Practical Weight Reduction Ideas for Daily Driver

[ronmcdon]

yeah pretty much looking for weight distribution and transfer. would mount somewhere behind right side, rear passenger seat. on a heavier car the gains might be less, but figure it'd be worthwhile on a lighter car. Not really sure center of gravity would matter that much.

some theorize more responsive steering feel and maybe it's a placebo effect but I could tell on my 240sx, which is similar weight 2800 lbs ish and closer to 50/50 stock. On my evo x and iirc, my old NA miata (RIP) this is stock. To me better steering makes a car more fun to drive on the street and easier to drive with hdpe events.

but yes this would overall add net weight all things equal for the battery box and added cables. Will try doing this mod in near future for the hell of it.

 

[M-Sport fan]

The Yaris GR has it's battery mounted all the way in the back center, like right in the middle of where the spare well is on our cars.

 

[Drew J]

I'm doing the big brake kit instead of the smaller battery. In this way, all of my weight reduction will be with parts that work as good or better than the part it's replacing. Big brake kit over slotted OEM size rotors and OEM calipers, CF hood over stock hood, lighter 15" wheels with wider tires ver heavy OEM 17" wheels and narrower tires, and a donut spare that should be perfectly adequate to get me home and to a tire shop.

 

[ronmcdon]

You could definitely lose 30lbs off the front by going to a lighter battery and a CF hood......but that's when practicality and point of diminishing returns come into play.

chickened out and went with the lighter lithium battery route. after my recent reliability mishap kinda scared of introducing another complication. figure may lose 20 lbs give or take

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V4D1Z4/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_glt_fabc_02K849YZ7HEDEK301PDW

 

[Drew J]

Spare tire and carbon fiber hood ordered. Big brakes will be next, and then the wheels will have to wait until time for Summer tires here in Vermont. Hopefully mid-late April.

 

[TemecFist]

chickened out and went with the lighter lithium battery route. after my recent reliability mishap kinda scared of introducing another complication. figure may lose 20 lbs give or take

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V4D1Z4/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_glt_fabc_02K849YZ7HEDEK301PDW

Nice! What battery did you get? Do you have to get that Mahle tray?

 

[M-Sport fan]

chickened out and went with the lighter lithium battery route. after my recent reliability mishap kinda scared of introducing another complication. figure may lose 20 lbs give or take

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V4D1Z4/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_glt_fabc_02K849YZ7HEDEK301PDW

Wow! That thing has 880CCA?!?! NOT bad at all for that price.

Which charger are you going to use for it?

 

[M-Sport fan]

Spare tire and carbon fiber hood ordered. Big brakes will be next, and then the wheels will have to wait until time for Summer tires here in Vermont. Hopefully mid-late April.

Are you going with Ron's brakes for 15" wheels, or the Wilwoods that fit under the smaller hoops?

I would go with the alloy/donut spare, but that setup will NOT get me out of the long, rough gravel stages while working NEFR if I puncture a tire on them.

Maybe I will get one and just put the factory boat anchor back in for working the rallies.

 

[Drew J]

I'm not seeing that any of the Wilwood systems fit a 15" wheel. The one on Whoosh says 16"-17" and I just got off the phone with Wilwood sales support and according to them they don't even sell big brake kits for the FiST, so fuck 'em. I'm going with Ron.

Also I'm pretty sure the donut I ordered has a steel wheel, not alloy. There really wasn't much selection that I could find.

 

[Drew J]

Wow! That thing has 880CCA?!?! NOT bad at all for that price.

Which charger are you going to use for it?

I've been steered away from getting a smaller battery due to living in Vermont and getting 5-10 below 0F mornings.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I'm not seeing that any of the Wilwood systems fit a 15" wheel. The one on Whoosh says 16"-17" and I just got off the phone with Wilwood sales support and according to them they don't even sell big brake kits for the FiST, so fuck 'em. I'm going with Ron.

Also I'm pretty sure the donut I ordered has a steel wheel, not alloy. There really wasn't much selection that I could find.

O.D.D. racing in Colorado has developed a system which will fit under 15" wheels, using Wilwood parts, since every gravel rally wheel is that diameter.

But, yes, it is most likely $500.00+ more than Ron's 'brand' offering, so good choice!

As far as the alloy spare goes, you have to look for the SE/Titanium (maybe even base??) Fiesta spares, since those used the alloy wheel donut setup.

They are somewhat hard to find (but many on here have had success in locating them), and it might mean a trip to a boneyard (IF there is one nearby, and IF they even have any wrecked Fiestas there).

 

[Drew J]

I know people. (My dad owns a small town Ford dealership in Alabama)

 

[Drew J]

LOL. It's MSRP $195 from the dealership, or at our cost $145, just for the alloy donut rim. I found a used one on eBay for $110 including shipping.

 

[Drew J]

I already bought the steel donut, so now the question is how much less could it possibly weigh?

 

[M-Sport fan]

It's probably somewhere in between the weight of the ST's factory full size, steel wheel spare, and the lesser Fiestas' alloy donut.

 

[Mikey456]

I bought mine on eBay too. It’s the spare for the Fiesta SE. It’s alloy and has 8 “spokes”


2017 Ford Fiesta ST, Shadow Black, Recaro seats, Mountune RMM, Swift springs, 5mm rear spacers, Falken 615+ tires

 

[ronmcdon]

Nice! What battery did you get? Do you have to get that Mahle tray?

oh same exact battery in that link. figure not bad for a bit under 6 lbs. will def look into some trays

 

[TemecFist]

oh same exact battery in that link. figure not bad for a bit under 6 lbs. will def look into some trays

6lbs?! That is pretty good!! I wonder if it would work on a non daily driver and without a trickle charger?

 

[Fiestig]

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

 

[haste]

I had the ATX-12-HD installed on my BMW K1200R. That battery cranked the engine over with ease and super fast. A brand new AGM wouldn't even come close. Very tempting to try out the ATX-30 in the Fiesta. That is quite the weight savings.

Looks like this one would be better for our application but is currently OOS.

https://www.amazon.com/Antigravity-RS-30-Lithium-RE-START-Battery/dp/B07B8NGM17