I'm getting a new aftermarket clutch and fw for my C5. Some people on corvette forum say the PP and FW need to be balanced as a complete assembly. I can't find a shop that will do this.

I called 3 transmission places in my area. All said that each component is balanced from the factory, and that it's not necessary to balance them. They all said they never balanced the parts before installation.

So do I need to balance? If so, can anyone point me to a shop in central or northern NJ that does this work. Thanks.

 

Its always good to balance before hand. I think I read somewhere that you should always balance a RAM? Not sure though. Its just good to bolt them togther and spin them up. Maybe just index them to get the best balance if nothing else.

 

I've always had mine balanced. Any machine shop that balances rotating assemblies should be able to do it. It costs me about $100 every time. The machinist welds on a washer for weight. No big deal really.

 

I'm having McLeod balance my new flywheel/clutch together as a unit. Several vendors I spoke to said it wasn't necessary whereas McLeod said it's a good idea. I don't want to risk any vibration whatsoever considering how big of a PITA the clutch swap is on the vette so I want it to be one install and DONE!

 

I bought a Ekoseel a couple of years ago and it was suppose to have been balanced. NOT. I took the flywheel and clutch over and had it rebalanced. Flywheel was zero but they had to add a weight to the pressure plate.

Even when I buy another, it gets balanced prior to install, Period...

 

Smart move.

 

typically on 'external" balance motors aka stock you don't have to. On "internal" balance motors yes.

A machine shop can do this. I just paid $70 to have my FW resurfaced and PP balanced "neutral" as a unit.

On replacement clutches there should be a paint dab/sticker on PP to match up to the same place the old PP was bolted to FW....but Center Force is the only aftermarket or replacement clutch I have seen do this. A stock FW is weighted on one spot and a stock PP has alignment to bolt it up that way with a paint dab.

FWIW when my car was a internal balance motor I just bolted up a replacement clutch with no issues.....internal balance motor is another thing and you should get the FW & PP neutral balanced in that case.

few pics of FW & PP balance on my last clutch install. Note the pins used in the holes on edge of FW and holes drilled in PP tabs. The paint marks in the pics are NOT lined up as they would be on install...just to show close up of where balance work was done.

 

So, you're saying if we haven't touched the internals of our motor then running without having them balanced is ok? I'm about to do a clutch install in a month or so. Probably going with a monster stage 3.

 

McLeod is doing it for me at an additional cost so I wouldn't say centerforce is the only manufacturer doing it.

 

Monsters come with a new flywheel and the assembly is balanced. Call Steve at Monster if you're in doubt though.

HTH

 

yes

had my spec stuff balanced

 

Read any specific instructions that come with your replacement clutch to see if it states any type of allignment on installation. I know CF includes has a mark and instruction insert that come with their LT1 PP...maybe others do as well but of the clutch companies I have used on LT1 (SPEC, ZOOM, RAM, AutoZone) there are no markings..

"Most" replacement clutches (PP) I have seen do not come with a marking to allign them up with a stock FW (that came on car, replacement FW don't have the mark). If the clutch you buy does, great and line it up.

The FW is what is weighted to 'external" balance a stock motor. On the LT1 it is cast into the back of the FW (about 3" raised rectangle piece).

"Ideally" a PP is neutral balance so it's position can be in any orientation (bolt holes) on a weighted 'balanced" FW for external balanced motors so it does not influence that weight.

On a 'internal" balanced motor the FW has to be "neutral" balanced and then the PP should be then neutral balanced as well. A machine shop will bolt it to the PP after it has been neutral balanced and then neutral balance the PP. Every PP I have put on my internal balanced 383 did have to have some material removed to 'zero" balance it. Not much but some (1-3 grms).

On a internal balance motor I doubt that would have been a problem. I have replaced the clutch multiple times when the motor was stock external balance with no issues on PP allignment.

Is McLeod "neutral" balanceing your PP?

The comment on "CF doing it" refers to the fact that out of the box on LT1 PP they do have a marking to line up to the stock FW (one that came on the car). McLeod, to my knowledge, does not make a LT1 PP. They do make a disc and also a "twin" disc clutch assembly. What McLeod makes for other applications I don't know weather any markings come on them. If they do than certainly install per their instructions.

 

I have an LSx motor so yes, it's internally balanced and the FW/PP is being neutral balanced.

 

I bought the LS7 Clutch kit and getting ready to have it installed.

Do I need to have it balanced or can we just go with it?

 

My Monster FW was well balanced but the PP was off by a lot. I don't know the grams but it now has 7 holes drilled on one side.

 

And they would be correct for 99% of applications

 

Bumping this back up. TSP is gonna do my motor. I asked them about balancing the clutch too, and they stated on neutral balanced motors it's not necessary. My issue is, the clutch looks new but is used and I have no reliable history on it.

So, is this something that can be done "solo" w/o the engine? Do shops have a rig to bolt the flywheel to in order to balance it?

 

absolutely. machine shops have a jig they setup and balance the assembly on. I had my mcleod and fidanza done for 75 bucks. Make sure that they balance the flywheel alone then bolt the clutch up and balance the whole thing. This will ensure your flywheel is zero balanced for your next clutch lol

 

ah neutral aka "zero" aka "internal" balanced motors absolutely need a zero balanced FW & PP....so you need to take the FW & PP to a machine shop.

stock external balance motors, in my experience, no as the weight is cast in the FW or screwed on to aftermarket FW's

 

I'm gonna do it, just wanted to be sure I didn't need a crankshaft to hang it on. I Googled a bit and found several rigs that just use a jackshaft with a belt...