z-maro

iTrader: (18)

I am about to pull the trigger on a Monster LT1-S but am torn on if I should go with the lightweight flywheel option. I see that many like the lightweight setups (a lot lighter than what I'm looking at) however Monster themselves recommend the regular weight flywheel which supposedly puts the MOI around the same as their stage 2 single with the lightweight flywheel option. So the LT1-S with a lightweight flywheel has an even lower MOI.

I use the car to cruise around on nice days and weekends. Not a lot of stop and go traffic but a few stop signs and all that around town. Currently on stock 3.42 rear gears but would likely go to 3.90's in an S60 when the stock 10 bolt lets go. Also have a H/C/I setup with a 226/230-113+2 cam, full build thread is here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-eps-mamo.html

The stock clutch is letting go and I'm looking to take advantage of some site sponsors 4th of july sales. I've talked to Steve at Monster and with him recommending the standard weight I'm hard pressed to sway from that since I know he knows his stuff. I also know a lot of it is personal preference, so what do you guys think, does anyone regret going lightweight, has anyone driven both?

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

I went with a McLeod RST and their lightweight steel flywheel, which I believe is around 16lbs if I remember right. And like you my car is just a street car/weekend cruiser. I love the setup, and don't have any complaints

tech@WS6store

iTrader: (2)

The rst is quite a bit lighter than the lt1 clutch assy to begin with. Quite often the with a lighter weight assy youll need to modulate the pedals more and bring revs up more during stop and go and taking off and sometimes causes low rpm issues when cruising.

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

Good to hear, I know the lt1-s isn't light compared to what a lot consider light weight on here (tilton triples, Mamo RPS...) So I am thinking it will be fine however Steve says it does have a low MOI..

That's why I don't want to go too light. On a side note, are you able to match other sponsors deals on these clutches, or are you having any 4th of July sales? PM me if you would perfer.

tech@WS6store

iTrader: (2)

Id never use a lightweight fw. Only for race only.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

Yep I hear ya. I honestly have no issues with drivability or anything. Clutch feels similar to stock, and even though the flywheel is lighter I really can't tell much difference in daily driving

joyridin'

iTrader: (1)

Personally, I think it depends on how well you can drive a stick and the weight of the car. If you have a heavy car, you are going to be feathering the clutch at every stop light. Depending on the style of clutxh, it might work well, or you will end up creating a lot of hard spots on the flywheel and massive chatter.

If your car is light, you probably won't have a lot of issues. More than one variable here thanjust the weight of the flywheel. My car is 2100 lbs with 3.70 gears. A light flywheel woks fine.

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

The mixed reviews are what make it hard to decide. HCI, what cam and rear gears are you running?

The clutch is a Monster LT1-S which is essentially a stock C7 corvette twin disk clutch as I understand it. My car is basically a full weight formula, stock 3.42 gears (will likely step up to 3.90 in the future).

tech@WS6store

iTrader: (2)

All the guys that buy alum flywheels from us i warn them about how to change your driving. Without a higher rpm for takeoff, which gears wont change, it will bog. Everyone drives different of course, but with nearly any setup its like that. that is why monster is saying to get the std weight flywheel. having that extra weight and inertia on the back its less likely to be effected by the counteractive force of the clutch trying to slow it down. THAT is what moi is about and why the reg flywheel is better. The mcleod twin drives like stock as well with a stock weight flywheel because its not all about whats spinning on the flywheel. Reg weight flywheel is the way to go for most people esp on a 3400lb car. Gear ratio doesnt matter when you are taking off from a dead stop or even barely cruising a parking lot. If you normally modulate the pedal to keep a larger cam from bucking, it can cause issues with a lightweight or alum flywheel as well. you can learn to drive around it, but what are you gaining by using it?

BALLSS

My $02 is go with Steve's advice.

FWIW I run a steel with My McLeod Twin and glad I am

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

I'll muddy this up for you some.

I'm very happy with mine. Flywheel and clutch combined around 30 lbs. now, it did take some work tuning it to drive good. I had to really work on return to idle, raise the idle speed, relearn a bit of driving technique. A lot of iterative tuning and will definitely try your patience. Eventually I got it to drive stock like. Wasn't easy. But, to me, how much it woke up the motor for raw acceleration, it was worth the hassle. For others it isn't.

With your car already being cammed it'll take some work to dial it in. But if you really don't want the hassle, then go heavier. Mainly depends on how hard you're willing to work to make it work.

Hope that helps.

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

I'm not sure on the weight on the LT1-S but I'm positive its more than 30, and I'm guessing it will also have a higher MOI than your RPS. With that it should be easier to dial in but the acceleration benefits also wouldn't be as great then. I am not a tuner however I have a lifetime tune package so cost is minimal. My tuner is well respected in the area and prefers lightweight clutches in his personal F-body and vette, so I have confidence that he could dial it in. He also mentioned liking the LT1-S and recommend against the RXT. The monster seems like the best combination of stock like manners and longevity, holding power, light(ish) weight, and price for me.

I've read through your Mamo RPS thread as well as the lightweight clutch thread. Seems like everyone that has a light weight setup has gotten used to it and loves it. I just don't want my drivibality to suffer too bad. I have a similar experience with a husqvaran te250 motorcycle. When I first got it taking off from a start was a pain from what I believe is a combination of a light clutch and tall 1st gear. I have now gotten more used to it and like how it revs up and down with a quick blip of the throttle. If all I have to do is rev a bit and slip it some more on take off that's fine with me, I just don't want to introduce bucking while cruising. Do you have any issues related to drivability when you turn the A.C. on vs with it off?


Next big subjective decision to make will be the shifter, likely MGW vs Hinson...

tech@WS6store

iTrader: (2)

The rst snd rxt are different. the rxt handles 1100 hp and rst does 800. there is a reason youd expect one to be diff from the other. just to clarify.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

4.10 gears and the cam specs are the same as the MS3 cam but with more advance

BAD ASS TA WS6

iTrader: (5)

I have a lightweight fidanza and a spec stg3. Bolt on cam only street car that makes about 420 wheel. I would not run the lightweight flywheel again. My tuner (slowhawk) basically advised against it for some of the above posted reasons. He was right

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

There might be merit to what I'm about to say, and there might not. I suspect there's a difference between clutches designed to be light from the ground up vs slapping a light flywheel on a clutch package. I can't prove that. If your tuner is as good as you say, you'll be fine. One of the light clutch threads, I detailed everything I did tuning wise to get the driveability right. I agree the MOI on the RPS is lower than the weight indicates. The weight is very center-biased. probably acts more like a 25 lb clutch/flywheel combo.

Low RPM bucking IMO has more to do with cam and gear than clutch weight. That said, the larger the cam, the more work and time it takes to really dial in the lighter clutch. Smaller cam takes less effort and time. I did not have any AC issues with it at all - until I accidentally vented by freon swapping radiators, and haven't yet replaced the cracked line. All the AC did was make it feel a little slower in the cruising range - surprise...

I run the MGW shifter, but if you do the same, I recommend modding the detent. You'll feel really notchy with the shorter throw, and softening up the detent will remove most of the notchiness. At first, I didn't like the MGW, but after I modded the detent, I'm happy with it.

Anyway, I'm not trying to force you to decide anything other than what truly works for you. I'm just trying to give as objective as possible my experience with the lighter clutch, which is that it took alot of work and time (months) to correct the driveability, but to me it was worth it.

Chris Paveglio

iTrader: (2)

I have the lightweight LT1-S on my TA. It's a nice day/autocross car. Was it harder to modulate than my stock clutch? No, not at all. Can I pull out smoothly at any stoplight? Yes. Can I modulate it easily? Yes, backing out of my driveway or into a parking spot is just fine - but here's the difference - it does hook up quicker than the stock clutch for sure, if you let it out fast. I don't feel the engine bogging down at all. The car does seem to accelerate a little bit faster when I go from 1st to 2nd - but that could just be a mind-trick. IMO I do not think there is any reason to go with a heavy flywheel. If you can drive stick well, you can handle the lightweight LT1-S.

ramairetransam

iTrader: (18)

i just did a mcleod rxt with standard steel flywheel with my new t56 magnum and i like it . My brother has a monster stage 3 i think and a lightweight flywheel and i dont like it . I mean i didnt get a chance to get used to it but i didnt like how it felt .

But after a while you will get used to it . It should shift easier at high rpm if its lighter too .

Do you have a tick master yet?

SLOW SEDAN

iTrader: (13)

I wont go back to a heavy flywheel or that POS Monster clutch. My LT1-S didn't hold up to anywhere near what it was rated for. To do it over again I would get a Mcleod RXT over the LT1-S, heck even the RST will work fine and hold more then the crappy stock clutch that Monster slaps a sticker on. We've used the RST on LSA blower setups and it hasn't missed a beat. The RXT has held solid stroker, blower and turbo power without giving up smoke.

My whole clutch assembly is lighter then the Monster flywheel and it feels much better then any of the heavier clutches I've had in the past. Car revs faster and shifts better, really no downside if you can drive worth a damn. If someone cant tune a car to run with a lightweight flywheel then they shouldn't be tuning.

68Firebird428wEFI

iTrader: (1)

That's been my experience too.

I went from a 40+ lb steel flywheel in my Pontiac 428 to a 16 lb Al and barely noticed a diff. 236/242 @.050 cam with weak idle vac. Same centerforce 11" single disc clutch in both cases. Launch at 4k rpm in autox and Optima USCA speed stop events and slip the clutch a little and after years of abuse the clutch doesn't care. Maybe the torque of the Pontiac helps, but the thing that suprised me were all of the mixed reviews about it. Glad I went lighter, engine revs faster etc.