Dynamically Balancing Clutch and Flywheel

[Butterballz]

I'm going to replace the clutch soon along with the flywheel and want to know what your take on dynamically balancing the clutch and flywheel together. I'm going to get the Toda Racing flywheel. I know they sell a kit together with a clutch for $1,350 and the clutch they use is just a Exedy stage one unit. However, theirs come dynamically balanced. I could buy the flywheel and Exedy clutch separately and save around $400 or more.

Necessary or one of those things that is nice to do but is not required. I could also get it balanced together if I can find a shop that does it. Thanks.

[wparsons]

Sounds like $400 of snake oil...

[Dr. BRZ]

Every clutch kit that comes with a flywheel is dynamically balanced :/.....

[Mr.ac]

Sounds like marketing lingo to me.
If you are going to pay $1k for a clutch kit, might as well go for a twin plate.
Then again, that's over kill if you are not boosted.

If you just want to same money you can always get the current flywheel re-surfaced.

[Butterballz]

So far I'm liking the answers since I don't want to pay for snake oil.

Originally Posted by Dr. BRZ

Every clutch kit that comes with a flywheel is dynamically balanced :/.....

But does it matter if the flywheel and clutch/pressure plate is dynamically balanced together?

Originally Posted by Mr.ac

Sounds like marketing lingo to me.
If you are going to pay $1k for a clutch kit, might as well go for a twin plate.
Then again, that's over kill if you are not boosted.

If you just want to same money you can always get the current flywheel re-surfaced.

Stock motor so no need for twin plate. Toda Racing was the lightest chromoly steel flywheel I can find. Cusco is about the same weight but costs $100 more cause Cusco tax.

[Turdinator]

I have that flywheel and an exedy clutch. I didn't balance them before installing even though I normally would. 4 of the 5 times I've had clutch and flywheels balanced in the past they needed almost no adjustment. For my previous car the flywheel bolts were known to be a little weak side so it was considered good a worthwhile thing to do. Fa20s don't seem to have that issue. I'd say its not necessary but it might be good for your piece of mind

Also when I used to get it done it would only cost me $50 so it was cheap insurance.

[Butterballz]

Originally Posted by Turdinator

I have that flywheel and an exedy clutch. I didn't balance them before installing even though I normally would. 4 of the 5 times I've had clutch and flywheels balanced in the past they needed almost no adjustment. For my previous car the flywheel bolts were known to be a little weak side so it was considered good a worthwhile thing to do. Fa20s don't seem to have that issue. I'd say its not necessary but it might be good for your piece of mind

Also when I used to get it done it would only cost me $50 so it was cheap insurance.

How do the flywheel and clutch feel in your 86? Chatter or vibrations? If you could do it again would you have balanced it?

[Turdinator]

Originally Posted by Butterballz

How do the flywheel and clutch feel in your 86? Chatter or vibrations? If you could do it again would you have balanced it?

I much prefer the feel of a light weight flywheel, there is a lot more NVH when engine braking and a little when idling wih the A/C on but other than that you probably wouldn't notice anything. I do have TRD motor and g/box mounts so if you're on stock mounts YMMV.

If I had found someone who could have done the balancing in time I would have done so before the installation but I am not worried enough to pull it out and have it done any time in the foreseeable future.

[wparsons]

The clutch and flywheel have to be separated to attach the flywheel to the engine, so even if they were perfectly balanced together, they'll shift slightly when reassembled. The clutch disc is never in the same position, so balancing it with the rest doesn't help either. The components should all be balanced on their own already.