65 Impala now. I felt for the little extra wht not. Just my 2 cents.

Will Lamprecht I/SA 65 Impala in progress

I agree, lighter is better as long as you have a good clutch and spend the time testing. It is easier to make the car look pretty with some flywheel weight, but once you go lighter, and figure it out, it was quicker for us. The stickshift stuff is fun and way better than the 30 years ago stuff many recall.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

Wow what was the total weight before for your clutch assembly?,

That was going from a 20 lb steel flywheel to a 13 lb aluminum with a steel face. All old school clutch stuff from Ram.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Mike, that is a large enough radius to see something. An axle? Not so much.

I put a lightened ring gear in my Dana and did not see any ET reduction. Changed the ratio at the same time so not a real good test. All of my driveline stuff is real heavy. A hold over from my stick days.