Wheels, tyres and handling

[deeen]

This one might test the PH knowledge bank. I have tried the search to no avail, and posed the question on someone else's thread, but rather than hijack another thread can anyone tell me here...

How do the weights compare of the popular Chim / Griff wheel / tyre options? What are the lightest tyres and wheels that people have found?

Cos if I'm changing them anyway a reduction in the unsprung weight would seem to be a step in the right direction for the handling.

Cheers, Dean.

[deeen]

No - one checked the weights out then?

[victormeldrew]

Given the weight of the Ford uprights and hubs I don't think you should worry about a few pounds difference in wheels/tyres. Percentage wise it won't make a lot of difference IMHO.

[shpub]

Wheel + tyre is around 20 KG mark and tyre weights are all around the same. As Victor says don't worry about it unless you are deadly serious and have already stripped out the car's interior etc and turned it into a racer car.

Unsprung weight is a thing to reduce but like most things suspension wise, acheiving it is either v. expensive or at the sake of compromising something else.

[joospeed]

I used to offer similar advice to thsoe above, but having picked up a rear upright recently I'd forgotten how light they actually are. I would now argue that *any* reduction in unsprung weight would be an advantage, and it's an advantage not many people are exploiting ..

the tiv wheels / tyres are very heavy so go for a proper motorsport alloy wheel that saves you kilos .. remember every 1kg of rotational mass saved is worth 3 kg anywhere else on the car, so if you can save 2.5kg per wheel/tyre it's effectively a 3% weight reduction. Keep attcking evry aspect of the car in that fashion and you'll soon have a performance advantage.

best wishes with the quest.

[nztrev]

Loosing some weight on the wheels can allow you to put some back with a big brake package.
Have a look a some of the forged light weight Racing-Hart range,they have the correct offset for the Chim/Griff.

[GreenV8S]

My 285mm 4-pot brakes were lighter than the originals. The current 300mm discs are still only a little heavier. What puts me off these ultra light weight wheels is the strength and durability. The standard TVR 5-spokers are pretty heavy, but they're also as tough as old boots.

[nztrev]

Hi Peter
Your right about the strength,i've already dinged a rim going over a pot hole.
I read on an thread a while back your in NZ over Chistmass,your welcome to pop in to take a look at the racing Chims down here,it would be great to here your opinons and pick your brains?

Paul

[victormeldrew]

joospeed said:

I used to offer similar advice to thsoe above, but having picked up a rear upright recently I'd forgotten how light they actually are. I would now argue that *any* reduction in unsprung weight would be an advantage, and it's an advantage not many people are exploiting .. the tiv wheels / tyres are very heavy so go for a proper motorsport alloy wheel that saves you kilos .. remember every 1kg of rotational mass saved is worth 3 kg anywhere else on the car, so if you can save 2.5kg per wheel/tyre it's effectively a 3% weight reduction. Keep attcking evry aspect of the car in that fashion and you'll soon have a performance advantage. best wishes with the quest.

The rear uprights are fabricated sheet are they not? Fromts are solid, and I mean solid, cast iron. Very very heavy, at least as heavy as the complete wheel and tyre. I nearly broke my foot removing one. I did consider getting alloy uprights fabricated but the costs for a one off would be exorbitant.

Don't get me wrong, I am a serious beleiver in reducing unsprinf weight. I had a bike featured in Bike magazine years ago which bucked the then trend of fitting twin disks by fitting one huge (13") floating Spondon disk and Lockheed calipers. Much better brake performance with less than half the weight.

My point was that saving say 2kg on wheel and tyre when you have a 20kg upright and hub assembly seems a little like p*ssing into the wind ... a bit like drilling every non load bearing metal part to save weight then eating all the pies!!!

[rbryant]

nztrev said:

Hi Peter Your **You're** right about the strength,i've already dinged a rim going over a pot hole. I read on an thread a while back your **you're** in NZ over Chistmass,your **you're** welcome to pop in to take a look at the racing Chims down here,it would be great to here **hear** your opinons and pick your brains? Paul

Mr Pedantic here. Living in the colonies is no excuse for basterdising the mother tongue.

Like the car and wheel colour combo though.

[nztrev]

Consequences (gee I hope I spelt that right) of leaving school at 15 and writing posts at 3am or maybe just being thick.
Well its a beautifull sunny summer day down here in the colonies,how is it in the motherland? dark, cold, bleek and raining as usual?
I'll try harder next time for you,I promass.


>> Edited by nztrev on Wednesday 17th November 20:18