Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #67068
From: Charlie England ceengland7@gmail.com <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: flex plate
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2021 21:26:39 -0500
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Thanks for the info. I think the AL version is about 8 or 9 lbs (without the steel clutch surface). I had thought that the steel racing version was closer to 10-12 lbs; good to know the actual weight.

If memory serves, the gen2 turbo manual trans has the same dia as the flex plate & the non-turbos are smaller dia; the used one I bought certainly is smaller. Again if memory serves, Tracy is using an aluminum turbo version in the RV4 that has the 'direct' (no dampers) connection to the sun gear.

I agree that the extra flywheel weight reduces torsional resonance issues. If my flexplate gives me trouble, I may try to adapt the damper's hub/spline to the aluminum as 'direct drive'.

Charlie

On 10/20/2021 3:14 PM, David Leonard wdleonard@gmail.com wrote:
Hi Charlie,
The one I got was chromoly and weighed 22#,  I am sure an aluminum one would work as well.  The diameter of the ring and the number of teeth matched the flexplate, but it was closer to the engine by about a half inch.  I had to mill off just enough of the mating surface so that Tracy's damper plate& spline socket could fit without hitting the back of the gearbox mounting plate.   The CNC shop also reamed the bolt holes in the right place.    The last job was to mill a depression in the RD-1B mounting plate so that the starter would reach the new location of the starter teeth.  I figured a few extra pounds in the flywheel could only help smooth out the engine.  

There is one nice thing about Tracys approach to vibrational harmonics.  He designed it with ample gear lash so it seems to me that increasing the weight of the flywheel would be unlikely to worsen harmonics.  Otherwise, with a tight system I would not be as confident.  Didn't we all decide that the issue with many other PSRU's was vibrational harmonics.  Didnt the Ross, Powersport, and Eigenfelner have this problem?  I have had many problems with my early design RD-1B, but never a problem with the planetary gears themselves.

Anyway, I do recall there is a difference between some of the different flywheels between RX-7 generations but I can't recall which years the ring size matches the flexplate we use.

Dave Leonard




Do you remember what that flywheel weighs? Was it the same diameter as the flex plate, or was it smaller, like the non-turbo manual trans flywheels? Did you remove all the disk mating surface to reduce weight, or just enough to mount the damper plate?

I've got an aluminum manual trans flywheel on the shelf, but it's slightly smaller in dia than the flexplate. Wondering about weight comparisons, mounting, etc.

In more general terms, the flexplates seem to have a rather checkered past even in the car. I've got one that came off the car cracked.

Charlie

On 10/19/2021 11:15 AM, David Leonard wdleonard@gmail.com wrote:
I used one of these:
I mounted the RWS damper plate.  I had to take it to a CNC shop to take down the face and locate the mounting holes.  I also had to modify the mounting of the starter, but it was a pretty easy job.

Neil, great job on getting your gear-box into production.  We sure need it.

Dave Leonard

On Sat, Oct 16, 2021 at 3:48 PM Pam & Dave Williams padajute@idcnet.com <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wrote:

Hello James,

 

I have a stock 13b ( estimated 150 hp) with RWS equipment. I used a racing aluminum flywheel and removed the steel clutch facing. Then I resized the RWS splined hub to fit. Basically I copied RWS by making a new plate and riveting on the RWS splined hub to my new plate. Because the new plate is a smaller OD I used 6 bolts instead of 4. I used the same durometer rubber cushions.

 

Thanks,

Dave Williams

 

From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net]
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2021 6:27 PM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: flex plate

 

Dave, do you have a recommendation for a lightweight flywheel and flexplate/ damper (brand or type) for a 250hp 13b? Thanks, James Whitehurst

 

On Fri, Oct 15, 2021, 12:27 David Leonard wdleonard@gmail.com <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wrote:

But you should know that those are prone to cracking, and I had a catastrophic failure of one.  They were never designed to carry the output load of the engine, just as a way to engage the starter.  Tracey published a revision in the archives, or you can convert a manual fly wheel to work.  I suggest lightweight aftermarket versions.

 

Dave Leonard

 

On Thu, Oct 14, 2021 at 2:09 PM 12348ung@gmail.com <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wrote:

Thought so, thanks

 

From: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2021 8:06 AM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: flex plate

 

AUTOMATIC

 

On Thu, Oct 14, 2021, 4:04 PM 12348ung@gmail.com <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> wrote:

Can anyone confirm which flex plate fits the RWS redrive?  I believe it comes from a 92 model RX7. But is it from an automatic, manual or turbo model?  All are different apparently.

Thanks  Neil.



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