Official Component Weights & Weight Reduction Thread

[Mr. Man]

damn... 2550 is about how much my 500 Abarth weighs... just makes me want an fr-s even more haha

[gmookher]

great thread

[Captain Insano]

Seems like right place to post this question, but OP if you want me to post this question in my own thread lemme know and I'll move out...

How extreme would it be to drop 150-200 lbs on a daily driver that will see some track days? I have an AT (don't laugh)... Here is a tentative list of stuff:

Definite
-31.6 lbs, trunk spare tire, tools, etc
-25 lbs, engine back exhaust modifications (total OEM = 75 lbs)
-20 lbs, front brake modifications
-19 lbs, lightweight battery (this could be -25 lbs if I go the Super B Lithium Ion battery route)
-8 lbs, 2 lbs per corner with lighter wheels/tires, (would love to get -4 lbs per corner for total of -16 lbs, but this will be tough)
-6 lbs, rear brake modifcations
-5 lbs, Go Fast Bits pulleys
-2 lbs, intake modifications including noise tube deletion

Maybe
-10 lbs, PST CF Drive Shaft
-20 lbs, seat rails mentioned above in thread, but really not sure on these for DD
-10-? lbs, lighter seats, want to avoid this one maybe if possible, really like the OEM seats for DD
-lighter body panels with material like CF, budget is the limit as this can go a long way

OK, what opportunities am I missing? Maybe some things like lighter control arms or other suspension parts? Does anybody know if springs are lighter aftermarket than stock as I plan to start with springs (eibach pro) versus coilovers? CF or lighter body panels (this is something I will wait until last to do) and how much weight could be saved there?

[GTB/ZR-1]

Originally Posted by robispec

note to self sell children for battery and two CF seats...

Like these--they're for sale...



They were in my GT-R, but not putting them my FR-S (decided to use it as my daily & have car seat in back). The seats themselves only weigh a little less than 10lbs (!)

Good post Capt Insano

[Rougenite]

Originally Posted by Miniata

Even if they don't have airbags in the seats, they'll still have sensors in them related to the airbags that can cause the airbag light to come on and may cause issues if they are removed. Sucks, its one of the things I hate about all the modern safety equipment required by law now.

You can get around that. Let me see if i can word this correctly .

Basically the sensors dont actually detect the airbag, they detcet the 'circuit'.

If you use aftermarket seats and do not want your airbag light to come on:
-Disconnect Battery (Leave of for 5 mins or whatever, long enough to reset the ECU)
-Pull your old seats.
-There should be 2 plugs on the bottom of the seat. One is the seatbelt sensor,(the smaller one) the other for the airbag. Somebody will have to test this....Seatbelt sensor unplugged, does the damn annoying sound go on or the light on the dash? DO NOT PLUG YOUR BATTERY IN WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR UNPLUGGED.
-The next part is really hard.....lol....you need to find out how what type of resistor needs to go in. 5 or 10 maybe? Push that into the clip....electrical tape it in .
-That keeps the circuit complete and keeps the light off on the dash, best part is all your airbags will still work!

Seeing as my FR-S isnt here yet (SAD DAY!), take this with a grain of salt, twist of lemon whatever, it should work. Id test it myself if I had mine, got a set of A4 I want to put in.....

Hope it works out for whoever wants to do it, somebody is bound to have a hookup at a dealership somewhere! If it doesnt, your airbags are not broken, the light just needs to be reset

[JRitt]

Originally Posted by Captain Insano

Seems like right place to post this question, but OP if you want me to post this question in my own thread lemme know and I'll move out...

How extreme would it be to drop 150-200 lbs on a daily driver that will see some track days? I have an AT (don't laugh)... Here is a tentative list of stuff:

Definite
-31.6 lbs, trunk spare tire, tools, etc
-25 lbs, engine back exhaust modifications (total OEM = 75 lbs)
-20 lbs, front brake modifications
-19 lbs, lightweight battery (this could be -25 lbs if I go the Super B Lithium Ion battery route)
-8 lbs, 2 lbs per corner with lighter wheels/tires, (would love to get -4 lbs per corner for total of -16 lbs, but this will be tough)
-6 lbs, rear brake modifcations
-5 lbs, Go Fast Bits pulleys
-2 lbs, intake modifications including noise tube deletion

Maybe
-10 lbs, PST CF Drive Shaft
-20 lbs, seat rails mentioned above in thread, but really not sure on these for DD
-10-? lbs, lighter seats, want to avoid this one maybe if possible, really like the OEM seats for DD
-lighter body panels with material like CF, budget is the limit as this can go a long way

OK, what opportunities am I missing? Maybe some things like lighter control arms or other suspension parts? Does anybody know if springs are lighter aftermarket than stock as I plan to start with springs (eibach pro) versus coilovers? CF or lighter body panels (this is something I will wait until last to do) and how much weight could be saved there?

Seats and seat rails is going to be an area where you can save more weight than in most other areas. If you don't typically carry passengers, remove the passenger seat. That will really take a load out. I did that in my miata before I corner-balanced it. If you need to throw it back in to drive someone, it's a five minute job (4 bolts), and who cares if your cross weights are off a touch on the street while it's in.

You should spend some time on miata.net and miataturbo.net. You'll find lots of obsessive weight reduction owners/threads there. Here's a link to give you some ideas on bits and pieces weights as well. Keep the old maxim in mind...a few ounces from many different areas adds up to a lot of pounds in the end.

[Captain Insano]

Thanks. That is a good idea actually for the track days.

As far as total seat swap goes it has always has scared me with a daily driver because I worry bout comfort. From a weight perspective those CF seats in the above post look pretty badass!

[BRAWL]

Also got remember that you have to allow for a bit of added weigt in the form of strut braces and thicker sway bars. Not a massive increase, but should be taken into consideration.

I agree with you Captain Insano that the stock seats are really nice and although you can save a bit of weight there, you would notice the comfort difference

[gmookher]

whats the most comfortable daily drivable race seat?

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by gmookher

whats the most comfortable daily drivable race seat?

Honestly, I sat in a Recaro fixed back race bucket and it was AMAZING. With custom rails to get your driving position perfect I imagine there'd be no problem aside from the whole airbag thing if that bothers you.

[Captain Insano]

Yes the airbag thing does bother me. And you have to make sure the seatbelts are right fitment/config so they work for DD usage or get used to a harness seatbelt in a DD (don't want to do that).

But don't get me wrong, if I could get close to DD comfort and "normalness" (no airbag issue, no seatbelt annoying buzz, no worries about seatbelt usage/fit/config) with aftermarket seats while dropping lots of weight, I would be interested.

[GTB/ZR-1]

Actually, those seats are pretty darn comfy, considering what they are. I took my wife on a 2+ hour trip & she commented on how comfy they were.

[Ricepuddin]

Originally Posted by Rougenite

You can get around that. Let me see if i can word this correctly .

Basically the sensors dont actually detect the airbag, they detcet the 'circuit'.

If you use aftermarket seats and do not want your airbag light to come on:
-Disconnect Battery (Leave of for 5 mins or whatever, long enough to reset the ECU)
-Pull your old seats.
-There should be 2 plugs on the bottom of the seat. One is the seatbelt sensor,(the smaller one) the other for the airbag. Somebody will have to test this....Seatbelt sensor unplugged, does the damn annoying sound go on or the light on the dash? DO NOT PLUG YOUR BATTERY IN WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR UNPLUGGED.
-The next part is really hard.....lol....you need to find out how what type of resistor needs to go in. 5 or 10 maybe? Push that into the clip....electrical tape it in .
-That keeps the circuit complete and keeps the light off on the dash, best part is all your airbags will still work!

Seeing as my FR-S isnt here yet (SAD DAY!), take this with a grain of salt, twist of lemon whatever, it should work. Id test it myself if I had mine, got a set of A4 I want to put in.....

Hope it works out for whoever wants to do it, somebody is bound to have a hookup at a dealership somewhere! If it doesnt, your airbags are not broken, the light just needs to be reset

I made a DIY for this, it's in the DIY section.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[Hanakuso]

Originally Posted by gmookher

whats the most comfortable daily drivable race seat?

Sit in some yourself since it depends on the individual.

I found the Bride Vios to be the most comfortable. I actually preferred it over my stock S2000 seats.