Is machining/turning a flywheel bad?

[99GrandTouring]

We think my chatter might be hot spots so I'm going to pull my billet steel flywheel and have it turned.....
Is there any downisde to this like turning rotors? Every car we have ever had rotors turned in the brakes have squealed afterwards.....

Also what is average $ for turning a flwheel?

[Stickshift]

You need to get it turned if your getting a new clutch put in. Price varies, around $35.

[99GrandTouring]

Well I'm hoping the king cobra I have in there will still be ok and that there are hot spots on the flywheel causing the chatter???
I just put the new king cobra clutch and new Billet steel flywheel in almost a year ago?
Would it be bad to turn it and then use the same clutch?

[Kurgan]

I'm hesitant to turn a flywheel and re-use it anymore. At least for anything more than daily driving duties. After having my stock flywheel turned because the aluminum one that I bought was the wrong one, I ended up having clutch problems at the track while doing a burnout. The clutch lost grip with the flywheel, spun it, and fried it. I'd sooner buy a new flywheel if I ever have to resurface my aluminum flywheel.

[99GrandTouring]

Originally posted by Kurgan
I'm hesitant to turn a flywheel and re-use it anymore. At least for anything more than daily driving duties. After having my stock flywheel turned because the aluminum one that I bought was the wrong one, I ended up having clutch problems at the track while doing a burnout. The clutch lost grip with the flywheel, spun it, and fried it. I'd sooner buy a new flywheel if I ever have to resurface my aluminum flywheel.

Well the one I have is billet steel from D&D Performance?? Think it would be much different from turning the stock one?
I really can't afford a new one..

How do flywheels get hot spots anyway?

[Kurgan]

Hot spots I wouldn't really worry about too much. It's the fractures you need to watch out for. My stock flywheel had a couple of small ones, too.

[99GrandTouring]

Was your clutch chattering?
It chatters when pulling out, but it grabs/holds fine?
A couple "old timers" had said that there almost 100% for sure its hot spots on the flywheel???

[Kurgan]

After turning the flywheel, yes, I had chatter.

I'm no flywheel expert by far. Obviously hot spots are a concern because it can lead to cracking.

[Starkie]

It seems to me there have been a lot of problems latey with turned flywheels. I don't know if it is a flywheel problem or just poor shops doing the work. I had mine turned, and it is great. But I go to the same shop I have been using for the last 10 years and never had a problem. One time they told me the flywheel was no good, and I just bought a new one.

Starkie

[Stanman]

For what it's worth - a flywheel doesn't get turned, it gets faced. The flywheel is fixed and a grinding wheel is run over it. So you can see that it's very important for the grinding wheel to be parallel to the engine side of the flywheel.

On brake rotors the hot spots are where they will warp again after being turned if they're too thin.

If you haven't just totally smoked your clutch you should be fine facing a steel flywheel. Usually the hot spots aren't as deeply embedded into a flywheel as they are on brakes because brakes stay hot for a longer period of time.

The key is that the procedure must be done properly.

I know a guy who had a chatter on a in a new clutch in his 421 Super Duty '63 Grand Prix. When he put it on a lift to do exhaust work he had to slip it a little and after the exhaust was done the chatter was gone.

What does that mean? I dunno. You would think clutches would be a science but they seem to be more of an art.

I hope this helps a little.