Am I Crazy?

[JonLGT]

Motegi does make lighter wheels ya know.

 

http://www.motegiracing.com/wheels/details.asp?wheelid=90&name=TRAKLITE%202.0%20Teflon®%20Black&pic=2312&style=2312&desc=1-piece%20forged%20alloy,%20painted%20center,%20machined%20lip&section

 

Or you could go with a different company.

[Xenonk]

I have been looking at wheels for some time now and the set that I am leaning toward is pretty heavy.

 

http://www.motegiracing.com/wheels/details.asp?parent=92&wheelid=93&name=US7%20Hyper%20Black&pic=2527&style=2527&desc=1-piece%20painted%20alloy,%20inner%20lip

 

These things weigh 29.8 lbs each (I'm looking at the 18"x7.5"). I figure this will add 40 lbs to the car over the existing stockers. So my questions are as follows...

 

1. Is adding weight at the wheels any different then say adding weight to anyplace else in the car?

2. Does it change the ride and handling characteristics of the vehicle?

3. How much (if any) quickness will I loose?

 

The Leggy is by no means a race car for me. Stage 1 will probably be the only "performance mod" I ever do to it (if I even get that far). I commute 80 mi. round trip every day with it so it's primarily a commuter. I do however frequently drive on curvy and twisty roads. Anybody have any experience or opinions?

 

1. Yes, there's a difference between sprung weight and unsprung weight

 

2. You're asking your shocks to do more work than it's really needed. Think of it this way, it's easier to handle a 8 lbs bowling ball than a 16 lbs bowling ball.. Or better yet, it's easier to bench press 100 lbs than say 300 lbs.

 

3. That's hard to measure overall because that depends on how you plan on racing your car.. but for daily driving, you're not going to worry about the weight of the car, however, you will notice that the torque response is slightly "different", the transition of lateral movement is "different". The actual measurement isn't going to be something that's leaps and bounds. It's not like you'll end up losing 2 seconds doing 0-60 mph, but you'll notice how the car doesn't feel as responsive as it used to. Most people say it's a butt-dyno thing, but at some given point, there's possibly something that measureable, how significant that measurement depends on the driving situation you are in (racing or public driving).

 

Just get better tires.

[whobaru]

Well in all honesty, I got them for looks, I liked them still do like them. Hows the ride comfortable aside of my springs and shocks need replacing they ride as smooth stockers. I dont autocross race any of that stuff. I drive to work and home or go out on the weekends. I make sprints every so often I dont have a problem stopping or making turns. Some people here wont buy lugnuts if they arent .001 grams and casted in titanium or carry the choice JDM brand of the moment to each his/her own do you if thats what you do. Dont get me wrong I love JDM & quality shit im just not as critical when it comes to making a buy I mean I am just going to A-B I keep the car clean and running good, I wont put or buy cheap rice crap on it I like things that others dont. Yes they are alot of nice wheels out there for the same cost and lots more and probley less but I dont care if its that ultra rare 5 pound wheel that the top poster deems the shit. I want to pass these on to someone on here that may like them too thats why they are priced to move. I like what I like so I got them it was these or the work Super Dupertos I saved a couple hundered bucks on these over the works the look almost identical they arent JDM hottness but they drive me to work and back the same way everyday they are on and i wont have a baby if they got curbed or bent . I havent had any problems with them at all. Some ppl got there LGT's to chase down EVO's or STi's around race tracks and autocross courses to have the most JDM car out there or what ever reason under the sun they had when they bought it I got mines becasue it was the best car for the money when I was shopping around I like to mod like the rest of the guys on here but when it comes down to it I have to live with it my name is on the title not lgt.com forum members, everyone ask opinons i did and still do all the time but when it comes down to it i will weigh the options look at the wallet and most importantly will I be happy or not? And lastly why am I selling my own personal reasons not to mention my work carp that went down. Now this is nothing against my brothers here everyone has there thing reason saying is becasue some of the comments made by some of the guys above. My thing happens to be looks and lights (Retros if your not in the loop) Hey if you decide to buy cool if you dont no hard feelings at all.

 

Holy run-on sentence bat man!

[whobaru]

If you mean putting in heavier tires in the back than the front then the answer is sort of yes. What you are doing there is basically moving the weight distribution rearward. But there are better ways of achieving that, such as moving the battery to the trunk.

 

I didn't mean the back wheels would be heavier than the front. Same heavy wheels all the way around. My question has been answered anyway, but thanks!