Flywheel Identification

Fred A

Fred A

Well-known member
How do I determine if a flathead flywheel on the ground at a swapmeet is for an 8BA or earlier? Bought one drilled for ten inch plate and was concerned that I may have the wrong one. I had both the clutch and flywheel for less than five minutes and turned them over to Mario the clutch man at the same meet. What's the most obvious difference?
 
Late model flywheel is steel, early model is cast iron and more subject to chatter if it gets a little oil on it. This is according to my friend who has been running flatheads since the 1950's.
 
Re: Flywheel Identification?

I do recall that the flywheel that I bought was slightly dished out and dark on the engine side. Was in my posession so briefly that the concern about what I may have actually given to the clutch rebuilder motivates the question. I may have an 8BA flywheel to sell. Thanks: Fred A
 
There is a way to identify a 8BA flywheel from a 59a flywheel. The diference is in the ring gear. The 8ba ring gear is 5/8" wide and the 59a is 7/8" wide. This is the measurement from the I.D. where it's pressed on the flywheel out to the tip of the teeth.
This was lifted from XiX32 from the old Fordbarn. Try it and you will see it is so
Bill
 
I've been told that the 8N/9N tractor ring gear is the same as the early ford V8 (3/4") Anyone know for sure?
 
heres the link i found

http://flatheadv8.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=191&p=1173&hilit=flywheel#p1173

flywheels.jpg
 
That quarter inch difference in the starter ring is about distinctive enough. Won't soon be forgetting that one. There is still hope that what's in the shop is a 59A, which is what I need. Thanks: Fred A
 
Note also that the crank recess is deeper on the early flywheel than on the 8BA. This places the ring gear closer to the front of the motor.

Jim
 
mfagan said:
Late model flywheel is steel, early model is cast iron and more subject to chatter if it gets a little oil on it. This is according to my friend who has been running flatheads since the 1950's.
Click to expand...

Are you saying that all 8BA flywheels are steel?
 
In and Out of Fashon Flatheads

mfagan said:
This is according to my friend who has been running flatheads since the 1950's.
Click to expand...
In the fifties the engines of choice became the Olds/Cad and then as time went on, the Chevrolet V8 slowly was favored so that by '57 the flathead was considered to be boat anchors or worse. We had a new military surplus crate flathead (59L) under the bench that we tried to sell, then give away without much luck. My dad finally lied to a guy with an F100 panel, telling him that the engine would be a good spare for his machine. This was an era when a good part of the engines and speed stuff may have been scrapped. Luckily my family didn't ever sell the house and never really cleaned out the garage so many nice pieces of early V8 treasure survives. The flathead could go out of favor again yielding to V8s of the fifties and sixties or even inline engines that were never in favor during the era. Good luck: Fred A
 
Fred, I have one of the 59 type flywheels drilled for a 10" clutch. It has been surfaced and has a good ring gear on it. Let me know if you still need one. I also carry new ring gears if needed. The pics above are correct....the 8BA flywheel is basically flat on the back side where the 59 wheel is slightly dished.
 
Thanks Ron, I missed that fact.
Still a much talked about thing though this flywheel compatibility, Or lack of.
Still stands though, use the correct one.
Martin.
 
A little more info to confirm with the resident guru's.
Don't 8ba's have the pressure plate bolt holes drilled all the way through and the 59a have blind pressure plate holes? Who knows this one.

R
 

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Ronnie said:
A little more info to confirm with the resident guru's.
Don't 8ba's have the pressure plate bolt holes drilled all the way through and the 59a have blind pressure plate holes? Who knows this one.

R
Click to expand...

Very interesting observation, which I completely overlooked. DD
 
Went and checked my pile, it's a yep, 8BA drilled through, 59A and earlier blind holes.
Damn good observation Ronnie,
Thanks,
Martin.
 
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