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Are Lighter Wheels Really Better?

7K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  Sarge 
#1 ·
Not tested on a Mustang, but good info here:

Are Lighter Wheels Really Better?


We always hear that lightweight wheels are better. Reducing unsprung mass theoretically helps a car’s suspension work more effectively. Reducing rotating mass should make the car accelerate and stop faster as well.

But how big of an effect is this? We’ve compared light and heavy wheels a few times before, and the results consistently showed a negligible difference in autocross times–even with extreme differences in wheel weight. Of course, autocross testing involves a lot of variables, including changing track conditions and driver fatigue. We thought we’d give it one more shot with some different test methods.
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#2 ·
I plan on swapping my heavy OE rims and snow tires for my aftermarket rims and summer tires next week. If the Baer lightweight brake rotors come in on time, I'll be swapping those too, which should lose almost 100 lb total. It's almost time to have fun again...
 
#3 ·
In my very naïve and uneducated opinion, I would say the heavy wheels impact less powerful vehicles more than the cars whose hp can offset the extra weight. Autocrossing the anemic [yet light] first gen Miata (as well as the slightly less anemic 2016 which I owned for a year) the theory with them is the extra weight in the corners really slows down such a low hp motor. I would say the bigger engine vehicles can offset the extra weight by being able to get going again faster. In the miatas after all, it is all about keeping consistency (because we can't get going very quickly, we must stay at as constant a speed as possible, which means we don't get up to speed, but we can corner faster than the heavier, more powerful cars can without having to brake through said turns because of the great handling they have). The Miata engineering has something called the "gram" strategy where they literally find any way to take any amount of weight out: smaller batteries, lighter rims, taking interiors out, etc. Whereas, here in the muscle car culture it is more about adding hp. Sort of the converse idea.
 
#4 ·
Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere. -Colin Chapman

Swapped the wheels and rotors yesterday. Of course it rained all day today, so I haven't had a chance to push it and find out how it feels without a hundred pounds of unsprung weight and rotating mass. Maybe Friday...
 
#5 ·
I don't have any empirical evidence for this, I can only relay what the butt dyno reported -- every time I have ever went with lighter wheels, strangely, I never felt a difference in acceleration (at least not enough to say for sure it wasn't just some placebo effect), but I did notice more responsive braking and possibly slightly shorter stopping distances.
Sprung or unsprung, never a bad idea to cut weight wherever you can.
 
#14 ·
Advanti DST Svelto, 20x9, titanium mirror finish. They take a little effort to wash, but worth it to me.
 
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