Novice question: Spin balance pressure plate & flywheel?

[Dangerous Doug]

Okay, risking ridicule and inevitable good-natured ribbing...

Is is necessary to "spin balance" the combined pressure plate and flywheel? I'm getting ready to install a new pressure plate, and I'm uncertain if it needs to be balanced.

Don't want to get the whole thing into my car, fire it up, and have it shake all over the place.

On the other hand, I'm running about 340 hp with a 1968 302. The pressure plate seems like it would be symetric and balanced already.

If I do need to balance it, how do I add balance weights to it without drilling or welding (as per the McLeod instructions)?

If I get all this together, I might be able to get the engine in my car this week. (Yippee!) Of course, I'll need to wait for SB-100...

Cheers,
DD

[CHANMADD]

For best results the Flywheel Pressure plate and all the bolts should be balanced with the complete rotating assemby. Most pressure plates will come balnced to the point that it will be OK for general street and strip use. If you are trying to get all the HP out of the motor balance it all together.
John

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

Is is necessary to "spin balance" the combined pressure plate and flywheel? I'm getting ready to install a new pressure plate, and I'm uncertain if it needs to be balanced.

No. Very, very few of us balance the engine with the PP bolted on -- and even those that do don't rebalance their engine when they replace their clutch & PP.

[Dangerous Doug]

Thanks, guys. I'll sleep easier at night now...

Dangerous Doug

[Keithc8]

If you have a vibration, unbolt and turn to next bolt holes. You have three possible combinations on how it will bolt to the flywheel. When we balance the pressure plate we will bolt in all three directions to find the closes. Most pressure plates have stand inside the springs that can be drilled on from the top. We balance the flywheel and then check the pressure plate. In about 1 out of 20 installs you will have a vibration and I am normally the one that has the viration. You will probably be ok but they can be off sometimes. We stamp our pressure plates if we balance them so they will get bolted on the same way as balanced. Thanks, Keith Craft