Anyone Working on Lightening their Car?
04-12-2010, 03:06 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Near the Arch
Posts: 159
Anyone Working on Lightening their Car?
My goal is to pull one hundred pounds outta’ my to be purchased V6 2011 Performance Pack. I’m wondering if anyone has found lighter wheel / tire combo, lighter seats (that still fold), smaller batteries, pulled rotor shields, aftermarket exhaust and how much weight was able to save for each fat cutting trick? (I have contributed to the cause by going from a jelly belly 205 pounds to a lean 175!)
04-12-2010, 04:18 PM
#3
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 632
Weight savings is always on the menu with all my cars.
Usually lighter wheels/tires contributes anywhere from 4-10 lbs per corner or a 16-40 lbs overall. And since it's rotational mass that's equal to about 2.5-3x sprung weight removal. So cutting 30 lbs rotational is like cutting 75-90 sprung weight.
If you don't go on trips far from home, dump the spare tire.
That's usually 30-35 lbs right there.
Pick up a cigarette lighter powered air compressor along with a bottle or two of the green slime just in case. That total weight is about 6-7 lbs, so your overall weight saving from removing the spare is about 20-25 lbs (but again, if you go on a trip, I'd put the spare back in).
LW batteries are good, but keep in mind if you have the Shaker 500 or especially the 1000, I wouldn't go with too light of a battery. And if you are the type to sit in your car and listen to music with the engine off, don't get a too weak battery either.
With the Shaker 500, I'd get no less than:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b2618/
with the Shaker 1000 you may want to have a minimum of:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b3121/
but even so, I'd turn off your stereo each time before starting the car and then turn the stereo on once the car is running.
So you'll save at least another 20 lbs that way.
If you are really weight saving crazy and don't ever put anybody in your back seats, take them out. You'll probably save 60-100 lbs there (not sure how much the rear seats of the Mustang are)
But you then have to have a place to store the rear seats, accept the louder exhaust noise, and "odd" look of having a partially gutted interior.
As you mentioned an aftermarket exhaust can often save you 20-30 lbs, add a few ponies and give you a bit more aggressive sound (if you want that), but that gets pricey for a mild help in weight savings and power increase.
You can also saving 7-8 lbs by draining out all your windshield wiper fluid if you don't ever use it too.
You should easily be able to trim 100 lbs off your 2011 Mustang V6.
With the rear seats removed, 150+ should be no problem.
Have fun
Usually lighter wheels/tires contributes anywhere from 4-10 lbs per corner or a 16-40 lbs overall. And since it's rotational mass that's equal to about 2.5-3x sprung weight removal. So cutting 30 lbs rotational is like cutting 75-90 sprung weight.
If you don't go on trips far from home, dump the spare tire.
That's usually 30-35 lbs right there.
Pick up a cigarette lighter powered air compressor along with a bottle or two of the green slime just in case. That total weight is about 6-7 lbs, so your overall weight saving from removing the spare is about 20-25 lbs (but again, if you go on a trip, I'd put the spare back in).
LW batteries are good, but keep in mind if you have the Shaker 500 or especially the 1000, I wouldn't go with too light of a battery. And if you are the type to sit in your car and listen to music with the engine off, don't get a too weak battery either.
With the Shaker 500, I'd get no less than:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b2618/
with the Shaker 1000 you may want to have a minimum of:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b3121/
but even so, I'd turn off your stereo each time before starting the car and then turn the stereo on once the car is running.
So you'll save at least another 20 lbs that way.
If you are really weight saving crazy and don't ever put anybody in your back seats, take them out. You'll probably save 60-100 lbs there (not sure how much the rear seats of the Mustang are)
But you then have to have a place to store the rear seats, accept the louder exhaust noise, and "odd" look of having a partially gutted interior.
As you mentioned an aftermarket exhaust can often save you 20-30 lbs, add a few ponies and give you a bit more aggressive sound (if you want that), but that gets pricey for a mild help in weight savings and power increase.
You can also saving 7-8 lbs by draining out all your windshield wiper fluid if you don't ever use it too.
You should easily be able to trim 100 lbs off your 2011 Mustang V6.
With the rear seats removed, 150+ should be no problem.
Have fun
04-12-2010, 04:56 PM
#4
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Near the Arch
Posts: 159
Weight savings is always on the menu with all my cars.
Usually lighter wheels/tires contributes anywhere from 4-10 lbs per corner or a 16-40 lbs overall. And since it's rotational mass that's equal to about 2.5-3x sprung weight removal. So cutting 30 lbs rotational is like cutting 75-90 sprung weight.
If you don't go on trips far from home, dump the spare tire.
That's usually 30-35 lbs right there.
Pick up a cigarette lighter powered air compressor along with a bottle or two of the green slime just in case. That total weight is about 6-7 lbs, so your overall weight saving from removing the spare is about 20-25 lbs (but again, if you go on a trip, I'd put the spare back in).
LW batteries are good, but keep in mind if you have the Shaker 500 or especially the 1000, I wouldn't go with too light of a battery. And if you are the type to sit in your car and listen to music with the engine off, don't get a too weak battery either.
With the Shaker 500, I'd get no less than:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b2618/
with the Shaker 1000 you may want to have a minimum of:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b3121/
but even so, I'd turn off your stereo each time before starting the car and then turn the stereo on once the car is running.
So you'll save at least another 20 lbs that way.
If you are really weight saving crazy and don't ever put anybody in your back seats, take them out. You'll probably save 60-100 lbs there (not sure how much the rear seats of the Mustang are)
But you then have to have a place to store the rear seats, accept the louder exhaust noise, and "odd" look of having a partially gutted interior.
As you mentioned an aftermarket exhaust can often save you 20-30 lbs, add a few ponies and give you a bit more aggressive sound (if you want that), but that gets pricey for a mild help in weight savings and power increase.
You can also saving 7-8 lbs by draining out all your windshield wiper fluid if you don't ever use it too.
You should easily be able to trim 100 lbs off your 2011 Mustang V6.
With the rear seats removed, 150+ should be no problem.
Have fun
Usually lighter wheels/tires contributes anywhere from 4-10 lbs per corner or a 16-40 lbs overall. And since it's rotational mass that's equal to about 2.5-3x sprung weight removal. So cutting 30 lbs rotational is like cutting 75-90 sprung weight.
If you don't go on trips far from home, dump the spare tire.
That's usually 30-35 lbs right there.
Pick up a cigarette lighter powered air compressor along with a bottle or two of the green slime just in case. That total weight is about 6-7 lbs, so your overall weight saving from removing the spare is about 20-25 lbs (but again, if you go on a trip, I'd put the spare back in).
LW batteries are good, but keep in mind if you have the Shaker 500 or especially the 1000, I wouldn't go with too light of a battery. And if you are the type to sit in your car and listen to music with the engine off, don't get a too weak battery either.
With the Shaker 500, I'd get no less than:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b2618/
with the Shaker 1000 you may want to have a minimum of:
http://www.braillebattery.com/index....tteries/b3121/
but even so, I'd turn off your stereo each time before starting the car and then turn the stereo on once the car is running.
So you'll save at least another 20 lbs that way.
If you are really weight saving crazy and don't ever put anybody in your back seats, take them out. You'll probably save 60-100 lbs there (not sure how much the rear seats of the Mustang are)
But you then have to have a place to store the rear seats, accept the louder exhaust noise, and "odd" look of having a partially gutted interior.
As you mentioned an aftermarket exhaust can often save you 20-30 lbs, add a few ponies and give you a bit more aggressive sound (if you want that), but that gets pricey for a mild help in weight savings and power increase.
You can also saving 7-8 lbs by draining out all your windshield wiper fluid if you don't ever use it too.
You should easily be able to trim 100 lbs off your 2011 Mustang V6.
With the rear seats removed, 150+ should be no problem.
Have fun
04-13-2010, 12:20 AM
#8
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 632
I'd say/think a base car with the Brembo Brake package would be the lightest of them all.
Followed by the GT Premium with the Brembo Brake package (probably weighing a mere 20-25 lbs more, mainly from the power seat motors and the Shaker 500 amp and speakers).
The Brembo brake package makes the car the lightest stock, simply because the tires and likely the wheels are lighter than the 19" optional non Brembo wheels/tires and are probably no heavier than the stock 18" wheels/tires. But with the Brembo package, you lose a good 30+ lbs from not having a spare tire.
However, clearly any of the other Mustang's can just remove the spare themselves and be at the same weight then too.
The Glass Moonroof option would be the heaviest option, and in the worst possible place for acceleration, braking and handling. I'm guessing the Shaker 1000 adds 20+ lbs to the car too, since IIRC, it adds a heavier amp and big subwoofer too.
From the lightest GT to the fully loaded one, probably 80-90 lbs difference
Followed by the GT Premium with the Brembo Brake package (probably weighing a mere 20-25 lbs more, mainly from the power seat motors and the Shaker 500 amp and speakers).
The Brembo brake package makes the car the lightest stock, simply because the tires and likely the wheels are lighter than the 19" optional non Brembo wheels/tires and are probably no heavier than the stock 18" wheels/tires. But with the Brembo package, you lose a good 30+ lbs from not having a spare tire.
However, clearly any of the other Mustang's can just remove the spare themselves and be at the same weight then too.
The Glass Moonroof option would be the heaviest option, and in the worst possible place for acceleration, braking and handling. I'm guessing the Shaker 1000 adds 20+ lbs to the car too, since IIRC, it adds a heavier amp and big subwoofer too.
From the lightest GT to the fully loaded one, probably 80-90 lbs difference
Last edited by Driver72; 04-13-2010 at 12:23 AM.
04-13-2010, 09:30 AM
#9
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Near the Arch
Posts: 159
I'd say/think a base car with the Brembo Brake package would be the lightest of them all.
Followed by the GT Premium with the Brembo Brake package (probably weighing a mere 20-25 lbs more, mainly from the power seat motors and the Shaker 500 amp and speakers).
The Brembo brake package makes the car the lightest stock, simply because the tires and likely the wheels are lighter than the 19" optional non Brembo wheels/tires and are probably no heavier than the stock 18" wheels/tires. But with the Brembo package, you lose a good 30+ lbs from not having a spare tire.
However, clearly any of the other Mustang's can just remove the spare themselves and be at the same weight then too.
The Glass Moonroof option would be the heaviest option, and in the worst possible place for acceleration, braking and handling. I'm guessing the Shaker 1000 adds 20+ lbs to the car too, since IIRC, it adds a heavier amp and big subwoofer too.
From the lightest GT to the fully loaded one, probably 80-90 lbs difference
Followed by the GT Premium with the Brembo Brake package (probably weighing a mere 20-25 lbs more, mainly from the power seat motors and the Shaker 500 amp and speakers).
The Brembo brake package makes the car the lightest stock, simply because the tires and likely the wheels are lighter than the 19" optional non Brembo wheels/tires and are probably no heavier than the stock 18" wheels/tires. But with the Brembo package, you lose a good 30+ lbs from not having a spare tire.
However, clearly any of the other Mustang's can just remove the spare themselves and be at the same weight then too.
The Glass Moonroof option would be the heaviest option, and in the worst possible place for acceleration, braking and handling. I'm guessing the Shaker 1000 adds 20+ lbs to the car too, since IIRC, it adds a heavier amp and big subwoofer too.
From the lightest GT to the fully loaded one, probably 80-90 lbs difference