3.4L V6 5 Speed Manual Flywheels?

The R150F tranny is out of my '97 Taco for rebuild. Will put in a new clutch kit & OEM rear main seal before it gets shipped back. The flywheel still looks great with no cracks or hot spots but want to get it turned with stock step of approx. 0.019". Can't find a local shop to do the work so may have to either put the OEM flywheel back in after a quick clean up or use a new aftermarket flywheel. From what I have read, the LUK flywheels from Rockauto or Marlin can be hit or miss. Any personal experience with the LUK or other aftermarket V6 flywheels would be appreciated. And TIA!

 

I have used 3 LUK fly wheels no problems. On 3 different vehicles.

It has been several years quality could have gone downhill like everyplace else.Hit or miss in a fly wheel seems strange.

Just what sort of problems have you heard about??

 

Good to hear you have had good luck with them.

 

I just had my W59 manual rebuilt and new clutch put in + bearings + rear main seal + fork + pivot. I had the OEM flywheel surfaced for $75 (cheaper then any aftermarket flywheel and I know it works/fits). If your still in Brandon... then your close to Jackson and there are lots of machine shops that can do this. Just google them and then call. Its a straight forward process:

https://youtu.be/JE0lkeffI-U

 

Yep. Still in Brandon. But I can not get a recommendation out of anyone local on a machine shop. It's like a big secret as to where the auto shops/dealerships send their flywheels/brake drums/rotors to be freshened up. Would much rather have the OEM flywheel turned as it looks and works great. Will continue trying to find a good machine shop. I sure hate going into Jackson as that place is a war zone even during the day. But I do appreciate your input. Thanks!

 

I find fewer places that that will take flywheels or rotors or brake drums any more .

 

Bud, my problem here is not getting a shop to do the work. They all want and need the money. But below is an example of the level of craftmanship available here. I asked a local full time trans/diff shop to install new wheel bearings on my axles. So they cut the old bearings and keepers off with a blow torch instead of pressing or splitting them off. I was a full-time welder for years & have washed many bearings off without cutting the axle at all. This is the work of a doped up kid with a torch. And there was a similar torch cut on the other side of the axle.

 

I coulda done a better job with a hack saw.... Hell of a lot better!

What area you live in? Where's Brandon?

 

I see your point!!

 

I put in the heavier marlin flywheel and found the truck to be smoother and have better drive ability then the stock one. Smoother shifts and starting off was nicer. 120,000 miles on it and still smooth

 

I have a LUK clutch and flywheel behind a Ford 2.3 turbo with no complaints. The clutch I just pulled out of my five-lug is a LUK that was in when I got the truck five years ago and it seemed okay. Can't tell who the flywheel is from. Might also be a LUK.

Rock has four 5VZ flywheels in stock for under $75. One is LUK and one is Sachs.

 

Luk over sachs any day. Luk is a way better clutch then sachs or any other knock off. Just saying the marlin flywheel is very nice for smoothing out shifts and low end driving.

 

Sachs isn't a knock-off of anything though. What makes them inferior?

 

I work for vw and have factory Luk and sachs clutches. Same part numbers just different vendors. The Luk last was longer and hold more power on our Tdi’s before slipping. Sachs are good but the Luk are the preferred replacements so that is my experience.

 

It very much sounds like the LUK flywheel is GTG. Any perceived problem with QC must have been in the past if a real problem even existed at all. Will continue to look for a local machine shop that does good work to turn my OEM flywheel. But if that does not work out, the LUK flywheel sounds like it will work nicely for me. Appreciate all the input!

 

Yes finding any type of shop that does good work is not easy.

Any friends with a big enough lathe to turn the fly wheel?

 

Flywheels need a special grinder to resurface. They need to be bathed in cutting oil or water soluable oil while being cut.

 

Interesting over the years I have watched many flywheels being turned on just a Lathe. That worked just fine.

No wonder it is so very hard to find a shop that still will do them . I know none of the auto machine shops in my area had any of those special machines .

Unless they bought them in the last 2 years or so.

Now I can understand it is cheaper to just buy new

 

I have also helped turn several flywheels on a standard lathe setup without an oil bath and never had a problem. My job was to run the oil can while my buddy, the master machinist, operated his lathe. If I have to take a road trip to New Orleans (175 miles each way), I can get the OEM flywheel professionally turned there. Several places have the proper equipment to do it right. And they are FAST, as in drop it off in at 8 AM and pick it up after 3pm. But the chances of finding a shop in my area of MS with a sophisticated and dedicated flywheel grinder is almost certainly zero. A shop would need high volume to pay for a dedicated flywheel grinder. The LUK flywheel alternative is looking better all the time.