Resurface or New Flywheel

[airy52]

Alright, so; Every shop that I have taken my stock DMFW to has said they cannot resurface it because of the way it is made or the machine or something. They said they can usually only do about 50 percent of flywheels people bring in from audis.
Info:
Audi A4 1.8t 2001.5 5spd quattro
I'm installing a stage 3 HD Southbend clutch


Should I try to resurface with a scotch brite pad, or just get a new flywheel?
I am leaning towards a new flywheel.
Which flywheel should I get? What are my options, and what is each option like?

Thanks!

[JumboBlack1.8]

Send it to southbend....they'll resurface it for you. Not all flywheel resurfacers can handle a dual mass flywheel.....but southbend has the proper machinery, and it can be done

[mike-2ptzero]

Southbend can do it. Having it done would cost you around $150 + shipping, a 15 lbs billet steel flywheel will cost you around $400 shipped.

[airy52]

What would you recommend? I have the choice of either. Ignore cost differences? In the future I see chipping suspension and exhaust a good probability.

[B5A4Kevin]

When i do my clutch (its slipped a couple times recently) I'm going southbend stage 4 with a lwfw.

[A4Quattro > all]

I'd resurface it. Unless you want a lights one, which will basically only allow you rev faster..

[Ka4]

get a light weight fw while your doing the clutch, ull probly regret it later

[djwimbo]

Personally I wouldn't use the Dual Mass, but that's of course my opinion.

Sprung disc and single mass billet steel flywheels are great. It's proven the test of time, whereas dual mass kinda sucks. NTM half the rotating mass.
My current clutch and flywheel assembly weighs less than a stock dual mass flywheel.

... 21K, 10 months, lots of abuse and 0 issues so far. I <3 my SPEC.

[airy52]

Will someone with some experience please explain to me what sets the clutch pedal release point. Like, with my stock clutch, after I pushed the clutch down 3 or so inches it was all the way disengaged. I like this. If I get a lwfw will this change the engage point? Is there a way to set the engagement point?

[andyrew]

There is no way to set the engagement point on hydraulic clutches, to my knowledge. An aftermarket stage 4 with a light weight flywheel will engage in the middle upper portion of the clutch pedal, where as the stock clutch is in the very upper portion of the clutch pedal. Takes a little getting used to, but thats where I prefer it. You can still stab the clutch in to shift gears if thats what you really like, its just a little more foot movement.

[mike-2ptzero]

Will someone with some experience please explain to me what sets the clutch pedal release point. Like, with my stock clutch, after I pushed the clutch down 3 or so inches it was all the way disengaged. I like this. If I get a lwfw will this change the engage point? Is there a way to set the engagement point?

It is set by how the pressure plate is cut and how much pre-load pressure is put on the disk by the pressure plate. The stock clutch setup puts less pre-load pressure then a aftermarket clutch like the SB setups.

The only way to change where the clutch engages is by changing the length of the slave cylinder rod or by spacing the pressure plate up from the flywheel which basically removes some pre-load.


Changing from a stock flywheel to a LWFW should not change where the clutch disengages.

[djwimbo]

It also depends on the thickness of the flywheel's friction surface.
If you machine a flywheel the overall "depth" of the pressure plate moves down, thus moving the engagement down on the pedal.

[airy52]

Thanks for the help mike that helped me understand.
Why aren't you ever on AIM anymore?
I emailed SB to ask a few questions etc etc. If I go LWFW I have to return my clutch for one that will be usable with a LWFW because I bought the DMFW one thinking I could get it resurfaced locally. Is it really worth it to get it resurfaced? Or can I do a good enough job with a scotch brite pad? The rivets on the pressure plate have put a divet in the flywheel and isn't very small.

edit: like ka4 below me said, i agree and was wondering the method people used on this, but screw it I want to do a good job.

[Ka4]

a scrotch brite pad sounds like a horrible plan. a FW should be smooth and balanced, there is no way you could make it truely flat by hand

[mike-2ptzero]

It also depends on the thickness of the flywheel's friction surface.
If you machine a flywheel the overall "depth" of the pressure plate moves down, thus moving the engagement down on the pedal.

Actually that should make it higher on the pedal. The same as the disk material wears or the pressure plate surface is cut/wears.

Thanks for the help mike that helped me understand.
Why aren't you ever on AIM anymore?
I emailed SB to ask a few questions etc etc. If I go LWFW I have to return my clutch for one that will be usable with a LWFW because I bought the DMFW one thinking I could get it resurfaced locally. Is it really worth it to get it resurfaced? Or can I do a good enough job with a scotch brite pad? The rivets on the pressure plate have put a divet in the flywheel and isn't very small.

edit: like ka4 below me said, i agree and was wondering the method people used on this, but screw it I want to do a good job.

Haven't been on much lately since I haven't been online as much as usually.

Well you can use the unsprung hub disk on a lwfw but you will notice more chatter. I am sure if you want to go with a sprung hub disk it shouldn't be a big issue getting it exchanged.


The stock flywheel can only be resurfaced a few times depending on how much needs to be taken off.