Weight, corner-weighting, adjusting - lets discuss

[Air]

I decided to put my car on the scales yesterday!

You can check my build thread for specifics, but I have a mostly "stock" weight reduction plan.

I removed:
Spare
Jack
Tools
Trunk Plastics
B-pillar top plastics (for seat belt purposes, not weight)
Sound deadening from trunk and under rear seat

And,

Battery Re-located from front right to rear left.

My Ls13 swap s13 ended up like this:

2865 lbs (7/8ths gas) (no driver)

3083 with me in (220 lbs, 6 ft tall)

Weights were (with me in)
950 (LF).........735 (RF)

653 (LR).........745 (RR)

Front:
1685 (54.7%)

Cross Weight (wedge):
1388 (45 %)

Rear:
1398 (45.3%)

Left:
1603 (52%)

Right:
1680 (48%)

The total weight of my buddys stock s14 SE was 2754 lbs w. 3/4 tank gas (on same scales)

I read Rob Robinettes web-page on corner weighting, and used his spread-sheet to keep track of my data.

Here is my sheet : S13 Original Weight Spreadsheet

I do not know why my car is so LF heavy.. I need to adjust my coilvers i suppose, because there is not a item near the left front that should be making it so much heavier. I will have to re-adjust them when i have more time.

My d2s were frozen up, and one of them was actually broken. the lower mount separated at the pinch joint, and i could not adjust it the other day.

Any other ideas about what there is to adjust other than ride height?

I know some of you have spreadsheets on how much each item weighs, ect. You are welcome to link to those in this thread.

What kind of static-weight do we have to move around other than battery?

-Chris

[jmauld]

Did you unhook your swaybar before taking measurements?

[Air]

I did not. I remember reading this, but i did not recall to do so when i did the deed.

How much would this affect the reading if everything was perfectly level? I leveled up the scales with a laser level to ensure accuracy.

After i get my d2s fixed i will try again (and try to balance everything better.

[Def]

What brakes do you have? My S13 SR car weighed around 2560 lbs at 3/4 tank of gas with all the sound deadening in the car(ended up removing about 25 lbs), Z32 brakes all around, and the usual back seat/spare removed. Only thing I had removed that you didn't have listed is the AC.

Internet hype is that an LS1 swap isn't that much more weight, but looks like at least 200-250 lbs?

As for battery placement, put it in the right rear if you're putting it that far back. It'll help reduce the really heavy front left corner our cars have. I'd honestly think your car would be more even side to side up front due to a largely symmetrical motor. I always figured the accessories and exhaust being on the left side, but with an LS1 you should have most of the heavy exhaust stuff on the left side.

You need to ditch the D2s as well - total junk coilovers.

If you want to try to reduce some weight on that cross, try just reducing the height a bit on the left front corner.

[orion]

Internet hype is that an LS1 swap isn't that much more weight, but looks like at least 200-250 lbs?...

More like 125lbs, if my memory serves.

More than half of that is from the extra transmission weight...!

My car is right under 2700 w/o driver, and around a 1/4 tank. And that includes a heavy turbo manifold, turbo, and intercooler (KA-T).

Nissankat's car was 2860 on the same scales, with an LS1...IIRC. Maybe he'll confirm.

Cars are similarly gutted - No back seat, nothing in the trunk, same 4-point roll bar.

My battery is 10lbs lighter, and he's got 20 more lbs of wheel (4lbs/wheel)...but otherwise it's a pretty close comparison of KA-T versus LS1.

- Brian

[jmauld]

Has there been a real weight comparison between the SR and a KA? I would expect the SR to shed a few pounds from a KA, right?

[Air]

I cant lose height on the left front (rubs already), so i was trying to lose height in the right rear and add height in the left rear, but the right rear d2 was broken.

I will be removing the ac stuff (under the hood anyways, i will NOT be pulling the dash for awhile), the rear seat, the rest of the sound deadening,

I have z32s all around currently including e-brakes (andys wilwoods in the works), and rota p45rs (idk the weight, probably fairly heavy).

I would have thought the right rear would be the spot to put the battery, but according to jordans stock s14, it wants more static weight in the left rear as well. When i was KA i had the battery in the right rear, but i moved it during my swap.

I was planning on moving the battery into the rear-seat area, but now it looks like i might be leaving it where it is (at least till i figure out my suspension)

I met ryan at the thscc test an tune, and talked alittle about his bilstein setup. I will be keeping an eye out for something similar for my car. In the meantime, D2 is warrantying my setup and giving me new lower mounts in the rear so i will be back in the game.

[2Fass240us]

I met ryan at the thscc test an tune, and talked alittle about his bilstein setup. I will be keeping an eye out for something similar for my car. In the meantime, D2 is warrantying my setup and giving me new lower mounts in the rear so i will be back in the game.

I will have a pair of JayDeeEmm Bilstein inserts for the S13 for sail very soon. I'll include them for free if you buy my chassis.

[mmdb]

Just FYI stuff, my s14 weighed in at about ~3150 pounds without me in it. Battery in the right rear, sunroof, 1/4 tank of gas, and gutted trunk. Weight distribution with me in the car was 53f/47r.

I've yet to weight the car again with my new mods.

[VQ35goofus]

due to you being on the LH side the car will be LH heavy. The cure for your awkward cross weights in to raise the LR and RF. If the issue persists, then raise the whole car since you are already rubbing the FL, and make adjustments from there, probably best to get the car sitting where its not rubbing anywhere, and then adjust from there. I spent 3 hrs balancing an ITR last year because he was too stubborn to raise the front to allow more adjustment, then finally he gave in and i got it all balanced out in 30min, then he came off track and told me how much better it felt. Case-in-point, dont be scared to raise ride height a little in favor of better drive ability.

[Umai Kakudo]

You probably already know but if you are going to corner weight frequently or seriously you'll want to replace every bushing with a bearing to remove bind and stiction that will affect your weights on the scales.

It will make your adjustments faster, easier, and more consistent.

[VQ35goofus]

I wouldnt say switch to all rod-ends and bearings just for corner balancing, but it helps, they are more necessary for actual driving, not just balancing.

[Your Mom]

modified mag just had a nice write up on corner balancing, may be worth the 5 bucks.

[VQ35goofus]

save your money and just read it at Barnes & Noble or something....i have picked up so many magazines for just one or two articles...and the regretted it for the other fith that makes its way into them. Lots of info out there, no certain 1 way to do it, so use some judgment to pick one that gets you results that make sense.

[silverbullet]

I spent 3 hrs balancing an ITR last year because he was too stubborn to raise the front to allow more adjustment, then finally he gave in and i got it all balanced out in 30min, then he came off track and told me how much better it felt. Case-in-point, dont be scared to raise ride height a little in favor of better drive ability.

Is there ever an issue between raising/lowering a corner to get decent cross weight VS uneven spring preload and unsymetrical geometry? ... I'm guessing the height change isn't big enough to make that big of a difference in the things i mentioned?