[ptatohed]

I use one of these in my Maxima. Under $40 shipped. Haven't weighed it in a while but I think it was just over 10lb. Yeah, it doesn't last as long (12-18 months) but it's a cheap easy way to shed 25-30 pounds. Maybe it wouldn't do as well in a modern car with all of today's electrical demands but just throwing it out there.

 

[ptatohed]

If this helps, per my recent Megan Racing Down Pipe (DP) install:

As for weight savings.... I included the OEM support bracket and bolts that can be removed with the Megan Racing's. Here's what I got:

OEM passenger lower DP (with removed bracket): 9 lb 8.4 oz
Megan Racing passenger lower DP: 4 lb 13.8 oz
OEM driver lower DP (with removed bracket): 9 lb 1.4 oz
Megan Racing driver lower DP: 4 lb 12.2 oz

Thus, about 9 lb weight savings.

 

[ptatohed]

An important fact to remember is that rotating mass is about 3 times harder to accelerate than sprung mass. It's simple physics. As JohnInNH said, if you're into weight savings to improve acceleration, rotational mass reduction should come first.

Tires, wheels, wheel axles, wheel bearings, wheel hubs, rotors, and driveshaft are all candidates for reducing rotational mass. Obviously, some are better than others.

From a cost/benefit standpoint, tires, wheels and rotors is where the most gain is. Weight reductions of 6 lbs/tire and 10 lbs/wheel are easily achievable over OEM. Likewise two-piece rotors on all four corners can reduce rotational mass an additional 30 lbs. That's 94 pounds of rotational mass or an equivalent reduction of sprung weight of 282 lbs.

A rule of thumb for most drag racing instances, 100 pounds of sprung weight lost equates to about 1/10 second or a car length in the quarter mile. So reducing the equivalent sprung weight by 282 pounds can probably gain you roughly 2/10 - 3/10 of a second or 2-3 car lengths improvement in the quarter mile.

Agree on the importance of rotational mass, but not sure rotational mass necessarily needs to come first. I think if the goal is to try to reduce sprung and unsprung mass, both can be achieved in any order. I am waiting for my Titan7's to be made (July?), but in the meantime, I'll try to reduce non-rotational mass where I can. I do think this thread should continue to identify areas of shaving non-rotational mass, albeit not as beneficial as shaving rotational mass. And preferably with little to no sacrifice to comfort, safety, and aesthetics. I did get the ok from Mrs. ptatohed to buy Z1 2-piece rotors so I'll probably make that order soon.


I played around with a quarter mile calculator once and found the same relationship - that every 100lb shed shaves 0.1s in the quarter.


I got my Maxima to under 3,000 lb by removing exhaust heat shields, any bracket I could, removing a metal plate from the glove box and under the steering column, switching to thin floor mats, swapping nuts for aluminum ones, cutting away parts of the trunk and hood, forgoing mods such as a strut brace and antisway bar, wheels, even lug nuts, etc. Not ready to go that extreme on a two year old Q50 though.


Also to note, reducing rotational mass also improves handling, braking, and (depending on you ) gas mileage.

 

[ptatohed]

I posted this in another weight reduction thread but I guess I should add it to the "official" thread here.
-----------------

For those of you looking for every possible pound reduction for track night (easy removal):

Carpeted OEM floor mats (4): 4lb 3.2oz
Owner's manual and related booklets (assuming you normally keep it in your glove box): 2lb 3.6oz
All 5 headrests: 7lb 0.0oz
If you want to leave at least your driver side headrest in place (probably recommended): + 1lb 14.0oz
Thus, 4 headrests: 5lb 2.0oz

 

[ptatohed]

Also, worth noting, gasoline weighs about 6lb/gal. That can really add up when comparing a full tank of gas to, say 1/8 or 1/4.


I think our tank holds 20 gal? So 1/4 tank = 30lb, full tank = 120lb


Also keep in mind water weighs a little over 8lb/gal. I don't know the capacity of our windshield washer tanks but if it were, say, a gallon, you could save ~8lb by running with the fluid on the low end.

 

[ptatohed]

updated 1st post

Nice, thanks jodedor. Ok, here are some more:

- Carpeted trunk mat/floor board: 3lb 15.0oz

- That odd empty styrofoam spare tire tool tray thing and the only (worthless) tool that came in it (a single lug wrench, really?): 1lb 10.4oz

- OEM lug nuts (20): 3lb 8.8oz

- My aftermarket lightweight GSP gunmetal lug nuts (20): 1lb 5.2oz

<Thus, total lug nuts savings = 2lb 3.6oz. Apply the "3x" multiplier for rotational mass and we have a hopeful weight reduction of 6.67lb. Of course, you need to carry around the security lug nut key which weighs 6.2oz but at least that is non-rotational weight. >

- My Z1 2-piece front rotors showed up today. The rears are still being made. I can confirm that a Z1 2-piece front rotor weighs in at 19lb 14.2oz

[*Disclosure, I am using a Harbor Freight mail scale for all my weighings (is 'weighings' a word??).]

I hope this helps.

 

[ptatohed]

I am not a huge fan of CF but you can't have a conversation about weight reduction without bringing it up. VIS has a few options of hoods and trunks to choose from for our car. Sorry, I don't know the weight savings.
http://www.visracing.com/newcatalog...ear=2017&Category=Hood&keyword&bycategory=yes

 

[ptatohed]

I found out the hood was aluminum the night I was installing my AMS intakes and I went to stick my magnetic shop light to it and it didn't stick!


jodedor, did you see my post #66 ?
https://www.infinitiq50.org/forum/1377947-post66.html
Just asking because it didn't seem you acknowledged it nor edited post #1 . I was up until 1am taking things on and off my car to weigh them, so just checking!

 

[ptatohed]

Thanks for reminding me.

First post updated.

Clarification:
The styrofoam and lug wrench weigh only 1lb 10.4 oz together?

Correct, I left the wrench in the Styrofoam tray and weight them together to get a total of 1lb 1.4oz for both combined.

 

[ptatohed]

I don't think we've discussed lightened and/or underdrive crank pulleys.




Unorthodox lightened:
https://conceptzperformance.com/uno...ti-q50-16-v37-q60-17-cv37-cs10191_p_34924.php


Stillen lightened:
https://www.stillen.com/performance...ard-performance-lightweight-crank-pulley.html


Stillen underdriven and lightened:
https://www.stillen.com/performance...ive-performance-lightweight-crank-pulley.html

 

[ptatohed]

So, I found another near three pounds weight reduction tonight.

Rear passenger side tow hook. 2lb 9.8oz.

I didn't see another tow hook available for removal (front or rear) but, if i missed one, please let me know!

 

[ptatohed]

I may have missed this posting. Not sure if I'd want to remove tow hooks as I was towed not too long ago for my sepentine engine's misbehavings.

Anyone else wanna chime in?

jodedor,
Well, I say list the info (on page 1) for information purposes (only) and let each owner decide for themselves if they want to take 'the risk'. Personally I have never needed a tow hook in my 28 years of driving. I took mine off and left it off. I hope (?), if I ever did need a tow cable to pull my car, there is another safe point to use.

Is there a front tow hook(s) that I am missing?

 

[ptatohed]

Here's one for you guys. A tungsten 8mm wide, size 8.5 men's wedding ring weighs 0.6oz. A titanium ring in the same size.... doesn't even tip the scale!

So, the moral of the story is choose a titanium ring over a tungsten ring...... or, maybe better yet..... save yourself the trouble and lots of money and forget the whole marriage thing altogether? Spend the saved money on mods!

j/k

 

[ptatohed]

FYI:

I didn't quite get the claimed 10lb per front and 5lb per rear, each, with my Z1 2-pc lightweight rotors. Using my (admittedly) Harbor Freight mail scale, I got:


OEM front rotors (ea): 29lb 2.6oz
Z1 front rotors (ea): 19lb 13.2oz

OEM rear rotors (ea): 19lb 9.6oz
Z1 rear rotors (ea): 15lb 1.4oz


Conclusion: Per my weighings, approx savings front, ea, = 9.5lb; approx savings rear, ea, = 4.5lb.

 

[ptatohed]

You should send them back for a refund and threaten Z1 with a false advertising, class-action lawsuit!

That's right! And my Subway Footlong at lunch wasn't quite 12" so I will have to throw Subway in there too!

 

[ptatohed]

Wow, this thread has been asleep for over 1.5 years!