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Battery weight, Engine cover weight, lug nut weight

Old Feb 4, 2005 | 05:44 PM
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Battery weight, Engine cover weight, lug nut weight

In my never ending quest to find a way to take 100lb off the car easily, I have weighed the following additional items.

stock battery - 27lb 2oz
4 lug nuts - 5oz
stock engine cover - 2lb 4oz
battery cover - 11oz


I was really hoping the battery was heavier, but it looks like its pretty light weight. you could get a light weight gel battery for $100 that weighs like 12lb, but that about as light as it gets.
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Old Feb 4, 2005 | 07:29 PM
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https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-55/about-titanium-ppf-49626/
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Old Feb 4, 2005 | 08:22 PM
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You could always save a little weight by driving naked. Just don't do it around me!
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Old Feb 5, 2005 | 01:02 PM
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Cut out all the alcohol, sugar and red meat. Get a thinner wife. leave the kids and dog at home.
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 12:15 PM
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He doesn't have a wife and kids. I'm not even sure he has pets. Alan, you're pretty well screwed!
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by brillo
In my never ending quest to find a way to take 100lb off the car easily, I have weighed the following additional items.

stock battery - 27lb 2oz
4 lug nuts - 5oz
stock engine cover - 2lb 4oz
battery cover - 11oz


I was really hoping the battery was heavier, but it looks like its pretty light weight. you could get a light weight gel battery for $100 that weighs like 12lb, but that about as light as it gets.
Replacing the battery is a no-brainer for track use and for your quest to lose 100lbs of sprung weight - using this one @15.4lbs (or the non-metal shielded one @13.5lbs). Not only is is relatively cheap and extremely easy to lose this 12-14lbs, but it's in front of the front wheels making it even more valuable on the track.

One of these --> http://www.portablepower.com/items/s.../Odyssey/PC680 is mentioned on several other car forums are a weight-saving must have and is quite close functionally to the stock RX-8 battery spec in several ways, suprisingly.

I've also been trying to figure out where else it's possible to put it in the car, but the weight of the cable is significant, and frankly, beside the trunk, it's pretty hard to find a spare spot! But as far as weight - Go for it brillo!

Last edited by Spin9k; Feb 8, 2005 at 01:02 PM.
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 01:01 PM
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Also brillo, I measure the stock engine cover at 2lbs 10 ozs, whereas my IPT cover is 1 lb 6 ozs - there is another 1lb 4 ozs for you, unless you just do away with it all together! See how they all add up?
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 02:06 PM
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He cross threaded a seat bolt the other day and is down to 3 on one seat. That's one less bolt worth of weight!
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 02:43 PM
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Light-weight catback exhaust?
Light-weight wheels?
Light-weight flywheel?
Light-weight shoes?
Light-weight seats?
Light-weight trunk door (CF)?
Empty your coin tray?

How much do you weigh? I have a base 8 too, and I weight ~150lbs only.
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 02:52 PM
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Empty the windshield washer fluid out, helium in the tires, take the back seats out (makes more room).....and .....
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 03:42 PM
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...remove the fenders, hood, doors, trunk lid, 1 lug nut from each wheel, take the windshield wipers off...
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 08:06 PM
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Take off the shift ****. Rip the leather from your steering wheel. Rip out all the interior carpeting. Take out the radio and the speakers. That should get you a bit farther.
:D :D :D
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Old Feb 8, 2005 | 08:12 PM
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Boy, you guys are tough on someone just trying the best to reduce wieght on the car to make it faster! Should be nicer. I prefer ex-lax 8 hours before driving for speed, dumps out a good pound or so!!!
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Old Feb 9, 2005 | 01:42 AM
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I'm not tough on him. We live in the same city and I talk to him everyday. It's just a little fun.
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Old Feb 9, 2005 | 08:57 AM
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Don't worry, I have plenty on ammunition to use on RG. I'm just saving it up for the right time
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 10:03 PM
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nice info thx!
I think flywheel, wheels and exhaust is the best way to make it lighter, but expensive...
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Old Feb 12, 2005 | 01:39 PM
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Yeah, flywheel, rims, and exhuast is the way to go but I also want to get a lighter:

Battery
Something else too (lol, I think I'm taped out)

Question, are there aftermarket "disk brakes" that are lighter? That might also be a nice place to lose some weight.
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Old Feb 13, 2005 | 12:51 AM
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Originally Posted by rx8wannahave
Yeah, flywheel, rims, and exhuast is the way to go but I also want to get a lighter:

Battery
Something else too (lol, I think I'm taped out)

Question, are there aftermarket "disk brakes" that are lighter? That might also be a nice place to lose some weight.
there are for some cars, I know sport compact car did a good write up on some brakes for the evo and sti
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Old Feb 14, 2005 | 10:01 AM
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Oh, because I too want to take off 100-150 pounds off my 8 and us weight saver people need to stick together.

I herd (who was it, I think it was Mr. Hill...) made a titanium bracy thingy (sorry, I forgot what it's called) that saved about 25-50 pounds but it was for track use...so I"m very sad about that now.

We need to document as much as we can to share where weight can be taken without hurting the car.

Cut 100-150 pounds and add a lighter flywheel....that would make a significant diference, BEFORE EVEN ADDING HP goodies....
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Old Feb 14, 2005 | 12:45 PM
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I've got my small, lightweight battery on order, and I'm putting it where the washer tank is. Took that off and (full) it weighed about 6lbs! So my plan is to move that to the trunk using a JCWitney bag-style washer replacement ($15), should be much easier to move that than the battery, then mount the battery against the firewall approx like this in the pic (I think that is the same battery I'm getting)

So let's see:

-27lbs for the battery
- 6lbs for the washer tank fluid
-32lbs for 4 SSR Comps
-25lbs Cork Sport Exhaust
----------
-90lbs
+15lbs for new battery
----------
-75lbs total - almost there! Maybe lose 10lbs by summer.. then ..hummm.. I'm thinking of new light pulleys, and removing the back seats ?wonder how much they weigh - maybe 15lbs each? so as to carry tires to the track easier - now I'm getting there - just wish I could fit that motor in this plan somehow :D
Attached Thumbnails Battery weight, Engine cover weight, lug nut weight-rx8-battery-moved.jpg   Battery weight, Engine cover weight, lug nut weight-corks.jpg  

Last edited by Spin9k; Feb 14, 2005 at 12:57 PM.
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Old Feb 14, 2005 | 10:19 PM
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check my site for some exhaust savings
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-aftermarket-performance-modifications-23/trust-full-titanium-composite-cat-back-52448/

there are lighter rotors, but there are some seriously lighter brake calipers too....
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Old Feb 15, 2005 | 11:54 AM
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RotorM

Thanks for posting...saving 28 pounds is great but it's just too expensive to be realistic for me at least.

Does anyone know how much the Borla weighs since it sounds real nice and is a painful but much more appealing $600.
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Old Feb 15, 2005 | 08:14 PM
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if you realy want to lighten up your car, I'm afraid spending a lot of money is inevitable...
sorry but I don't think you'll be able to reach your target:o
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Old Feb 15, 2005 | 10:46 PM
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spin9k, just be prepared for real short battery life with that firewall relocation. You're putting the battery right in the belly of the beast when it comes to heat. You're also going to pay back some of the weight savings once you fabricate the new mounting hardware.

If you're really serious about losing weight, why not change over to the brake rotors and 16" wheels from the base automatics. If unsprung weight is bad, excess rotating mass is worse. Light weight 16" wheels and tires are going to be lighter than comparable 18" wheels and tires. This is one of the few mods that can deliver better whp.
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Old Feb 16, 2005 | 09:47 AM
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I've got my small, lightweight battery on order…
From where? Also…why do you have to or want to change it’s location in the engine bay? I just want a lighter one…but I want to leave it in the same place. 6lbs for the water tank...naaa, too much work and too little weight savings to mess with it.

These are my weight saving thoughts…tell me what you think guys:

Lighter rims (17 pounds each which saves me about 5.5 pounds per rim): 22 pounds
Lighter flywheel: 8-5 pounds
Lighter battery: 12 pounds
Lighter break systems: xx? Pounds (maybe 20 pounds???)
Lighter exhaust system: xx? Pounds (Maybe 20-30 pounds???)
Lighter pullys: 5 pounds??

So far: 84-96 pounds

Is the above realistic??? My goal is to cut weight by 100-150 pounds…can we do it guys???

Note: Question, when getting lighter pully's do you need to get special belts to go with it or something???
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