Practical Weight Reduction Ideas for Daily Driver

[TemecFist]

I have ATX-20 restart and absolutely love it. Still good after 3 years random use. 680cca is plenty especially at under 4lbs

How much does the factory battery weigh, 30lbs? What's the longest you've let this battery sit and it still started?

 

[Fiestig]

stock 27-ish lbs if I recall so its not a brute compared to other stock batteries. It usually sits on an optimate charger but when I moved my office desk (clearly the best place for charging a battery..lol.) I forgot to plug it in and went 5-6 months without being on a charger and still started right up when I through it in for a HWY1 run

 

[TemecFist]

I have ATX-20 restart and absolutely love it. Still good after 3 years random use. 680cca is plenty especially at under 4lbs

How much does the factory battery weigh, 30lbs? What's the longest you've let this battery sit and it s

stock 27-ish lbs if I recall so its not a brute compared to other stock batteries. It usually sits on an optimate charger but when I moved my office desk (clearly the best place for charging a battery..lol.) I forgot to plug it in and went 5-6 months without being on a charger and still started right up when I through it in for a HWY1 run

Interesting. I wonder how long it would last with a parasitic drain like a car has? 2 weeks you think?

 

[Jabbit]

Wish I could pay $350 to lost 20 lbs on my body. I'd do it a few times over.

 

[Fiestig]

7-10 days is max with regular use (sitting, waiting, stereo on a couple times, etc) Race use, you could probably get 10-14 days but if that is the case there is no reason not to plug it in while the car is getting prepped. I have the wires that also came with my optimate that allow you to leave the battery in and just use direct plug in extension. Any which way BMS and Restart work like a charm and the BMS keeps the battery from being damaged.

 

[Mikey456]

Wish I could pay $350 to lost 20 lbs on my body. I'd do it a few times over.

You could...Buy the Vitamix blender. Substitute those cereal breakfast that everyone was brought up with a protein shake. Have nuts lying around as a snack. Cut the carbs in meals (use quinoa instead of rice and pasta) and the beer/alcohol. And exercise daily. Splurge on the weekend only. Ask me how I know [emoji38]

 

[Jabbit]

You could...Buy the Vitamix blender. Substitute those cereal breakfast that everyone was brought up with a protein shake. Have nuts lying around as a snack. Cut the carbs in meals (use quinoa instead of rice and pasta) and the beer/alcohol. And exercise daily. Splurge on the weekend only. Ask me how I know [emoji38]

Hey don't tell me what to do! Seriously I know you are right though.

 

[Drew J]

So again, though, for my use case, a daily driver with 5-10 below 0F mornings a year here in Vermont, even the antigravity batteries would probably not crank at some point?

 

[Mikey456]

If I lived in that climate I would move the standard battery behind the passenger seat. You could possible run the cable where the sound symposer hose comes feeds into a cabin. I’m not handy with that so I bet a car stereo shop could do the installation. Another route which I would consider when my battery goes out is to get a standard battery from a Miata. It’s relatively cheap and saves a bit of weight and uses the standard box. I think you need to raise the battery a bit with a piece of plywood. I don’t know how the Miata battery does in extreme temps though.

 

[M-Sport fan]

So again, though, for my use case, a daily driver with 5-10 below 0F mornings a year here in Vermont, even the antigravity batteries would probably not crank at some point?

I would think that their higher power, 'street' batteries, their 'RS' series??, albeit a bit heavier, (but still way less weight than either a flooded lead acid full size, or an AGM full size/power) from them, i.e. the ones with the standard/molded-in type terminal posts, vs, their threaded bracket 'motorsport' or motorcycle batteries, would be OK in those conditions, especially with a 'maintenance' charge once a week or so.

But maybe contact their tech department to confirm that their product, or Li-Ion batteries in general, does/do not get all wonky in sub 0*F temps, to be sure.

 

[Drew J]

Ok, I spoke with a tech at Antigravity Batteries yesterday, and he was very helpful. He confirmed that their larger batteries in the ATX series will work for daily driven car with 4-cylinder engines, even in cold climates. They are essentially motorcycle batteries, but the larger ones are rated for up to 2500cc engines, quite a bit bigger than our little 1600s. He said they are rated for -4 to 140 degrees F, and I'm assuming there's a bit of a margin of error/conservativism in that number, so -7F or -9F might still work. He recommended for cranks under 10F (above zero), to turn on the stereo for a couple minutes to warm the battery up before attempting the crank.

He recommended the heaviest duty one they have, the ATX30-HD. It's $500, but will net me over 20 pounds vs the stock battery and battery box. Weight reduction ain't cheep.

So yeah, I'm going forward with that in a couple months when I get the summer wheels/tires. I'm also holding off on the big brake kit until then. Between the shocks, subframe bracing, limited slip differential + slave cylinder, and carbon fiber hood swap, I have more than enough work scheduled for the next 3-5 weeks already.

The donuts were cheap, so I ordered both a steel wheel and an aluminum wheel to see which is lighter. About $110 each with shipping and tax.

So just tosummarize where I am so far in my weight reduction plan:

-Lighter wheels/tires: 30 lbs (Late April/Early May)
-Carbon fiber hood: 10 lbs (as soon as it comes in the mail)
-Replace full size spare with donut: 15 lbs (as soon as it comes in the mail)
-Big brake kit: 15 lbs (Late April/Early May)
-Lighter battery: 20 lbs (Late April/Early May)

Total estimated weight reduction: 90 lbs

And with my diet, I'm hoping to go from 190lbs to 180lbs, so 100 lbs total

 

[Drew J]

Also ordering one of these when I swap the battery: https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB20-UltraSafe-Lithium-Gasoline/dp/B015TKPT1A/

 

[Mikey456]

I like your plan for weight reduction. I just don’t understand the BBK kit. Drilled rotors yes... but larger rotors? The brakes are pretty good from the factory unless perhaps you take the car on a big track? IMO Definitely change brake fluid and pads if u want to autox. I notice nose dive under hard braking. Another forum member suggested the SVT rear brake kit to alleviate that situation. Also goldcoastautomotive.com has a rear brake solution last time I checked. They also have kits for bigger front rotors too.

 

[M-Sport fan]

He recommended the heaviest duty one they have, the ATX30-HD. It's $500, but will net me over 20 pounds vs the stock battery and battery box. Weight reduction ain't cheep.

Yes, not cheap, but add up what it would co$t in carbon/kevlar composite body parts/panels in order to get that very same weight savings, and it is a bargain!

That's WHY so many on here opt for just throwing power at these cars, instead of trying to radically reduce their weight (even though the weight reduction route does have the added benefit of lessening the strain on drive train parts, and their likelihood of breaking).

Since it is way cheaper to get that 350 to the wheels than it is to get anywhere below that upper 2500 lb. range once all of the usual 'go to' weight reduction things are done.

 

[Drew J]

I like your plan for weight reduction. I just don’t understand the BBK kit. Drilled rotors yes... but larger rotors? The brakes are pretty good from the factory unless perhaps you take the car on a big track? IMO Definitely change brake fluid and pads if u want to autox. I notice nose dive under hard braking. Another forum member suggested the SVT rear brake kit to alleviate that situation. Also goldcoastautomotive.com has a rear brake solution last time I checked. They also have kits for bigger front rotors too.

For me it's 100% weight reduction. I already have slotted rotors on front and rear, braided lines, EBC yellow pads, and high performance fluid, and I wasn't planning on going any further.

If I can save another 15 lbs, though, it's worth it.

 

[Ford ST]

Yes, not cheap, but add up what it would co$t in carbon/kevlar composite body parts/panels in order to get that very same weight savings, and it is a bargain!

That's WHY so many on here opt for just throwing power at these cars, instead of trying to radically reduce their weight (even though the weight reduction route does have the added benefit of lessening the strain on drive train parts, and their likelihood of breaking).

Since it is way cheaper to get that 350 to the wheels than it is to get anywhere below that upper 2500 lb. range once all of the usual 'go to' weight reduction things are done.

I agree because there's no way on this Earth I'm spending $500 on a battery. My opinion on weight reduction by the best lightest Wheels you can get your hands on, do the same for tires and call it a day.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

 

[PhoenixM3]

I agree with Temec. It’s important to keep perspective and enjoy the car. Just for comparison the ND Miata weighs around 2300 lbs stock vs our car weighing around 2700lbs stock.

Probably one of my next cars before all the fun ones become electric....

 

[PhoenixM3]

In terms of weight loss have thought of relocating the battery to the rear hatch. I think this is not too high cost a modification. have that done on my 240sx with a battery box similar to this one.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...SBnFpnNur-8dsybIJkS_YirhyyaQO3MQaAhSqEALw_wcB

you could probably shave 10-20 lbs with a lighter battery although not sure if the lithium batteries are practical.

I did that too on a past car. The battery cable is pretty heavy due to the length, so you‘d be doing this more for balance than anything. Avoid lithium and use a PC680 Odyssey instead.

 

[Drew J]

I agree with Temec. It’s important to keep perspective and enjoy the car. Just for comparison the ND Miata weighs around 2300 lbs stock vs our car weighing around 2700lbs stock.

Before or after the LS swap?

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^HOW does one possibly get to the plugs to change them out in one of those swaps?!?!

I had an LS1 Z28, and it was an ordeal changing plugs in that thing (one ended up looking like they went 20 rounds with a Wolverine, and you had to get under the car in order to get to the firewall side plugs!), and the engine bay was twice the size of the Miatas.