RIPTIDER

iTrader: (9)

Just wanted to know if taking the front and rear reinforcement bar would be a good or life threatening idea? The bars itself probably weigh 75 lbs each. If I removed the front, would the engine block end up in my lap if I crashed? If I removed the rear, could someone crash into me rupturing the gas tank and cooking me?
Basically, is the reinforcement bar there for say something, like, saving my life? Or is it there to protect the car from severe engine damage and frame damage?
Just wanted to know if its a dumb *** idea or what.

ROCKART

iTrader: (23)

yea actually i was wondering something like that too.

in the kills section some kid was listing his mods and he said "weight reduction"
i didnt realize that was something you could do to your car

what is involved in a weight reduction?

can i do it myself or not?

if not, how much would it cost?
i know in forza motorsports for XBox it costs like 1200 dollars hahahahah

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

I was pondering this with Dave the other day.

What we basically thought was that, if you removed it (a) in a crash your enging would be pushed further back because the rest of the front end is like popsicle sticks and (b) if/when the insurance company finds out, you're screwed.

A lot of weight reduction comes from the following: Removing interior, door panels, flooring, spare tire, trunk stuff, CF hood/trunk, taking out things like window washer fluid system, courtesy lighting etc...

dblock1

iTrader: (15)

Not making fun of anyone in the slightest but how much weight reduction could removing your courtesy lights provide. I would think farting before entering your car could remove more weight than some lights?? But I could be wrong.

About the bumper supports, besides puting your life at stake for front and rear crashed that you could cause you need to think about drunk drivers that you cant avoid. Is the loss of 100 lbs. worth the uneasyness of no protection. In 2001 I had a Rx-8 and throught my year with the car I recieved 29, thats twenty nine, equipment violations for not having a rear bumper. The rx-8 look 9000 times better with out any bumpers, now I asked the cop's what if I installed the bumper without any support (for quick removal) and they said that was just as illegal!! I dont know if it changed since then (2001) but I did some research and found out that legally there needs to be metal support connecting the two sides of the car. One in the rear connecting the L & R , and one in the front connecting the L & R. If this is still the case than as long as the max has some type of support connecting L & R, than legally go for it, just drive safely

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

Never

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

Ever

...Ever ever ever

remove a structural piece from a car you drive on public roads. There's little else you can do that's more retarded.

Besides, the Maxima's frame is weak enough as it is. You should be ADDING reinforcement, not taking it away, regardless of weight concerns.

RIPTIDER

iTrader: (9)

Piece of mind. It's not worth I guess....but I will be removing the heavy bars(front&back) when I go to the track.
I believe removing these bars,passenger seat(leather 50lbs ones), carbon fiber hood, quarter tank of gas add up to around 300 plus lbs saving.
People forget gas weighs alot!!
Anyways, this is getting off topic. Just thought these simple weight reductions are significant/substantial compared to taking off your door panels.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

A) Remove things you no longer need/want. ie thick black sound insulation coating underneath carpet. That's 10lbs right there. Replace heavier items with lighter ones. ie OEM hood for carbon fiber hood. Heavy OEM seats for lightweight aftermarket seats
B)Yes, you can do it yourself.
C)That's the beauty of it. Sometimes it's a 'free' mod so to speak.
D)LOL

I've managed to shed over 200 lbs and still have my crash bars installed and all the creature comforts....

XJinCT

iTrader: (3)

youre seriously thinking about removing the crash bars? youre ****ing stupid. its a maxima not a drag car. get over it.

svojs

+1 with post #5.

tvis

iTrader: (1)

Seems as though some people are taking "4DSC" a little too seriously.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

Not me.

J-hop

what they said, removing them is going to reduce the effectiveness of your crumple zones. I took engineering for a couple years and we actually did a project on building a crumple zone for the formula sae car, a lot of the calculations we did were based on the cocept of impulse which is the change in momentum of an object when a force is applied. To relate this to your car, the force on your body in a collision is related to the distance your front(or rear end) crumples vs the time. the force is inversely proportional to the time it takes therefore the smaller the time period the higher the force on your body. what those bars function to do is slow down the crumpling (increase the time factor) so that the force on your body is less.


physics aside IMO if your really concerned about that kind of weight reduction you probably need to get yourself a dedicated track car and tear apart that. For a daily driver i think it would be pretty ignorant(no offense) to risk the lives of your passengers just because you want to drop a few pounds that probably wont be noticeable on the street anyways

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

And, actually, you're quite mistaken. Think about the wiring, sockets and lights for the trunk, doors, dome and map. Dont forget fuses, boxes, plugs, the whole 9 yards. Every little bit counts. If you wanna fart before getting into your car, be my guest. I guess my point was, shed what you can do without, whether it weighs a pound or 20 pounds.

Oh, and if its at the track, sure I guess it would definitely be appropriate as long as they allow it.

tvis

iTrader: (1)

Mods done in good taste are excluded

andrei3333

You must have been fat....KIDDING

no but seriously, imagine a 150 pound driver compared to a 250 pound driver, thats a healthy savings of 100 pounds!!!! seriously

maxima985spd

take a shat before you drive your car oh and have your passengers do the same.

safety comes first

dblock1

iTrader: (15)

^^^^Thats what I said!!

G4nismo

iTrader: (9)

unless your only going to use your car for track, racing purposes, don't even think about it.


just take the ac out

Maxima_Joe

iTrader: (384)

If you want the weight savings replace them with ones from a 95 maxima. Some 95's came with aluminum ones. There there to help absorb the impact and to keep other parts of the car unharmed in a crash.

RIPTIDER

iTrader: (9)

really? Do you know approxamitely how much the 95 bar weighs?
Finally something constructive to add to the thread!!

Maxima_Joe

iTrader: (384)

From what i remember the 95-96 steel ones are lighter then the 97-99 steel ones.

I have the info for the rear 95-96 steel one and 95 rear aluminum one though.
Rear 95-96 steel 23 pounds 1 ounce
Rear 95 aluminum 14 pounds 2.6 ounces

96i30azn

anyone ever check iihs crash test... your maxima is quite soft, don't make it softer

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

front aluminum is 7lbs 14oz. not sure what the front steel weighs.

J-hop

yea i think a lot of nissans are pretty bad crash rating wise, my buddy bought a spec V sentra and i even told him they had one of the worst front end crash ratings in there class. He didnt beleive me until the next year when he got in what should have been just a minor fender bender and ended up with over $3000 in damages to the front end of his car cuz it crumpled like a tin can

RIPTIDER

iTrader: (9)

You know, I had a 95 maxima, and I had to take off the bumper support due to the fact of the cheaply, poorly casted, aftermarket bumper cover. The darn thing weighed around 75 lbs. So, I don't really know where you guys are getting this 7 lbs figure from. I still have the support, and will weigh it tomorrow to disprove this claim.

Slickismax

iTrader: (4)

The rear one weighs about 30 lbs on the 96 and 97 and the front one on a 97 weighs about 50 lbs. I've never had to pull the front on my 96 before and the 97 was a parts car. I'll say one thing, after I pulled them on my parts car, the fork lift bent the crap out of the rails until I pulled the motor/trans. There was probably about 3 inches deflection when I lifted the corner.

Maxima_Joe

iTrader: (384)

Not all 95's had aluminum bumpers.
I will try to weigh some of the supports i have and edit this post.
All these #'s I weighed myself and rounded down from the lightest support I weighed. That way you will get an accurate idea of weight savings.
I have no knowledge of the 99 supports.
95 front aluminum - 7 lbs 14 oz
95 rear aluminum - 14 lbs 2 oz
95-96 front steel - 20 lbs 10 oz
95-96 rear steel - 23 lbs 1 oz
97-98 front steel -
97-98 rear steel -35 lbs 7 oz

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

that is info that was sent to me by krismax just last week, he's one of the big weight reduction dudes on the forum and he weighs all the stuff he takes off of his car - i trust his numbers as weight reduction is his thing. the aluminum one definately is nowhere close to 75lbs (hell a billet of aluminum the size of the bumper wouldn't weigh 75lbs probably), and i have a hard time believing a steel one even weighs that. if yours weighs 75lbs or anywhere close to that, it's not aluminum.

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

I have a 99 rear bumper and its not even close to 75 lbs. I dont know what you have that weighs that much. I will weigh my rear bumper.

I took both bumpers off both my B13's, none were more than 30 lbs.

MidniteRider

You mentioned removing support and was told that was just as illegal. You said you also did some research and found out that legally there needs to be metal support connecting the two sides of the car. Currently, I am in dispute with a manufacturer who wishes me to remove the reinforcement/crash beam bar in the front of my son's car in order for the front bumper to fit. I told the manufacturer that I refuse to do this and so does my auto body shop who proposed that it was not a "modification" but an "elimination" to remove the crash bar. I would appreciate it if you could provide me with actual legality documentation and your sources. Thanks!