The BimmerWorld View: upgrading for speed is the most fun but sometimes upgrading for reliability is more important. Extra power and speed comes so easily with turbo cars that it quickly becomes vitally important to upgrade other areas of the car. The DMF system does a fantastic job of providing comfort and smoothness for a modern BMW but it is still a wear item. And when subjected to increased torque under extreme conditions it can become an unnecessarily complex feature. This SMF design becomes an attractive alternative to the factory DMF when performance and reliability are the priorities.This steel flywheel upgrade for the DCT transmission in E9X M3, F10 M5, and F06/F13 M6 is a notable weight savings for improved performance and reliability. For anyone modifying, tuning, or tracking their DCT it's still just as important to consider replacing the dual-mass flywheel with a single-mass design. The Clutch Masters DCT flywheel uses a spring-loaded hub that absorbs most of the vibrations and pulses from the engine. Comfort and smoothness were as much a goal for Clutch Masters engineers as performance.
While the DCT clutch is radically different than single-discs, the dual-mass flywheel (DMF) remains a constant. A worn DMF does not just impact performance or clutch operation, it's a big safety issue as well. A DMF that breaks apart can be catastrophic to the transmission as well as dangerous to the driver and passenger. The traditional solution of swapping the complex factory DMF for a simpler single-mass flywheel (SMF) and spring-loaded clutch disc does not apply to a DCT design. The DCT clutches cannot accept spring dampers and there is no center hub anyway.
The Clutch Masters solution is to move the sprung hub of the traditional clutch to the flywheel hub. The concept is the same - absorb driveline vibrations and preserve smoothness by using heavy-duty springs but without the complexity of a dual-mass system. The flywheel can be steel or aluminum, depending on the application. Weight savings may be small to significant, depending on the original. But in all cases the dreaded DMF is eliminated and replaced with a simpler and more reliable system.
Although springs will dampen driveline vibrations, this flywheel will work best in performance, race, or track builds where performance and reliability are paramount over noise or harshness. We've had this flywheel design in our GTMore project and can say that the driveline smoothness is very good but nothing will surpass the refinement of the original DMF.
Also keep in mind that DCT clutches are not immune to abuse or extreme environments. Higher torque output and aggressive driving will add friction and heat and every clutch has its limits. During our M4 GTMore build we took a proactive approach to DCT performance and reliability by upgrading the clutches, using a Clutch Masters single-mass flywheel, opening up the thermostat, and overfilling the fluid. You can find these products under the Related Items below or
click here for our GTMore project page.
Clutch Masters DCT Flywheel features:
+ lighter weight for faster acceleration - 18lbs
+ lighter weight = less stress and complexity
+ faster shifts and no DCT programming change required
+ less chance of a full DCT failure
+ accepts the stock or upgraded DCT clutches
+ Made in the USA
BMW Fitments: 3 SeriesE90 / E91 / E92 / E93 (06-13) > M3
5 SeriesF10 / F11 (11-16) > M5 (2013-2016)
6 SeriesF12 / F13 (12-18) > M6
