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what benefit lighter weight wheels anyway?

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Old 08-23-2005 | 09:01 PM
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Default what benefit lighter weight wheels anyway?

Better ride? Better MPG? Significant?...or just better looks in the end?
Old 08-23-2005 | 09:18 PM
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lighter weight wheels have less inertia, so you would see more horsepower at the wheels, versus heavier wheels.
Old 08-23-2005 | 09:24 PM
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To get the most benefit out of a suspended ride, be it a bike, carriage, or car, it's best to have a low ratio for the weight of the unsprung mass to the sprung mass. So, yes, lighter weight wheels do improve the ride. The wheels stay in better contact with the road, improving traction, and the body moves less over bumps, improving passenger comfort.
Old 08-23-2005 | 10:27 PM
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I agree.....seniors....smeniors.....teeny boppers.....whatever....we're all xB'ers...that's the whole point of SL
Old 08-23-2005 | 10:29 PM
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Default wheels

oh well...mixed up post...so it goes...hey, thx for the info....glad to hear it as I'm going to very light wheels this week....
Old 08-24-2005 | 05:26 AM
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Perhaps it is worth mentioning that light weight wheels don't hold up as well to pot holes or bumps so be careful. I have the lightweight buddyclubs 15's on my box and I'm always worried that they are going to get damaged when a big hole or bump comes along.
Old 08-24-2005 | 05:46 AM
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Default good point...

yeah....aint nuthin free...I am gettting the Nippon F-2 flat black 15" (x 6.5) on e-bay - I think they run about 14lbs. - is that light?...I don't have any real idea....but lighter (and weaker) than present stock steelies.....
Old 08-24-2005 | 05:52 AM
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lighter does NOT mean weaker. look at any forged wheel.

you will notice a diff. in acceleration and breaking if its a big difference in weight . whats more important is your wheel size IMO.

scott
Old 08-03-2007 | 01:27 PM
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Lighter usually means weaker. What we're talking about here is steel versus aluminum alloy. The alloy wheels are stronger per pound than the steelies, but because of the material involved are more susceptible to damage.

Now what I'm surprised you don't see on the really high end is some titanium alloy wheels. Or maybe they do exist but they're so far out of my price range I've never seen them.

Back to the original question: lighter wheels are better for the same reason a lighter flywheel is better: it's easier to start and stop spinning something that weighs less.
Old 08-03-2007 | 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by kkirk007
Lighter usually means weaker.


just get something forged- and not cast....

my 19s are lighter than stock.... Centerline RPM

and yeah what they said.... more hp and better braking if you don't get huge wheels...
Old 08-03-2007 | 04:24 PM
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Konig Helium
10.6 Pounds

Old 08-03-2007 | 10:03 PM
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Assuming one were to replace the OEM steel rims at approx 22 lbs ea. with Konig Helium at 10.6 lbs ea. that would be about 40 lbs less the engine would have to be dragging around town for say ten years/100,000K. It's much easier for me to relate horsepower when I consider how exhausted I'd be if I simply carried 40 lbs on my back for my 50-mile round trip to town each week.

I'm certain someone has figured out the savings in MPG (other than my rough estimate) which if viewed would help with the choice.

The upfront costs of shipping to Hawaii, swapping, balancing etc . are too much for me to be that green.

I've mentioned this elsewhere in the forum but in support of more MPG I've removed my spare and jack. I have road service and a cell phone so there's no need to carry that weight around for ten years. It gives me a nice storage well to place shopping bags.

Kerry
Old 08-03-2007 | 10:28 PM
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Everything pointed out is on the money.Don't forget to spend the same amount of research on your tires.Try to keep your overall diameter the same as your stockers.And check the weight,you will see quite a difference between makes.
Old 08-03-2007 | 10:43 PM
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Thanks Scotty,

I was wondering if different size tires, width, etc would produce better MPG. From what you say, the OEMs are optimized for MPG.

Never even considered that there are significant weight differences between brands of tires of the same size—it makes sense though.

Kerry
Old 08-04-2007 | 02:33 AM
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in my day, unsprung wieght versus sprung wieght. tires wheels rotors are unsprung wieght. the lighter the better, sprung wieght was the flywheel. the heavier the flywheel better. if you get a heavier flywheel to 6k rpm when you dump the clutch its harder to stop and the power goes to the wheels. that is what we did in the 70's =)

kms2112
Old 08-04-2007 | 02:48 AM
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i went to a 12.6 lb wheel and love it. got arounf 3-4 mpg better, and better handling not to mention they looks sexy.
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