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weight loss?
10-28-2008, 8:00 PM
whats the max weight loss that a hatch or notch could loose. like taking in every thing that could be taken out thats not needed?could it reach the 2300-2400 range?
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No. I would take a lot more then just removing stuff to hit that weight. 2800lbs is more realistic.
thats what i was thinking, is the fox nose heavy or what i see alot of drift vids of 5.0s and as soon as theres any moment of correction it tends to "plow" and understeer?
The Fox is definately nose heavy. Theres ALOT of Iron at the front of these cars. There are some ways to fix the overly terrible weight distribution on them. Aluminum heads is a start, tubular K-Member and A arms, aluminum block, and battery relocation. Removal of the Air Conditioning is another plausible option as well, however to get maximum benifit out of it you need to remove all the plumbing in the cockpit as well. Stiffening up the front springs should also help with the "plow"....
Shifting weight back in the car is not going to solve understeer issues. They can be worked out with proper suspension setup. Just take a look at how much weight drag cars put on the rear tires.
That being said, the car does not have a 50/50 weight balance, but I would not consider it nose heavy. The SN95 cars are a different story.
You can re-locate the battery to behind the passenger seat, add a cage, put aluminum cylinder heads on the car, remove the a/c, use a smaller front swaybar, and use a aftermarket k-member to help out weight distribution if you are really concerned. Also, don't remove the rear bumper and leave the back glass. If you want to get really crazy, you would put a Cobra IRS in the car. If you want to get really crazy, use the 4 cylinder engine. At that point you may just want to start with an SVO Mustang.
All this will shift the balance of the car rearward, but I personally don't worry that much about it, and would avoid spending too much money or time on weight distribution. Remember the Ford engineers did take the weight balance of the car into account when designing the suspension.
Haha, we posted at almost the exact same time. Stepping up to good front tires and using a small swaybar will also do miracles to eliminate understeer. A good differential will also make a big difference.
After thinking about this a bit more, I would pull off the front swaybar first to see what you get, before getting crazy with weight movement.
Its crazy huh? If I'm not mistaken you can pick up an aluminum block, aluminum gt40-p heads, and gt-40 style intake out of a 98 Explorer or something.
I like where this thread is going.
I think im wrong. the 4.6 that replaced the 5.0 was for sure aluminum, but I dunno about the 5.0 block. Hell im so tired i haven't a clue as to whats right or wrong
The 4.6 is aluminum, but not the same style engine as the 5.0 engine. The 4.6 is an overhead cam design.
1998 4.6 - 486 lbs. - http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=994765&highlight=4.6+en...
1986 5.0 - 498 lbs. - http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1000823&highlight=engin...
So, looks like you will just be saving just a few pounds by switching to a mod motor. You would save more then that by switching the 5.0 over to aluminum heads.
The strong point of the Ford engine lineup lies in heavy engines. If you were trying to be ridiculous in what you want to pay for, theoretically one of the small Japanese motors could power the car. There's a guy somewhere around here with an RB26 in his 66 notch. But I think something like that is so far away it is unrealistic.
From what I understand the LX 5.0's are lighter than the GT 5.0's. They're not 400 pounds lighter, but we're getting into specifics in this thread.
Driving style is much more important here for controlling the understeer. Anticipation will do more for you than any amount of weight balance. My SN-95 has a stripped rear interior, a stripped trunk, a 6 point roll cage that extends to the rear half of the car, balding front tires, and no weight reduction from the front (yet). It's a pain in the ass to get sideways at this point. In about 20 runs I've probably had two where I've been spinning the rear, because I've been understeering on the front. I need to reevaluate my weight soon.
i thank you all for your post. jetsetter, wouldnt a locking diff counteract in your understeering and help in initiating the drift.
I have yet to weigh my Stang, but here's what I've removed/done to help get some some weight off the Foxbody:
Removed rear seats
Removed rear interior panels, speakers, carpeting, and sound deatening material
Removed center consol
Replaced factory seats w/ Sparco Sprint fixed bucket seats
Replaced factory exhaust (headers, cats/h-pipe, catback) w/ BBK equal-length shorties, Summit off-road h-pipe, custom exhaust w/ DynoMax Thrush glassbacks in a dump style
Things to be done over winter:
Replace battery w/ lightweight Braille battery and move to the rear
Remove smog pump
Remove A/C
Remove all emissions
Rewiring engine/chassis
Lightweight 17's
Lightweight engine pulley set
4cyl Front sway bar
Tubular Front control arms
Rear control arms w/ factory sway bar mount
Remove rear sway bar
Once the car is ready for spring/summer I'll try to have it weighed and dyno'd to see just where it sits for '09 season.
I did a little research around here (Devils Asshole, Kansas) and found that the 5.0 Explorers did not come equiped with aluminum blocks. I was however informed that I could purchase an aluminum 5.0 block for the price of my right testee.... Not a price I'm willing to pay at the moment, but some day when stem cell research has reached its zenith and it can be regrown.... someday.
lol
Hmmm...I've got two kids and have not motor....I think I could live without my right testee...
HAHA!
No testes = :(
lol, i think il just invest in a well rounded suspension setup
2750 no driver for my car.
The notch is lighter. I am running with all the AC stuff and a full cage. I think I pull 100lb just rewiring the car. No interior except race seats and dash stuff. Alum. heads and intake, tubular kmember alum rad. that kind of stuff makes the biggest weight diffences. I just stripped mine and then put back what was needed to work.
A thumpin system would be nice.
Yup-
My first weigh in with my car was 3044 lbs with full 8pt DOM 1.75 cage, 2 racing seats, all stock glass, metal hood, metal fenders, extinguisher, door beams, AC pump, and big heavy Cobra R wheels. Since then, we've replaced all the front body work with heavy thick fiberglass, replaced the cobras with somewhat lighter Rota wheels, ditched the AC and Smog pump, removed both front door beams, and replaced both door glass with Polycarb. I'd say we're right around 2850 at best.
Coupes are a little lighter, but with fiberglass hatch, and poly carb window you can make it just as light.
Geoff is right, understeer is not due to just weight. Stock Foxes are about 63% nose heavy. All that weight SHOULD help the the car turn better since the majority of the weight is over the turning tires (hence "trail-braking" is the art of shifting a cars weight over the front tires to enduce better turn in response). A well sorted suspension, as well as a more aggressive diff will aid you much better than ripping your interior out. Try removing or just disconnecting your front sway bar, running a bit higher pressures in front, and REALLY high pressures in the rear. I dont run a front sway bar at all on the Drift Patrol. Raising the rear with coil-overs also shifts weight- thats why Geoff and my car actually sit like old 70's hot-rods. My car is 58% front heavy. In my opinion, the perfect balance is between 53-55% front heavy. Remember 50/50 cars have a greater tendancy to "snap-spin" since both ends of the car displace equal ammounts of weight to their tires. I've raced and drifted many 50/50 weight dist cars like S2000s, FD-RX-7s, etc and they are viscous at the limit. S13s are 55% nose heavy stock and are retardely easy to drift.
Also of note; Although 4.6s are all aluminum, their cams, cam gears, and timing chains are steel. All this added weight means the 4.6 is roughly 120lbs HEAVIER than a 5.0 with aluminum intake and heads. That, plus the weight is rotational, and slightly higher set than a steel blocks. Just my observations= and why I staid faithful to the 5.0 (although I guess the new BOSS 347 is actually a 5.6/7)
i see your logic...so you raised your rear to aid in trail breakiing. hmm i see the key to this seems to be a good suspension setup for your style, i have a friend that had his front end raised like 1-2 inches higher then his rear or the rear was 1-2 inches lower, what would that be good for? eh i personally love the look of your stang with the nose looking like it dips in.
"S13s are 55% nose heavy stock and are retardely easy to drift.".....LOLed at it
Interior removal
Remember, a complete roll cage usually offsets a full interior removal (almost exactly in most cases). Drift Patrol #1 only has the minimal ammount of sound deadening removed. Drift Patrol #2 was fully, fully stripped of its sound deadening. I did add some bracing to the strut towers, and the cage. I'm getting more creative with the cutting wheel, and I mimicked Griggs personal Fox "Old-Blue" by removing the stock shitty lower radiator support, and put in place a nice tubuluar steel peice instead (although I'm not sure if this cut any weight). I plan on replacing ALL glass with poly carb, and replacing the hatch, and hood with super light pin-on peices. I will miss the ease of bolt on, but it should shave another 100 lbs. Also, I'm working with a company on creating either fiber-glass or carbon front & rear fenders for the car.
If weight was your #`1 concern, you could ditch the EFI and save 40 lbs in wiring, plus probably another 40lbs in intake, T.B. sensors, etc. After this season, I've definately considered this.
Its true. All u need to drift an S13 is good front tires and an SR. I used to take a 13 with used race tires on the stock steelies in front, tokikos all the way around, a diff and a stock SR with stock 240 exhaust. It was too easy. Took no skill.
weight wasnt rly my #1 concern but it was a concern because i had seen so many drift cars that were so light. but YEA that would be sweet if yal did make some fiberglass body kits and what not.
I love this site. I jump on a thread early on, and by the end I feel like a complete retard. Puts me in my place and makes me strive harder for what I want. BTW anyone out there have a shop or garage and willing to take on an over exuberant learner? (WInk wink, nudge nude)
that was supposed to be nudge nudge. Stupid missing "g" key
lol
We went from weight distribution to nude nudging in just a matter of days. LOL
I know I know my bad. Im easy what can I say?
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