TopGear8

iTrader: (3)

I should be at the Pro in NJ.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I'll be lucky if my car is back together by March 9th weekend

Simmons-Racing

iTrader: (1)

Cool, now go sign up

Simmons

thunderberk

Guys i want to ask you a question about weight reduction.

When you remove back seats and the trunk covers how do you feel while you are driving ? Weight distribution also effects too much this point when you remove door panels what's the total difference only rear seat remove & trunk covers ? If any door panel removals what is your experiences ?

TopGear8

iTrader: (3)

It feels alot louder. Your only losing about 20lbs taking the rear seats out.

paimon.soror

iTrader: (15)

I know the question doesn't have a place in STX since i believe it is against the rules, but this seems to be the only place where the drivers actually know a think or two about driving the car vs modding for giggles.

Anyway, how do you all feel about the stock front sway? I know that Team did a mod to his OEM sway (not sure if using for STX) to make it a bit stiffer, but I dont know if that makes it as stiff as the progress tech at the neutral (center) position. I haven't really played with the front, but with all the chatter lately about the MX5 sway and such, i am wondering if performance wise it would be a better choice to drop the sway bar to its softest setting (which i believe is still stiffer than OEM).

I no longer have my OEM.

blu3dragon

iTrader: (1)

There's no single answer to this. It depends on what you are trying to achieve; Less overall roll? More grip at the front? More grip at the rear?

The stock front sway is fairly stiff compared to the spring rates. I would change springs before doing the sway bar.

Modded the stock bar will still not be as stiff as the aftermarket solutions. Modding might add ~10% to the stiffness. There's another thread on here comparing the stiffness of various sways...

If you want to reduce roll, without changing springs, then stiffening front and rear sway bars would be the way to do it. Doing this might decrease grip though; the weight transfer effects of a sway bar will do that over uneven surfaces.

If you want to change the balance then changing the sway bar at one end of the car would do it. For example, to add front grip, and reduce rear grip, then soften the front sway, or stiffen the rear.

There's also bump stops, shock rates and alignment/tires to consider if you are fine tuning balance...

Finally, you can change both front and rear sways in STX.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

my experience is that once you start modifying the spring rates the car needs a stiffer front bar, slight changes in rear rate increase seem to compound the amount of front rate required

thunderberk

Mike 2 months later i am going to race in circuit want time attack. I am going to remove rear seats, floor mats and rear trunk covers maybe door panels but i don't want remove front doors covers.

How is the feeling of the rear when you turn ? I don't have big spoiler to get downforce of the rear.

I wonder the driving feelings and car reacts ?

bse50

It feels and reacts just the same

TopGear8

iTrader: (3)

Exactly, and that is what corner balancing is for.

thunderberk

@ Giorgio
@ Mike

Thanks for the answers but what do you think of the weight destribution ? I have a single exhaust and when i said above these weight reductions isn't effect that much ?

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

most everything you listed is aft of the CoG so it's going to skew the distribution forward, but it's still not that much weight and the net effect is negligible

TopGear8

iTrader: (3)

Well ****.

I had signed up for DSP at Dixie since I picked up a fresh set of 275's. And the class wasn't that stacked...

Until Eric Cambell showed up.

Car would still be STX legal minus the Hoosiers...So now theres no chance of beating Eric and winning a pair of Ho Ho's...


****.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Spoken like a true champion ....

thunderberk

As i understood of your write you say they aren't effect too much ?

Totally trunk covers weights 6 kg Rear seats 9 kg and the door panel covers etc.

I have a single exhaust and when i change headers, catalytic with straight pipe totally i get 20+ over kgs weight reduct of my car and it feels the real difference if you drive and know your car and i am sure that these weight reductions effect my rear stability of the car but i am going to remove all of them.

I have no chance to use another wheel tyre combo i am going to use oem R3 wheel specs..

bse50

Remove your heavy *** battery, put a 18lbs deka one and solve the weight distribution problems along with an Aem intake.
It's pretty much the only way to shed weight inside the hood without going crazy with A\C removal, air pump removal etc.

If you really want to save some interior weight remove the whole stereo and wiring.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

The reason you ask the question is because you don't know, the reason you question the response is because you don't understand

You have a lot to learn, nothing wrong with that

Do you even know what your car weighs now?

thunderberk

@Giorgio i have an aem now and i purchased bhr ignition,flywheel & counterweight

I am going to weight reduction but don't want to remove stereo system because not race always in circuits but i am going to race a few monts later to see what i do and my car do.

The reason i asked to listen experience show me your experiences ? Know is different thing, you know but you are not experienced !

When i changed my exhaust set ups i saw many reasons and experienced lots of things you say a few weights not effect that much but i experienced lots of effects talk me with respectful way no one can test anyones knowledge.

Not sure but 1345-1355 kg's

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

it was obvious me telling you that removing 40 lbs isn't going to transform the car into either being amazing or ill handling won't have anywhere near the impact of you eventually coming to this realization through your own firsthand experience

People who rely on theory generally tend to over emphasize the inevitable reality of the situation

My RX8 with full interior is just a tick off of 2700lbs/1228kg

we're allowed to use racing seats, but there is a minimum weight limit of 25#/seat for non-OEM including the mounting hardware and the passenger or rear seats otherwise can't be removed

it's fully emission-compliant (current STX class rule requirement), most items are custom to achieve minimum weight such as the intake, the exhaust system, aluminum racing coilovers with 2.25" ID springs and aluminum shock mounts, relocation of a lithium battery (went with one having suitable reserve power, not minimum weight), lightweight wheels, lighter brake package etc otherwise most everything else is a base factory 6-spd RX-8 with an empty glovebox and tool kit

if the rules allow it, you intend to put a roll cage in and not street drive it, or it's a dedicated autox car where the likelihood of hitting anything head-on is minimal then getting rid of the front crash bar is one of the best things you can do, that's 15# hanging way out on the top of the front nose

if you can figure out how to make a lightweight PPF that is still stiff enough that would have some potential savings, but again most of it is aft of the CG

most of this stuff is from the S1, if anything the S2 weighs more

https://www.rx8club.com/tech-garage-...8-parts-81791/



.

tpdrx8

Funny this.

So wutcha gonna do now Mike?

TopGear8

iTrader: (3)

Seeing as I wouldn't have bought the Hoosiers in the first place if I didn't think I had a chance of winning...I'm probably going to stay in DSP and just have fun driving on Hoosiers.

StrokerAce

Maybe you can find no one else is in to enter so you can get a trophy like a real champion

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Just go out there and give it your all. Finishing behind the Campbell 330i is no disgrace and you never know, maybe a cone will tip in your favor

Plus, you need to size up where you are today to where you need to be to give them hell later

wrightcomputing

iTrader: (5)

I am running in DSP too, I wrote a letter to the board about allowing the Mazdaspeed Kit and they turned it down :-( I am going to take my wing off but I am not changing the body kit, oh well. I really don't think my car is going to be competitive in class though I am just going to have fun and see what happens on the National Tour.