Thoughts on ONLY a non-directional refinish on a fly wheel?

[MoclovFlop]

I know what is supposed to happen when you do a clutch in terms of either getting the fly wheel resurfaced or buying a new one.

However, What are people's opinions on just doing a non-directional finish on my old flywheel? Rather than having it turned, would it be THAT bad if I just hit it real quick to remove the glazing? I need to do my clutch and rather than have it sit around while I wait for a shop to get me back the flywheel (also the fact i've heard not good things about removing material since it will cause a larger space before contact). I don't have the money to shell out for a new flywheel, so unless someone has one lying around that i could get resurfaced while i can still drive my car, what do you think? And I've heard that if you don't resurface the flywheel it'll still cause the shudder problem, but if i'm buying a snout sleeve kit anyway, would that matter?

I know this is probably a bad Idea, but it's quick and easy.

Any one drving around with a new clutch/unsurfaced fly wheel have comments?

[Legacygt_97]

Depending on the condition of the flywheel, you may be able to get away with using a disc brake hone type tool to scuff the flywheel. Hopefully the disc has not worn dow completely to the rivets, or you may be in trouble. This is not the best way to go about doing this, as you may end up with some clutch chatter/vibration on engagement. Make sure you completely break the glaze even if you have to sand it with 80 grit first and then use the hone, its key to get the new disc to be in properly. Also even if it takes a couple cans of Brakleen, complete degrease the flywheel and surrounding areas. Good Luck.

[jmgtp]

It is always best to have it resurfaced. You may be able to get away with not doing it and have no problems but the little extra cost and time is not worth the hassle of pulling things apart again should you have a problem. You also risk reduced clutch life. The machine shop I use charges $40 for a flywheel and usually takes no more than a few hours.

Regarding the removal of material causing a greater gap before clutch engagement that is a non issue, because it isn't true.

Think about it, the pressure plate bolts to the flywheel with the friction disc sandwiched between the two. Even if the flywheel was cut paper thin the spatial relationship between flywheel, clutch disc and pressure plate has not changed.

[rougeben83]

Doesn't Subaru suggest NOT to resurface the flywheel? At least for the WRX they don't... :?:

[MoclovFlop]

Yea, Subaru doesn't recommend any one resurface their flywheel, they want you to buy a new one. And you're right about the gap not making sense, i was just looking all over NASIOC and i saw someone bring that up so I thought it might be a problem. I don't know, maybe i'll just buy a light weight new one because I don't know when/if the clutch has ever been done before, and if it has: that means that there might not even be enough material left to resurface it again anyway. I was just seeing if any one had experience with just not doing it. Thanks for the input guys.

[Legacygt_97]

Here goes on the gap. The pressure plate is a giant spring. A Belleville spring is the most common type used. Think about this logically, if you take material off the flywheel, you are bringing that spring closer to full extension. The closer it gets to full extension, the less force it is able to exert. So when you take into account the type of driving most of these cars face, you wouldnt want to decrease the clamping force the pressure plate can generate.