light weight rims???

[91-gsx]

how much do your rim and tire combos weigh, and how much do the stock ones weigh? and did you feel a difference after you put on lighter rims? any that you can recommend to me? just thinking about lightweight rims so that i can reduce weight in the car and rotating mass.
thanks

 

[andymoraitis]

Tony,

I went from stock GSX wheels that wiegh 26 lbs. each without tires to a Sportmax 925 which weighs 19 lbs. and I really didn't feel a big difference. If anything my track sessions have gone better because of additional fuel tuning, but every little bit does help with weight. I remember reading a post by John Shepherd a while ago on NABR where he lost 12 lbs. per corner and didn't gain anything, but that could have been because he was already very light.

I'm sure it helps when you're getting the car moving, but I'm not sure if the difference is actual or more of a placebo effect. Whatever you do, don't go heavier and stick with 17" as a maximum size if you want the best acceleration.

Consider as well that my experiences relate to drag racing. The autocrossers here will likely say it makes a big difference in the way the car corners and handles and they'd be absolutely dead on.

Hope that helps,

Andy

 

[matt97gst]

I went from stock gst wheels to stock gsx wheels and I could tell it slowed me down some. No times for verification though.

 

[1LE]

I went to wheels that were a lot larger and still weighed half what the stockers did. Couldn't tell a bit of difference, maybe the extra rolling resistance ate up the difference? Dropped less weight with a lightweight flywheel and noticed a HUGE difference...

 

[wret]

Whether or not the finely tuned device in your butt that measures changes from the mods to your car detects a difference, there is. Most place the relationship of rotating mass to static mass on acceleration between 2:1 and 3:1 (one wheel site I referenced has it at an unbelievable 8:1!). If you go all out for light weight wheels you could shave around 10 lbs per wheel for an effect of 120 lbs. Try to diet that off.

Reducing unsprung weight also makes your suspension and brakes more efficient.

Hah, this is funny: When searching the net to double check my figures, I come up with some of my own quotes. I just hope all the others aren't quoting me.

 

[DSMSpyder99]

the SSR competition are the lightest rims i have seen 17x7.5 i believe were 13lbs, they are forged too. As for tires Toyo makes some decent light weight tires. The new T1R are 21lbs for 225/45/17

so you are looking at 34lbs which is not bad at all