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Thread: Does the weight of wheels matter?

  1. #1

    Default Does the weight of wheels matter?

    Hi guys,

    As per post title, does the weight of the wheels have much bearing on performance? I would suppose it does since the lighter the wheel the more 000's the price tends to have...
    Is it worth spending more money on lighter wheels?
    Cheers!

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Default

    depends if you're going to the track/drags
    lighter wheels mean less force is required to get them moving

  3. #3

    Default

    its all about unsprung weight. Less unsprung weight means the suspension works less to control the unsprung weight, effectively means your car will handle better. it also assists in helping acceleration as the rotating mass is less.

    so the key termshere you should google is 'unsprung weight ' and 'rotating mass'

  4. #4

    Default

    Wheel mass affects several things incuding unsprung weight, which means the suspension has to work harder when the wheels are heavy. It also takes hp (from the engine) to get the wheels turning and to accelerate them and it takes hp (from the brakes) to slow them down again. Lighter wheels will improve all these things. They may or may not make a measurable difference to performance, however they will almost certainly make a difference to how the car feels to the driver. It will feel more responsive and will handle bumps better. The down side is that light weight wheels have a significantly greater risk of damage, particularly from pot holes. That's why you generally only see them used at the race track.

    There's another risk that not many people consider. Mag wheels got their name from the fact that in the early days they were manufactured from magnesium which is lighter than the aluminium alloys. Some of the lightest wheels are still magnesium or an alloy of magnesium and if you have a prang and there is a fire, the magnesium will burn intensely.

    ---------- Post added at 05:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:19 PM ----------

    PS I type really slow.

    Gone to Volvo


  5. #5
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    Less weight of the car, less weight the engines power has to turn, less weight the suspension has to support and lift.
    Less weight = everything works more efficiently.

    Basically no negatives for light wheels.

    But are they worth spending big money on for a normal road car?
    No, not really.
    Well not enough gain to warrent the extra money in my opinion.
    At least not for the average driver

  6. #6

    Default

    I have what you would consider super light wheels.

    They do make a small difference in getting off the line and with bumps but I wouldnt really consider it enough of a difference to warrant the insane amount of money super lights cost.

  7. #7
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    The funds you put aside for light rims means you could get performance mods, such as new turbo, IC, intake, exhaust etc which will make more difference and feel in terms of power and acceleration.

    Unless you got the coin to do both performance mods and lighter rims

  8. #8
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    Simply put, poor value for money for majority of people.
    Better gains in performance can be found elsewhere for the money.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Default

    As many have said its all about the rotational mass. Same applies for road bikes etc.

    Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

  10. #10
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    Lighter wheels= less brake fade,more acceleration,better cornering,better fuel ecc..

    Think of it this way u hit a bump the wheel shoots up, its easier to stop something lighter? The heavier it is the firther it travels up ssoo less contact with the road. if the wheels not making contact with the road how can it get traction? the spring than returns the wheel to the road, a heavier wheel moves slower takes longer for the spring to push the wheel back down to make contact with the road..

    Roll a bike wheel down a hill try stop it than try stopping a truck wheel.. same applies to brakes and acceleration..
    Last edited by RedDjinn; 08-07-2011 at 06:36 PM.
    Many want Power not many hold it long.........

  11. #11

    Default

    Thanks guys. Has anyone tried, or can think of any issues with having different offsets front to rear? Am thinking of offsetting rears 5mm lower than front (40 rear, 45 front). Could that cause any potential damage?

    Cheers

  12. #12
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    It'll be fine. Maybe increase oversteer by 0.1%. lol

  13. Default

    I believe its not a good idea to stagger offsets on an AWD car

  14. #14
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    U have to get the rolling dia perfect, so if u go 215/45/18 front the rear 235/40/18.. get a tyre calcuator

    Tire Size Calculator - tire & wheel plus sizing

  15. Default

    so the lighter the wheels the better,

    but how about wheels of the same overall weight, but different weight distribution
    example,
    a 15" rim + tyre weighs 18kg
    vs
    an 18" rim + tyre also weighs 18kg

    let say the 15" with most of the overall weight(coz of the heavy rim) closer to the rotating centre
    -that is heavy on inside, lighter on the outer side
    and the 18" with more weight further from the rotating centre(coz larger rim, more metal further fom the centre)
    -that is most of the weight is distributed to the outer side

    Does that make a difference on performance and handling?

    and what about those light weight wheel nuts, they probably only gonna reduce few hundred grams a wheel, how significant is that?

  16. #16

    Default

    Hey guys, sorry, was just referring to the offset only, as in the rears a +40 to fill out the guards a little nicer and fronts +45 do the wheels don't stick out too far as they would with a +40 offset. The wheels would be 8" wide in the rear and front, so the same tyres would be all round (not staggered sizing).

    Has anyone tried a configuration like this? (or can think of any serious issues?)

  17. Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 99GTT View Post
    Hey guys, sorry, was just referring to the offset only, as in the rears a +40 to fill out the guards a little nicer and fronts +45 do the wheels don't stick out too far as they would with a +40 offset. The wheels would be 8" wide in the rear and front, so the same tyres would be all round (not staggered sizing).
    Has anyone tried a configuration like this? (or can think of any serious issues?)
    Quote Originally Posted by projectrracing View Post
    It'll be fine. Maybe increase oversteer by 0.1%. lol
    as project said, i really dont see 5mm offset is gonna make any difference, esp on road drivings
    *btw, for a lower rear offset, wouldnt it DECREASE Oversteer, and higher tendency towards understeer

  18. #18
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by blackbetty View Post
    I believe its not a good idea to stagger offsets on an AWD car
    rolling diameter is the only thing to worry about.

    Quote Originally Posted by player1 View Post
    but how about wheels of the same overall weight, but different weight distribution
    example,
    a 15" rim + tyre weighs 18kg
    vs
    an 18" rim + tyre also weighs 18kg
    try more like:-
    15" standard rim + tyre = 15-20kg
    18" standard rim + tyre = 24-32kg

    Quote Originally Posted by 99GTT View Post
    Hey guys, sorry, was just referring to the offset only, as in the rears a +40 to fill out the guards a little nicer and fronts +45 do the wheels don't stick out too far as they would with a +40 offset. The wheels would be 8" wide in the rear and front, so the same tyres would be all round (not staggered sizing).

    Has anyone tried a configuration like this? (or can think of any serious issues?)
    no serious issues are before.

  19. #19

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by blackbetty View Post
    I believe its not a good idea to stagger offsets on an AWD car

    Can anyone clarify this?

    On an AWD (such as the mps 6) is it ok to have the same offsets at the front and rear, but have different WIDTHS. So for exampple 8" at the front and 9" at the back?

  20. #20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 6mps View Post
    Can anyone clarify this?

    On an AWD (such as the mps 6) is it ok to have the same offsets at the front and rear, but have different WIDTHS. So for exampple 8" at the front and 9" at the back?
    Not a good idea to stagger the widths of wheels apparently. You could never get the rolling diameter exactly the same between the front wheels and the rears, which you need in an AWD car, unless you want issues with the AWD system. Even if you were to put the same tyres on the front and rear, the "stretch" of the wider rim (the rears) would distort the rolling diameter to that of the front.
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