What's ignorant? And it was more of a question than a statement. Notice I use the word "tends" implying that I'm not making an absolute statement. A thing with larger mass tends to be heavier. I constantly see references/implications here that the Z51 wheels are lighter than the base wheels. Just trying to understand the truth here.

:fu:

 

I thought I read that the Z51 are forged while the base are cast. So they may be lighter. I just got my Oem chrome wheels yesterday and they had each rim in a box yet taped together to make it one package. The weight of each package was 54lbs for one 19 and one 20 inch wheel with boxes. I will try and get a exact weight tomorrow of each.

 

"While the “standard” Corvette Stingray utilizes a set of new 18 x 8.5-inch front and 19 x 10-inch rear wheels, models with the Z51 Performance Package sit on 19 x 8.5-inch front and 20 x 10-inch rear forged aluminum wheels. Both sets of wheels are wrapped in a set of new Michelin Pilot Super Sport run-flat tires developed specifically for the seventh-generation Corvette to deliver comparable levels of grip than the wider tires of previous models."

Read more: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/02/...#ixzz4B2XUamUu

So Z51 wheels are forged but the base are ... ? Are there any weights available?

(BTW, gmauthority.com is almost tabloid. They have the LT1/L86 as being flex fuel)

 

Specifically..."Also if the MRC is something you may want, you'll need to order the Z51 package. I enjoy the MRC features, and also like the idea of having the Electronic Differential and Differential Cooler."

FYI-I have a 2016 Stingray non-Z51 convertible with the Twilight Blue pkg. and I believe the MRC came with that pkg.

Just sayin'....

 

Base (and Z06) wheels are cast, likely the reason the base are heavier than the larger Z51 forged.

 

Maybe, but nothing boy-racer about this one. Replaced the factory RF tires with Michiclen AS/3+ for year around performance and comfort with less road noise. The Jaguar F-Type was voted the best looking car this year but here's my top pick.

 

I expect being on a car forum that people will have more car logic than the general public. Most people would think that bigger things tend to be heavier. but people more technical might think about other factors that make something heavier. In the car world the biggest thing is material.

Look at how massive a Lamborghini aventador yet it weighs 3500 pounds because of material used.

 

So let me rephrase...

Are the wheels on the Z51 lighter than the wheels in the base C7? If so, why? Cite, please?

 

No, they're bigger and, thus, heavier. But, remember this is unsprung weight.

 

Close. The Twilight Blue Design Package (RPO ZLD) required magnetic ride (RPO FE2) but didn't actually include it. FE2 should appear on the window sticker as a separate option.

 

I don't know the weights of the two different wheels being argued about here, but it is incorrect to say what you said in bold above as an absolute.

The forging process allows production of wheels that are lighter than cast wheels because they can be both thinner and stronger at the same time. Thus, it's possible and quite common for a larger forged wheel to be significantly lighter than a smaller cast one.

 

Yes, materials make the difference with Wheels.

The Base C7 18-19 wheels are Cast Aluminum while the Z51 19-20 wheels are Forged Aluminum.
But there's other things to consider besides size and material.
The Design !
The design of Base wheels and Design of the Z51 wheels need to be considered along with material.
Cast wheels are going to be heavier than Forged wheels of the exact same size and design.
The Cast Aluminum is weaker so the wheels are made thicker in order to be strong enough.
The Z51 wheels may be bigger but being Forged they can be made thinner in certain areas and still be as strong or stronger, because of the Forged material.
Now depending on Design & Materials, the Bigger wheels can be the same weight, or Lighter, than smaller wheels.
Then.... there's the tires, which the wheels are useless without
The Base 18-19 tires have the Same overall diameter as the 19-20 tires.
So the Base tires have a larger side wall = More Rubber, more weight, added to the heavier Cast Aluminum, especially if they're Run Flats.
I have a set of Forged C6 Gumby 18-19 wheels with Mich A/S ZP tires on them and weighed them against my OEM Z51 C7 wheels/tires.
I forget now what the exact weights were but....
The 18-19 wheels/tires were Heavier

In this example, Design makes the difference with both wheels being Forged Aluminum.
I'm running 19-20 Forged Finspeed wheels with OEM Z51 Michelin tires.
Each Finspeed Front wheel/tire is 2.5 lbs lighter than the Front OEM Z51 wheel/tire.
Each Finspeed Rear wheel/tire is 3 lbs lighter than the Rear OEM Z51 wheel/tire.
YMMV

 

Yes, I knew exactly what he was doing, but I had to laugh at the "pot calling the kettle black" quality of his remark from the standpoint of 99.99% of people on the planet.

 

So, what you're saying is I could also go on a 2 month diet, lose 24 lbs and save $ 3,300.00 that I would have spent for a set of forged wheels
and we'd be around the same weight?

 

I'm a little late to the party, but here's my thoughts.

That $2,600 figure you mentioned for track prepping your car is a load of crap. For starters I just keep 15w50 in my vehicle at all times, but it isn't my daily and I live in a hot climate, so long as the car is warmed up it isn't an issue. Tadge mentions that you shouldn't daily with 15w50 because the added levels of phosphorus can cause pre mature cat failure (we're talking real long term here not just a couple years). Further more there is not need to take the cooling rings on and off, in my opinion keep them off or keep them on. I've kept mine on for the past five months, it's not going to hurt anything. A track alignment isn't needed if you're only going to track your car a couple times a year. However if you're going to do it more than that, then yeah you'll at least want some negative camber to minimize tire wear. In terms of insurance, that's up to you if you want to get a third party insurance, no matter what you drive or what "normal" insurance company you have, you're going to need a third party insurance, IF you want the car covered at the track.

However, IF you're going to do a decent amount of road course events at the track the Z51 package is WELL worth the money. The important things you're getting here are the fluid coolers, eDiff, and dry sump oil system, some nice pluses is bigger brakes and slightly better aero (but probably something a novice would never notice). I've ridden in a base C7, while it is much improved over the C6, my C7 Z51 is WORLDS better on the track than a base model. You're getting a better suspension set up with the shocks and sway bars. Another thing to consider is if you want to really get into modifying your suspension, get it without mag ride so you can swap to a very good coil over set up. That's what I did. I came from a '13 ZL1 which had GMs third gen mag ride, while being absolutely awesome on the street it was only OK on the road course. the PTM system was great when I was a novice but once you become experienced the mag ride isn't the best set up. It's a compromise between road course and street.

In summary definitely get the Z51 if you're going to road course it more than 1-2 times a year, it would cost you WAY more money to do a third party dry sump and the eDiff you couldn't transfer over.

 

Only if we tied you to the wheels and you become " Un-Sprung " weight, which is Different than regular weight

 

Don't know weight of base wheels, but I just weighed my Z51 forged chrome wheels. The front 19" weighed 24.8lbs, and the 20" rears were 27.2lbs

 

You wouldn't be the first person that wanted to do that...just ask my ex! Glad to see someone that doesn't take some things on this forum so seriously. BTW I think you'r wheels look great!

 

I spent about $2,500 on CF for my bike, which lost about 10lb's in the process, I have long joked it would have been a lot cheaper to diet.

Then I just got a Li-iron battery for it, that was another ~10# weight lost for $150

That's a lot easier than dieting...