Balancing Flywheel, the mystery continues... please help!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Balancing Flywheel, the mystery continues... please help!!
Ok i am going to be changing out my 2000 FRC's clutch/flywheel assembly with the new LS7 setup. I am going to mark the location of the old flywheel, but the same issue that i could not seem to find an answer to anywhere is still unanswered after seeing the first post on the subject of transferring weights over 7 years ago.
So does anyone know the correct answer to this??
I was told by c4c5specialist on corvette mechanic to transfer the weights to keep it in balance. I started reading on here all these other things, the repair manual used to say transfer weights, but now the newer edition says not to?? People saying theyre having problems with and without weights. So what do I do? I read that people who took their new flywheel in to get balanced to the old one had to end up cutting off the balancing pieces to make it not vibrate....
OMG im confused!!!
edit: weights meaning the balancing pins in the flywheel.
Thanks!!
So does anyone know the correct answer to this??
I was told by c4c5specialist on corvette mechanic to transfer the weights to keep it in balance. I started reading on here all these other things, the repair manual used to say transfer weights, but now the newer edition says not to?? People saying theyre having problems with and without weights. So what do I do? I read that people who took their new flywheel in to get balanced to the old one had to end up cutting off the balancing pieces to make it not vibrate....
OMG im confused!!!
edit: weights meaning the balancing pins in the flywheel.
Thanks!!
Last edited by dsipos05; Oct 13, 2008 at 04:32 PM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 480
Likes: 16
From: chicago il
well well well lol...
I was so fricken confused over this also I also have a 2000 frc and have the dreaded weights added to my flywheel. Mark the position of the old assembly take it and have it checked for balance, if its close to being zero balance dont add the weights if its way out then as i understand it you should balance your new setup to match the old...
Im putting an ls7 clutch in i had my old setup checked and it was close so i just zero balanced the new ls7 setup
I was so fricken confused over this also I also have a 2000 frc and have the dreaded weights added to my flywheel. Mark the position of the old assembly take it and have it checked for balance, if its close to being zero balance dont add the weights if its way out then as i understand it you should balance your new setup to match the old...
Im putting an ls7 clutch in i had my old setup checked and it was close so i just zero balanced the new ls7 setup
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 7
From: Valencia CA
NOT a performance clutch by any means. Do your homework and make sure this is the clutch for you. Its meant for the masses (like anything else "stock") and makes leaving a stoplight an extremely easy manuever from all the weight it carries (roll off the pedal and go), but once in motion excess flywheel/clutch weight robs power as it must be accelerated along with the rest of the driveline. Your car will actually put down less power to the rear wheels where a different lighter clutch could add power and response (a lower inertia design).
Just an FYI....
Tony
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 480
Likes: 16
From: chicago il
The original post was referring to the flywheel having weight added from the factory in some early vettes making them not zero balanced. A few people have had problems when installing a zero balanced clutch... Just ask cobra4b I know the ls7 clutch is a boat anchor but, its what i could afford and with my power level it seemed like the perfect choice
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,451
Likes: 2
From: East Peoria Illinois
LS7 equals boat anchor.....reduced performance due to excessive weight and inertia losses.
NOT a performance clutch by any means. Do your homework and make sure this is the clutch for you. Its meant for the masses (like anything else "stock") and makes leaving a stoplight an extremely easy manuever from all the weight it carries (roll off the pedal and go), but once in motion excess flywheel/clutch weight robs power as it must be accelerated along with the rest of the driveline. Your car will actually put down less power to the rear wheels where a different lighter clutch could add power and response (a lower inertia design).
Just an FYI....
Tony
NOT a performance clutch by any means. Do your homework and make sure this is the clutch for you. Its meant for the masses (like anything else "stock") and makes leaving a stoplight an extremely easy manuever from all the weight it carries (roll off the pedal and go), but once in motion excess flywheel/clutch weight robs power as it must be accelerated along with the rest of the driveline. Your car will actually put down less power to the rear wheels where a different lighter clutch could add power and response (a lower inertia design).
Just an FYI....
Tony
i wanted to say that, but didnt
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
well i already bought the ls7 clutch/flywheel and pressure plate, and i found it for such a good deal i couldnt pass it up. I was told the whole setup was already neutrally balanced from SDPC, but I just want to know if i need to transfer the balance weights from my old setup. Do the pressure plate and flywheel need to be together to be balanced, because they came in seperate boxes?? Im really tryin to avoid taking it to get balanced...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,788
Likes: 6
From: Winchester TN
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'11
Hi dsipos05 -
I helped a friend do a clutch on his 99 - we removed the balance pins from the old flywheel and re-installed them in the new one per the manual.
We installed a LS6 clutch.
His new clutch is as smooth as silk with no vibration.
If you are using a stock-replacement clutch, I would go by the manual and re-use the balance pins in the stock locations.
best regards-
mqqn
I helped a friend do a clutch on his 99 - we removed the balance pins from the old flywheel and re-installed them in the new one per the manual.
We installed a LS6 clutch.
His new clutch is as smooth as silk with no vibration.
If you are using a stock-replacement clutch, I would go by the manual and re-use the balance pins in the stock locations.
best regards-
mqqn
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 361
Likes: 1
From: Montara Ca
When I installed my LS-7 setup I went through the same dilemma, I took the FW/PP assy to a C5 knowledgeable machinist, his opinion was the LS-7 was zero ballanced from the factory as was the motor’s rotating assy and did not need balancing. 
Reluctantly I proceeded with my install. My old flywheel had at least one balancing pin it but I did NOT transfer it to the new LS-7 setup. I may have been one of the lucky one’s as the new LS-7 setup spins smooth as silk, absolutely no vibration at all. That was almost 2 years /50K mile ago and still all is well. I still think it would be prudent to have the LS-7 FW/PP checked for zero balance and would NOT transfer the old balancing pin’s to the new assy once I knew it was true. JMHO
Good luck
Reluctantly I proceeded with my install. My old flywheel had at least one balancing pin it but I did NOT transfer it to the new LS-7 setup. I may have been one of the lucky one’s as the new LS-7 setup spins smooth as silk, absolutely no vibration at all. That was almost 2 years /50K mile ago and still all is well. I still think it would be prudent to have the LS-7 FW/PP checked for zero balance and would NOT transfer the old balancing pin’s to the new assy once I knew it was true. JMHO
Good luck
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 25
From: STL Mo
well i already bought the ls7 clutch/flywheel and pressure plate, and i found it for such a good deal i couldnt pass it up. I was told the whole setup was already neutrally balanced from SDPC, but I just want to know if i need to transfer the balance weights from my old setup. Do the pressure plate and flywheel need to be together to be balanced, because they came in seperate boxes?? Im really tryin to avoid taking it to get balanced...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
i think what im goin to do is put the balancing pins in from the old flywheel, and if it vibrates, just take out the pins. apparently i can do this without removing whole rear cradle and tranny.
But why would a new flywheel from the manufcturer not be zero balanced when they say it is? also another thing is several shops around town, including Scoggin Dickey the place i got the clutch from, said not to transfer the weights, but as u can see just from this thread alone im getting conflicting information, and I just dont know what to do!!
But why would a new flywheel from the manufcturer not be zero balanced when they say it is? also another thing is several shops around town, including Scoggin Dickey the place i got the clutch from, said not to transfer the weights, but as u can see just from this thread alone im getting conflicting information, and I just dont know what to do!!
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 17
From: Lubbock Tx
i think what im goin to do is put the balancing pins in from the old flywheel, and if it vibrates, just take out the pins. apparently i can do this without removing whole rear cradle and tranny.
But why would a new flywheel from the manufcturer not be zero balanced when they say it is? also another thing is several shops around town, including Scoggin Dickey the place i got the clutch from, said not to transfer the weights, but as u can see just from this thread alone im getting conflicting information, and I just dont know what to do!!
But why would a new flywheel from the manufcturer not be zero balanced when they say it is? also another thing is several shops around town, including Scoggin Dickey the place i got the clutch from, said not to transfer the weights, but as u can see just from this thread alone im getting conflicting information, and I just dont know what to do!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
The LS7 setup is zero balanced, and that is not the issue. Some corvette rotating assemblies were not balanced properly at the factory, and on those cars they used the flywheel pins to finish balancing the engine. When you pull off the factory setup and put on a zero balanced flywheel, the engine itself isn't balanced anymore. Make sense? The problem is that the factory setup was NOT zero balanced and you are replacing it with one that is. The best thing to do -if you suspect that your engine had an incorrect balance and was corrected with flywheel weights- is to take your old setup and the new setup both to a machine shop and have them balance the new setup just like the old setup, and install it just like the old one came off. Make sense?
i just hope theres no balancing pins in the old one and my life will be so much easier!!
Last edited by dsipos05; Oct 15, 2008 at 10:14 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 17
From: Lubbock Tx
but since im putting in a gm part that is already neutrally balanced if there are weights on the old flywheel, and I replace the balancing weights in the same location on the new flywheel, with the flywheel itself being marked and placed in the same spot as the old, arent I just doing what the shop is going to do??
i just hope theres no balancing pins in the old one and my life will be so much easier!!
i just hope theres no balancing pins in the old one and my life will be so much easier!!
Most don't have the pins, you are more likely not to have them, so good luck!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Is this Brian from Scoggin Dickey by any chance?? anyways i thank you guys for offering such good deals. I called several places around houston for the clutch kit and i got numbers twice as much as you guys are selling it for, and faster getting everything here, than it would of taken them and they are in the same town as I am. Also your customer service is 100% satisfactory, I recommend you guys to every car guy I know. Everyone else i called just didnt seem to care at all. I very much appreciate it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,278
Likes: 227
From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
I've done a bunch of LS7 clutches, there is a local here in CT 'HighRoller' he has them zero balanced at a local shop
I have also installed them out of the box
.......tranferring the wts.?? put the FW's side by side, do you see the wt. holes in the same spot.......
I have also installed them out of the box
.......tranferring the wts.?? put the FW's side by side, do you see the wt. holes in the same spot.......
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
well thats the thing i havent taken out my old one yet, its still my daily driver till this weekend... just tryin to get as prepared as possible and i really need my car after the weekend, thats why im tryin to avoid the shops...
