[hvymtlmcn]

The Findanza flywheel I bought came today.
It doesn’t weigh 7 1/2# as advertised.It weighs 7#15.2 oz Not a big deal but outside of normal variations.It’s still the lightest flywheel that I’m aware of.What’s funny to me is how poorly the aluminum was milled on the profile.
I have included a couple of pictures.It has chatter and galling from the end mill all over the perimeter.The person who programmed the part made so many fundamental mistakes its hard to imagine.This part has 6 tabs each which should have a radius (rounded corners) on them.Saves weight,would be a quicker tool path and better for the end mill.Most importantly you wouldn’t cut your hands when installing the part. I can’t believe a company that has been around this long and has a good reputation farms out there parts.Especially to someone who doesn’t know how to machine,butchers the part and ruins a lot of end mills.Whatever happened to pride in the part you make.

 

[steelypip]

You should keep it around as exhibit A to the CNC classes at the local community college. I see issues myself, and I'm just a duffer looking at photos.

 

[FlatCrank]

Wow. You comfortable whether it's balanced properly?

 

[DannyTheDonk]

Looks like they let a 4 year old do some work on that.

 

[not-a-number]

Forgot to run the full depth finishing pass!

 

[hvymtlmcn]

Wow. You comfortable whether it's balanced properly?

No I’m not. I will have it balanced.There are no signs of any balancing being done.When every surface is machined it should be ok but since it looks like they used a HACK saw who knows. The good thing is I measured runout and it was very good.002” TIR.

 

[Kevin Michael]

Think they're all like that or just this one that's off? Perhaps send them photos and ask for a replacement?

 

[GDBB]

Think they're all like that or just this one that's off? Perhaps send them photos and ask for a replacement?

Nope I have a brand new one and it’s just as thrashed. Let me know if you end up doing the balancing I may send you mine to do if you’re up for it.

 

[StressCraxx]

Completely agree. That's disappointing workmanship. Before sending it off for balancing, I would polish those grotty areas simply because certain aluminum alloys and resulting stress raisers from poor machine work might come back to bite hard.

 

[hvymtlmcn]

Think they're all like that or just this one that's off? Perhaps send them photos and ask for a replacement?

I won’t be contacting Findanza.It’s better to bring it out into the shop and have a good laugh.It was a
WTF moment.I have slightly high blood pressure and
prefer not to take medication.If I were to call them they would start making stupid excuses and saying things that aren’t true.As we say here in New England I then would get wicked pissed. I would then transition to very high blood pressure.

 

[hvymtlmcn]

Completely agree. That's disappointing workmanship. Before sending it off for balancing, I would polish those grotty areas simply because certain aluminum alloys and resulting stress raisers from poor machine work might come back to bite hard.

Fortunately it’s 6061 if it was 7075 I would send it back. I will probably spend a half hour deburring the stupid thing.Next time I will just make it.It was only $299 with free shipping,so didn’t seem worth it to make it.

 

[hvymtlmcn]

Nope I have a brand new one and it’s just as thrashed. Let me know if you end up doing the balancing I may send you mine to do if you’re up for it.

Have a local balancing shop so I will post results.
It’s hard to F up balancing on a machine part but who knows.

 

[exigegus]

I bet it was done on a turning center with live tooling and the coolant wasn't aimed right. Chips piled in the corner get welded and not washed out.

Once you take it off the machine it is difficult to fix it and you probably don't see it until it is off.

No real effect on usability but ought to have been cleaned up.

 

[hvymtlmcn]

I bet it was done on a turning center with live tooling and the coolant wasn't aimed right. Chips piled in the corner get welded and not washed out.

Once you take it off the machine it is difficult to fix it and you probably don't see it until it is off.

No real effect on usability but ought to have been cleaned up.

Your probably right.It’s odd to do that machining with a small dia end.Looks like 1/4” em.As you know live tooling tends to be smaller.There are defiant signs of lack of coolant and chips piling up would explain the em digging in just before the radius starts.You get 2 thumbs up from me today.

 

[Buz]

I had the Fidanza flywheel and Fidanza clutch in my Elise. I like the quick free reving for heel and toe shifting but with just over 300whp it did not hold up. After 2500 miles I swapped for a MWR steel flywheel that is only slightly heavier but should be much more durable. If the Fidanza is almost 8 pounds the MWR is only half a pound more weight.

 

[GDBB]

I had the Fidanza flywheel and Fidanza clutch in my Elise. I like the quick free reving for heel and toe shifting but with just over 300whp it did not hold up. After 2500 miles I swapped for a MWR steel flywheel that is only slightly heavier but should be much more durable. If the Fidanza is almost 8 pounds the MWR is only half a pound more weight.

How did it not “hold up” did the friction surface wear out? What was the driving in the 2500 miles?

 

[s1elise190]

I have an Fidanza aluminum flywheel for another car. Went with Fidanza because I thought they were a high-end company, maybe THE company for aluminum flywheels.
Very disappointing.