weight distribution (HYPOTHETICAL ONLY)

[c0reyl]

Ok. I do NOT want any bashing at all. I am here posting this because I wish to get help figuring out the weight distribution of a 1993 eclipse GSX if the motor were to be replaced with a 500 pound fully dressed motor and converted to rear wheel drive. I am not discussing anything besides the weight distribution here. I do not want to see bashings of how rear wheel drive is a retarded idea.

I have read that a 1993 stock eclipse GSX should be a F/R weight ratio of 59/41. What would happen if a 500 pound motor were dropped in and the car were converted into a rear wheel drive car? The eclipse GS weighed about 2500 pounds with a 1.8L motor. This leads me to believe that the car just converting to rear wheel drive whould shift around 500 pounds of weight to the rear. add the difference of weight in a 500 pound motor and I figure you're shifting about 270 pounds to the back which would do what? I'm not even sure if the 4g63 is actually 230 pounds or if any of my numbers were right. this is where you guys should help.

What would a rear wheel drive conversion and a 500 pound fully dressed motor swap do to the weight distribution of the car and make it weigh roughly?

 

[hubz91talontsi]

Why do you think 500lbs will be shifted to the rear?

If you were to rotate the motor and put..i dont know a r154 trans with an adapter plate it will shift weight, but not the numbers youre thinking

 

[c0reyl]

Because a front wheel drive 93 eclipse GS is 2500 pounds and an awd eclipse gsx 2L is over 3000 pounds. Where is that extra 500 pounds? The rear differential? This leads me to believe that a rear wheel drive conversion alone on an eclipse gsx would take off 500 pounds from the front end. I'm basically wondering what the rear wheel drive conversion and a 500 pound dressed dry motor swap would do to an eclipse gsx with weight distribution.

 

[hubz91talontsi]

Not all the extra weight from a awd is in the rear.. Transfercase,driveshaft.. If you were to make it rear wheel drive all that is still there.. Unless you rotate the engine. Thats the only way to actually reduce the front weight. What your saying really doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[1990AWD]

Well to start, that 1.8 is a smaller lighter engine than the 2.0, especially the turbo models. Plus turbo models normally had more options (a/c, power steering, etc.). Then the transmissions for turbo models weigh more. The transfer case, driveshaft, and rear diff for the AWD models add about 300 lbs over a turbo FWD.

Thats a lot of added weight. Can't really compare the 1.8 to a GSX in terms of weight distribution.

Now switching to a rear wheel drive layout will save you a lot of weight, especially in the front, therefore it will have a more favorable weight distribution. Most people that have switched to RWD only have for sub 9 second drag racing so there cars are stripped and built to the max so again, can't really compare it to a street-able GSX.

 

[hubz91talontsi]

Those are rotated engines.. You do not have to rotate the engine to make the car rwd. Someone sells kits around here. If he is talking about the kit then not much will be saved..

 

[c0reyl]

Well to start, that 1.8 is a smaller lighter engine than the 2.0, especially the turbo models. Plus turbo models normally had more options (a/c, power steering, etc.). Then the transmissions for turbo models weigh more. The transfer case, driveshaft, and rear diff for the AWD models add about 300 lbs over a turbo FWD.

Thats a lot of added weight. Can't really compare the 1.8 to a GSX in terms of weight distribution.

Now switching to a rear wheel drive layout will save you a lot of weight, especially in the front, therefore it will have a more favorable weight distribution. Most people that have switched to RWD only have for sub 9 second drag racing so there cars are stripped and built to the max so again, can't really compare it to a street-able GSX.

What kind of weight distribution do those 9 second RWD GSX's have front/rear %'s?

 

[ShadowRS99]

Your weight distribution would not change a lot unless you just completely took the guts from the front end of the drivetrain and found a different way to mount your tires... and there are many other option that are not being considered here, the GSX came with many other things that are added throughout the car... If I had to make an educated guess... I would say you would go from 59/41 to around 57/43...I would not estimate there to be much of a difference at all in weight distribution...

 

[bastarddsm]

This would be easy to do. You just need to calculate some moments about the wheels. You'd have to make some assumptions, but it shouldn't be hard to do at all.

 

[92EagleAWD]

The weight difference from a GS-T to a GSX is more relavant here. If you subtract the weight of the 2 cars, equally equipped, you will have the added weight of the AWD components. But your RWD transmission will add weight to the middle of the car, or more like it will add small amounts of weight to all 4 tires, but that depends on how far back you set the engine in the bay. Talking about RWD and weight distrib makes me think you wanna drift it or something.

There are some many things to consider and so many ways to shift weight you shouldnt have a problem getting it to 50/50 if that what your trying to do. Remove the crash beam, and replace the hood with carbon or glass and you already shave about 50 lbs from the front. Then remove sound deadening material go with a chromoly crossmember and control arms, delete the AC, use lighter brakes ect..... its easier than you think as long as your not worried about comfort.

 

[ThomasGSX]

If you want 50/50 weight distribution, just find out how much heavier the front half is, and then equalize that with bags of cement in the trunk. 50/50 distribution!


(forgive me, it's late, I'm at work, and I have had too many Red Bulls)