wheel weight v performance.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 1
From: Milford Haven Pembrokeshire
wheel weight v performance.
Anybody know of a site or article where I can read up about just how much wheel weight - or reduction via alloys, can help / improve performance ???
Regards,
Hugo
Regards,
Hugo
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Took over 100 lbs off my car by going with lightweight wheels and nylon ply tires and skinny front tires.. Got .3 better ET at the track...so, about 100 lbs rotating mass weight savings will feel like about 30 - 50 HP more power!
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,906
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From: Berlin
For straightline performance, lighter wheels and tires reduce the effective weight of your car. It is much more accurate to think of it this way than to say you gain effective power.
Anyway, they reduce your effective weight by their static weight plus the change in the moment of inertia divided by the square of their radius. In practice, this means that they effectively "weigh" 60-80% more than they would on a scale. So 100 lbs of wheels and tires might effectively take off ~180 lbs from a car. Being more precise would require knowing exactly how the weight is distributed throughout the tire and wheel.
Btw, GSC3 also has the lower rolling resistance of his front skinnies to help out. But that's only practical for a drag car.
Anyway, they reduce your effective weight by their static weight plus the change in the moment of inertia divided by the square of their radius. In practice, this means that they effectively "weigh" 60-80% more than they would on a scale. So 100 lbs of wheels and tires might effectively take off ~180 lbs from a car. Being more precise would require knowing exactly how the weight is distributed throughout the tire and wheel.
Btw, GSC3 also has the lower rolling resistance of his front skinnies to help out. But that's only practical for a drag car.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 10
From: NorCal
I'm no engineer, but I know the rules! Less unsprung weight = GOOD!
Reducing the mass of the wheel/hub/caliper/upright assembly has multiple benefits, especially on a road course car. Has to do with forces in motion, inertia, total weight, etc....
Hans
Reducing the mass of the wheel/hub/caliper/upright assembly has multiple benefits, especially on a road course car. Has to do with forces in motion, inertia, total weight, etc....
Hans
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 1
From: Milford Haven Pembrokeshire
Was thinking not only about the weight as a dead lump, but the fact that as 4 heavy items you are the proud owner of 4 gyroscopes. Any if you played with those things as a kid, you will know how hard they are to turn in certain directions when up to speed.............
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 1
From: Edinburgh
Originally Posted by aharte
For straightline performance, lighter wheels and tires reduce the effective weight of your car. It is much more accurate to think of it this way than to say you gain effective power.
Anyway, they reduce your effective weight by their static weight plus the change in the moment of inertia divided by the square of their radius. In practice, this means that they effectively "weigh" 60-80% more than they would on a scale. So 100 lbs of wheels and tires might effectively take off ~180 lbs from a car. Being more precise would require knowing exactly how the weight is distributed throughout the tire and wheel.
Anyway, they reduce your effective weight by their static weight plus the change in the moment of inertia divided by the square of their radius. In practice, this means that they effectively "weigh" 60-80% more than they would on a scale. So 100 lbs of wheels and tires might effectively take off ~180 lbs from a car. Being more precise would require knowing exactly how the weight is distributed throughout the tire and wheel.
G
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Berlin
Originally Posted by hensen1954
Was thinking not only about the weight as a dead lump, but the fact that as 4 heavy items you are the proud owner of 4 gyroscopes. Any if you played with those things as a kid, you will know how hard they are to turn in certain directions when up to speed.............
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 1
From: Milford Haven Pembrokeshire
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,254
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From: Edinburgh
Originally Posted by hensen1954
G
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Montreal Qc.
Heavier wheels will also make all of your suspension parts wear out faster. A kid at work has heavy 18" steel chromies on his Civic and he goes through a lot of end-links, sway bar bushings, steering links etc.
