How much benefit are lighter wheels rotational mass wise

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

I'm a mechanical engineer, you lost me at the word "code". JK, thanks, this is very helpful.

Hold on are you seriously a ME? If so this should be basic physics and dynamics I'm a Civil Engineer and could figure out the benefits.

[Stang70Fastback]

I'm an Aerospace Engineer (at least, that's my degree) and so I shall settle this debate once and for all:

Microwave.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

Hold on are you seriously a ME? If so this should be basic physics and dynamics I'm a Civil Engineer and could figure out the benefits.

I guess you didn't read the whole thread. The question is not "why" or "how", I already knew the answer to both. The questions is quantity. How much of a benefit it really is. If you research, some people say it's negligible others say it's a big improvement so what I am looking for is people with experience on the subject. Someone who has actually changed wheels for same sized wheels but noticeably lighter and their personal opinion of performance improvement.

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[swarb]

rpf1? do it!
It makes everything more efficient. Brakes, Suspension, Acceleration, etc.
18x9.5 is much wheel. go 17x9 for racecar because racecar.
If you are near the limit with your current setup I would say its worth the money. Otherwise I would say spend money on consumables/track time/ stuff you don't have.
There is a reason why almost everyone runs 17's, even 17x8 or 17x8.5. And many run 225/45-17 instead of 245/40-17, car benefits more from acceleration(which it lacks) and nimbleness over outright grip. Tires are also lighter in smaller sizes.

maybe a tenth or two per lap.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by swarb

rpf1? do it!
It makes everything more efficient. Brakes, Suspension, Acceleration, etc.
18x9.5 is much wheel. go 17x9 for racecar because racecar.
If you are near the limit with your current setup I would say its worth the money. Otherwise I would say spend money on consumables/track time/ stuff you don't have.
There is a reason why almost everyone runs 17's, even 17x8 or 17x8.5. And many run 225/45-17 instead of 245/40-17, car benefits more from acceleration(which it lacks) and nimbleness over outright grip. Tires are also lighter in smaller sizes.

maybe a tenth or two per lap.

I hate having the same wheels everyone has.... I am looking at TWS T66-F which are even lighter than RPF1s. But, they have two downsides. One more expensive than my current wheels, second, uglier than my current wheels. That's why I'm trying to gauge real actual quantifiable benefit of them.

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[swarb]

rpf1's. DO EEEET. ONE OF US> ONE OF US.
seriously though, .1 up to maybe .2 per lap. +slightly faster with 17's. And tires are much cheaper, meaning you can get a better compound which is more important than the weight imo.
Your car is pretty built. I would suggest a lsd and maybe some aero instead.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by swarb

rpf1's. DO EEEET. ONE OF US> ONE OF US.
seriously though, .1 up to maybe .2 per lap. +slightly faster with 17's. And tires are much cheaper, meaning you can get a better compound which is more important than the weight imo.
Your car is pretty built. I would suggest a lsd and maybe some aero instead.

I would never go back to 17's

The benefits I'm thinking about are, acceleration, specifically before the turbo spools up. The response from the car on initial WOT, and cutting down spool up time. Once I hit full boost, the wheel weight don't matter much. The transition phase when its spooling up is when I think these lighter wheels could make a big difference acceleration and response performance wise.

[OkieSnuffBox]

In the real world, it's not that big of a deal.


Grassroots Motorsports did a test on this in a past issue using a Miata (even lighter and more sensitive to wheel weight) and the changes didn't amount to anything more than statistical noise.


In other words, don't worry about it. It's just bench racing.

[jvincent]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

I hate having the same wheels everyone has....

I hear ya on this.

Have a look at the PF01. They are much better looking than the RPF1 and according to Enkei site they are also stronger so should handle track abuse better. They are a little more expensive, which means you don't see many around.

Depending on the size you are looking at they are only marginally heavier than the RPF1.

[bababooey]

Originally Posted by tahdizzle

Why is the sky blue?
How is a rainbow made?
How does a posi-track in a plymoth work?....

It just does. :p

as delivered by dear-teh SR

[echo419]

Originally Posted by Foobar

Probably depends on where the weight is shaved from too. Weight at the edge of the wheel takes more energy to spin than weight towards the hub, right? But then there's that whole conservation of inertia and shit, fuck if I know... I'm out.

cuse Merica' that's why

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

I guess you didn't read the whole thread. The question is not "why" or "how", I already knew the answer to both. The questions is quantity. How much of a benefit it really is. If you research, some people say it's negligible others say it's a big improvement so what I am looking for is people with experience on the subject. Someone who has actually changed wheels for same sized wheels but noticeably lighter and their personal opinion of performance improvement.

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Oh, ok I missed that part when reading through I guess

[Sportsguy83]

There was a good thread going for this already but I just found it today.. ooopps....


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32858

[C130NAV]

Originally Posted by Foobar

Probably depends on where the weight is shaved from too. Weight at the edge of the wheel takes more energy to spin than weight towards the hub, right? But then there's that whole conservation of inertia and shit, fuck if I know... I'm out.

If I remember correctly its also harder to slow down the weight at the end then at the center. Hmmm ...