Suspension Weight Savings - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Tansey86 · 02-16-2013, 09:17 PM

What are some parts of the suspension that can be replaced for weight savings? I understand suspension is more than just replacing parts with lighter stronger ones but i'm curious as to how much weight can be saved in this department.

For example, how much weight can be saved by going to coilovers? etc

Thanks!

fatoni · 02-16-2013, 10:16 PM

well not much unless you go with aluminum. a coilover with a smaller diameter spring and shorter body length will help some but the weight savings will be negligible. my guess is that control arms and crossmembers are where the weight fall off the most

bpracer · 02-16-2013, 10:52 PM

There are some hollow front sway bars out there that save a pound or two.

The Essex Sprint brake setup is probably the biggest single unsprung weight savings I read about. 10 lbs per wheel.

Captain Snooze · 02-16-2013, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tansey86

For example, how much weight can be saved by going to coilovers?

Bugger all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpracer

The Essex Sprint brake setup is probably the biggest single unsprung weight savings I read about. 10 lbs per wheel.

This.

Plus (minus?) some lighter wheels.

Simmons · 02-17-2013, 10:15 AM

I only saved 2lbs total with the KW v3's

When I had Ohlins on my RX8 I saved a good amount and I used swift springs also.

Simmons

wbradley · 02-17-2013, 10:32 AM

At great expense, fab all the steel components in aluminum. Total weight savings? Who knows, maybe 100 lbs plus. If this car was a Bimmer it might already have it as well as a much richer price tag.

xwd · 02-17-2013, 05:37 PM

Most of the suspension parts are stamped steel based on the design so using aluminum doesn't really save much weight. There aren't that many suspension parts, you'd be lucky to save 20 lbs total. If you are looking to save a bunch of weight the suspension is probably not the first place to look.

Auto-Hauss · 02-17-2013, 10:02 PM

My Feal Suspension coilovers saved 10 pounds total. 4 pounds on each front corner and one pound each rear.

Stock struts and springs F- 15lbs R- 8lbs. 46lbs total
Feal coilovers F- 11lbs R- 7lbs. 36lbs total

John_Duh · 02-18-2013, 02:09 PM

If you want to improve handling / performance, forget dampers. You need to go for unsprung weight.

The biggest impact you can have is wheels / brakes since these are rotating and bouncing up and down. Therefore, shedding weight here will improve acceleration and handling.
By taking on the triangles and hubs you'll make an improvement, but not as big as rotating stuff. Also as stated above it's harder to do.

If you're considering changing the dampers to shed weight, just loose the equal amount of weight from the trunk and you'll have more less the same performance increase at a fraction of the price.

mobybrz · 02-22-2013, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_Duh

If you want to improve handling / performance, forget dampers. You need to go for unsprung weight.

I have always worked with Dampers as unsprung weight. The reality is they are kind of bordeline, pat of them is unsprung part isn't.

Unsprung rotational>Unsprung static>sprung rotational >sprung static

robispec · 02-26-2013, 11:32 AM

saved SIXTY lbs using our custom Brakeman brake kit!

industrial · 02-26-2013, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robispec

saved SIXTY lbs using our custom Brakeman brake kit!

Do you have any more details about this? I heard good things about brakeman stuff with the sti guys. Are you using a wrx front kit or something bespoke?

robispec · 02-26-2013, 01:15 PM

Modification of the sti kit to run a lighter rotor up front and totaly bespoke rear kit. You lose thevrear ebrake though..26 lbs off the front(waveform rotors) 22 with autox rotors 20 with heavy endurance rotors . 23 OFF the rear and 17 from the E brake deletion.
So maximium weight off is 69 lbs...full 4 wheel kit will be under 5K.
Option to remove brake booster and antilock system with a bias adjustable twin mastercylinder systemwill remove another 50 LBS...GETTING READY TO TEST THIS SOON...

robispec · 02-26-2013, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobybrz

I have always worked with Dampers as unsprung weight. The reality is they are kind of bordeline, pat of them is unsprung part isn't.

Unsprung rotational>Unsprung static>sprung rotational >sprung static

I'm going to change your order around abit due to my experiance...ymmv lol

Unsprung Rotational>Sprung Rotational>Unsprung Static>Sprung Static...

The BIGGEST bang for the buck mods so far have been the PST driveshaft the Brakeman Brakes and the 4.7 final drive and the enkei wheels.

Robi

02-16-2013, 09:17 PM	#1
Tansey86 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: 2003 Subaru Outback Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,318 Thanks: 154 Thanked 528 Times in 300 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Suspension Weight Savings What are some parts of the suspension that can be replaced for weight savings? I understand suspension is more than just replacing parts with lighter stronger ones but i'm curious as to how much weight can be saved in this department. For example, how much weight can be saved by going to coilovers? etc Thanks!

02-17-2013, 10:15 AM	#5
Simmons Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 2022 BRZ Location: PA Posts: 957 Thanks: 300 Thanked 570 Times in 266 Posts Mentioned: 17 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I only saved 2lbs total with the KW v3's When I had Ohlins on my RX8 I saved a good amount and I used swift springs also. Simmons __________________ 2022 BRZ 71 STR Sponsors Xero-Limit//Karcepts

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Great prices and HUGE savings @ ChaseBays	Chase Bays	Engine, Exhaust, Bolt-Ons	4	02-11-2013 02:58 PM
*RallySportDirect.com Crazy Cyber Monday Specials, store wide savings*	RallySport Direct	Brakes, Suspension, Chassis	1	11-26-2012 04:08 PM
More weight savings (wheel content)	GTB/ZR-1	Tracking / Autocross / HPDE / Drifting	5	11-12-2012 10:03 AM
How's this for weight savings? (battery content)	GTB/ZR-1	Tracking / Autocross / HPDE / Drifting	11	11-05-2012 10:27 PM
Enjuku Racing - Memorial Day Savings	Enjuku Racing	Announcements, Contests, Giveaways	0	05-28-2012 09:17 AM

02-16-2013, 10:16 PM	#2
fatoni Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Drives: miata, mazdaspeed protege, ls430 Location: socal Posts: 4,416 Thanks: 599 Thanked 1,442 Times in 787 Posts Mentioned: 28 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	well not much unless you go with aluminum. a coilover with a smaller diameter spring and shorter body length will help some but the weight savings will be negligible. my guess is that control arms and crossmembers are where the weight fall off the most

02-17-2013, 05:37 PM	#7
xwd Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: 2013 DGM Subaru BRZ (Subie #9) Location: ATL, US Posts: 2,667 Thanks: 123 Thanked 860 Times in 552 Posts Mentioned: 32 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Most of the suspension parts are stamped steel based on the design so using aluminum doesn't really save much weight. There aren't that many suspension parts, you'd be lucky to save 20 lbs total. If you are looking to save a bunch of weight the suspension is probably not the first place to look.

02-17-2013, 10:02 PM	#8
Auto-Hauss Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S-Asphalt Location: Sin City Posts: 134 Thanks: 24 Thanked 42 Times in 29 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	My Feal Suspension coilovers saved 10 pounds total. 4 pounds on each front corner and one pound each rear. Stock struts and springs F- 15lbs R- 8lbs. 46lbs total Feal coilovers F- 11lbs R- 7lbs. 36lbs total

02-18-2013, 02:09 PM	#9
John_Duh Thinker with everything Join Date: Jan 2013 Drives: Celica TS Location: Belgium Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you want to improve handling / performance, forget dampers. You need to go for unsprung weight. The biggest impact you can have is wheels / brakes since these are rotating and bouncing up and down. Therefore, shedding weight here will improve acceleration and handling. By taking on the triangles and hubs you'll make an improvement, but not as big as rotating stuff. Also as stated above it's harder to do. If you're considering changing the dampers to shed weight, just loose the equal amount of weight from the trunk and you'll have more less the same performance increase at a fraction of the price.

02-26-2013, 11:32 AM	#11
robispec Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: Black frs project Location: Socal Posts: 960 Thanks: 189 Thanked 886 Times in 381 Posts Mentioned: 190 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	saved SIXTY lbs using our custom Brakeman brake kit!

02-26-2013, 01:15 PM	#13
robispec Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: Black frs project Location: Socal Posts: 960 Thanks: 189 Thanked 886 Times in 381 Posts Mentioned: 190 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Modification of the sti kit to run a lighter rotor up front and totaly bespoke rear kit. You lose thevrear ebrake though..26 lbs off the front(waveform rotors) 22 with autox rotors 20 with heavy endurance rotors . 23 OFF the rear and 17 from the E brake deletion. So maximium weight off is 69 lbs...full 4 wheel kit will be under 5K. Option to remove brake booster and antilock system with a bias adjustable twin mastercylinder systemwill remove another 50 LBS...GETTING READY TO TEST THIS SOON...

User Name		Remember Me?
Password