The Ford Barn

Terry, NJ · 07-28-2022, 01:45 PM

I've done couple of flywheels my time and the longest it ever took me is about 5 hours. That was almost all set up time. I had a bad time with the chuck and the indicator. But finally when I got it set up, It only required a 5/16 hole X 5/16 deep to balance it correctly ($60 ). That's not much mass! I took about 7 lbs off of it. From 63 lbs to about 56 lbs. I tried to get most of it off the outer diameter , since that will give the best performance. Does it make a big difference? Not really! But improved performance is the culmination of many things. On it's own a lighter Flywheel can't be measured. It won't produce any HP. What it will do is unlock HP by allowing the engine to spool up faster. It doesn't produce HP, it doesn't allow the HP to be drained off trying to move all that extra weight. Heavy flywheels were a 19th century solution to all kinds of problems, Heavy fly wheels could get you to places you could not go with out them. Ships, boats, steam tractors, saw mills, Everybody used them! Today we have reduced the need for them. Rather than toting around hundereds of Lbs of cast iron, we use smaller and lighter FWs and get more effect from it.
Terry

07-28-2022, 01:45 PM	#21
Terry, NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks Co, Pa Posts: 3,740	Re: flywheel info I've done couple of flywheels my time and the longest it ever took me is about 5 hours. That was almost all set up time. I had a bad time with the chuck and the indicator. But finally when I got it set up, It only required a 5/16 hole X 5/16 deep to balance it correctly ($60 ). That's not much mass! I took about 7 lbs off of it. From 63 lbs to about 56 lbs. I tried to get most of it off the outer diameter , since that will give the best performance. Does it make a big difference? Not really! But improved performance is the culmination of many things. On it's own a lighter Flywheel can't be measured. It won't produce any HP. What it will do is unlock HP by allowing the engine to spool up faster. It doesn't produce HP, it doesn't allow the HP to be drained off trying to move all that extra weight. Heavy flywheels were a 19th century solution to all kinds of problems, Heavy fly wheels could get you to places you could not go with out them. Ships, boats, steam tractors, saw mills, Everybody used them! Today we have reduced the need for them. Rather than toting around hundereds of Lbs of cast iron, we use smaller and lighter FWs and get more effect from it. Terry