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H-D Flywheels for sidehack question

5K views 40 replies 18 participants last post by  Dr. Benway 
#1 ·
Seriously Folks,

This is the only forum where I can bring this question up.

As a sidehacker, I need 'stored torque'.
In other words, heavy flywheels. Very heavy.

My S&S 4.5" wheels are far too light.
Some of you may not understand, but they are not worth burning up clutches.

T&O's are fantastic, and I have assembled my share.
But I already spent my money on these S&Ss (somewhere around 1975). And perhaps I desire more mass than even T&Os....

Machining a ring to add mass to the S&S wheels shouldn't be much of a problem, since there is plenty of room in the cases.

So here is my question:

Where can I get a piece of depleted uranium to carve a ring from?

Just askin.

Thanks in advance,

....Cotten
 
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#11 ·
Cotten,
Most of the "hot rod" guys around here use Mallory Metal to add weight to flywheels when they change them from external to internal balancing, so you might check that.
The thing is, you're gonna pay more for any heavy metal than a new set of T & O flywheels would cost. Then you have your labor making everything work. Definately not the economical way to go, but I guess if the point is "look what I did" it might be worth it.
 
#37 ·
I also was going to suggest Mallory metal . Done by drilling then reaming axial holes in the flywheels then fitting in the mallory metal (interference fit) .Balance the whole crank ,rod & piston assembly.Again material cost plus labour/ machining cost might not an ecconomical option. Worth checking out though.
Cheers R
Cotten,
Most of the "hot rod" guys around here use Mallory Metal to add weight to flywheels when they change them from external to internal balancing, so you might check that.
The thing is, you're gonna pay more for any heavy metal than a new set of T & O flywheels would cost. Then you have your labor making everything work. Definately not the economical way to go, but I guess if the point is "look what I did" it might be worth it.
 
#13 ·
Folks,

None of your suggestions are available in a 8.5" disc a half-inch thick.
(I have found no 'aluminum' of density even equal to cast iron.)

I already explained in my first post that I want more than T&Os.

There has to be some decommissioned armor somewhere in reach.

....Cotten
 
#14 ·
i hope to speak with this guy i know ,who is the head maintenance engineer over at KLM
they have big lumps of alu who are being used to made aircraft wheels ,engine parts ,pump and hydrolic parts for huge airplaines

sometimes he brings leftovers to our shop and there is a friend of us who made a custom set of engine cases and flywheels out of this material for a dragracer that he is racing for over two years now

if its suitable for a 747 and dragracing flywheels ...why shouldn't it work for your flywheels ...

i'm sure he can give me the name for this kind of aluminium they are using
 
#15 · (Edited)
Aluminum as racing flywheels, is used for the purpose of reducing rotating weight. There is no aluminum that matches the density of steel. 2021 is a very common aluminum alloy for aircraft

Re my suggestion to use tungsten, I meant in the way it is used for balancing, drill holes radially around your flywheels and install tungsten plugs.

For instance, if you drilled 20 half inch holes at a half inch deep, radially around your flywheels, both pieces, you would be removing approximately 1.25 pounds of rotating weight from the wheels. Now if you fill those holes back up with tungsten carbide, you would be adding back about 2.12 lbs. A net gain of about a pound of rotating weight.

Double the hole depth, double the increase.

Also, keeping the weight as far from rotational center line as possible, serves to further increase the gain from the added rotating weight by effectively increasing the length of the lever that the weight is applying to the fulcrum.
 
#16 · (Edited)
El Diablo and Folks,

Please understand that I am not trying to re-invent flywheels;
I am trying to fix some S&Ss that are perfect in every way, except far too puny: "Dragracing flywheels" is exactly the opposite of what a sidehack needs.

Doncha all know that?
You do now.

I must add material of extreme density and mass.
Once again, I would be surprised to find any aluminum that even approaches the common malleable cast steel in stock wheels, or even brass.
"Leadalloy" used to be a recognized material that may be the best I can do.

Turning a section from a junk wheel is of course an option,
but it would at best only bring it up to stock or T&O specs.

Sidehacks enjoy flymass, and I want as much as I can possibly bolt on.

....Cotten
Late edit:
Fearnoevo!
The crank is blueprinted, balanced (60%), and trued already.
I only intend to drill and tap it for 1/4-20 countersunk bolts to hold on the additional mass.
I cannot see spending for anything that does not exceed the density of common materials
 
#25 ·
You can buy the copper tungsten rounds we use, in several different alloys from McMaster Carr.

This is the one we use most frequently:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#tungsten-rods/=jf5cxb

We have a customer that we machine electrodes for, using the copper tungsten pretty regularly. It's density is even higher at .61 lbs per cubic inch and has the added feature of being machinable.

In the example I gave above of drilling the holes radially, it would be about $400 worth of copper tungsten.

Regarding your balance, anything you do to change the rotating weight and location of that weight is going to have an effect on your existing balance.
 
#26 ·
As long as it appears you'll go to any limits to acheive your goal, how about maching a VEE in each flywheel and shrink a steel band on the flywheel (accounting for O. D. of course) and Fill this void with mercury? Would also create a viscous dampening affect. Don't have a periodic table in front of me, but pretty sure mercury is heavier than steel by quite a bit.
 
G
#28 · (Edited by Moderator)
#30 ·
Great links FearNoEvo!

The first looks like it has a calculator tool that will be important.
It will take a while to digest them...

Which is why I am trying to keep this simple.
No doubt an "ideal" factor may not be 60. An ideal factor is a myth, anyway.
I just want to add mass in a practical manner.

Then it can be removed in a practical manner.

Balancing is "forgiving", obviously.
I would never sweat a couple of percent anyway.

....Cotten
 
#31 · (Edited)
I've never machined tungsten, but keep in mind it's radioactive (low) and very.brittle. Not to mention expensive. There are also some tungsten composites that supposedly machine like cast iron. Could not find any info on its weight. Clutches might be cheaper to replace, depending on the mileage you do.
 
#32 ·
I've never machined tungsten, but keep in mind it's radioactive (low) and very.brittle. Not to mention expensive. There are also some tungsten composites that supposedly machine like cast iron. Could not find any info on its weight. Clutches might be cheaper to replace, depending on the mileage you do.
Mallory Metal is a tungsten alloy that you can machine.
 
#35 ·
maybe drill and tap the side of your flywheels and bolt some sttel plate to the sides of them. drilling them out the same distance and depth plus machining the steel plates to have the same weight should save you on rebalancing. no?
Have you even read the thread??
Just askin'
 
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