Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Hey!!

Check it out... the lightest lugs I could find at 19.5 gram


Problem is, they sell em 16 at a time. If we could find any other people to go in on it, we could split the cost of the extra set. I'd also try to get a deal if we can get 4 people ... but worst case the cost would wind up being around $90 + ship (+tax unless someone is outside of cali for 4 people)
with 2 it would be 108 + ship (+tax unless someone is outside of cali)

Heres the analysis- it seems like we could save about 1.5 oz/lugnut with these.
(they are .685 oz each)
times 20 that makes about 30 oz savings, divided by 16 oz/lb = 1.875 lbs, figure since it is rotational weight though fairly close to the center of rotation, factor 4 instead of 8 for effective weight and you get... around 8 lbs of weight reduction. (and the crowd goes mild)

A good looking way to make up for the Tower Brace weight tho!!

Anyone into it? Any perfectionists, or autocrossers who are consistently losing by a tenth out there?

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

interesting.....i would worry about them getting stripped to hell by my impact when I go to the track though......the weight savings is tempting, though. then I remember my auto-x wheels are heavy as hell (since they're also my winter wheels)

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

ugh, you should do something about that irish-

www.machiii.net

get some 11.8 lb wheels, man! $450 shipped. The mod that enhances all mods! Then you dont have to worry about as much impact even!

Edit: got some big calipers, eh? never mind about 15" wheels then!

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

hell will freeze over before the wife lets me have 3 sets of wheels....limited room in the townhouse basement....

SkinnyMax

iTrader: (1)

if you give me the G35 rims for the same price you sold me the 2k max rims for, I'll take them off your hands....

idlingmike

I hate to sound negative, but if you're open to some constructive criticism, I really don't think this is the best bang for the buck. Better wheels and tires would be way higher on the list of upgrades.

-Mike

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

True, its really low on the bang-for-buck scale. But Ive done almost everything else (except for CF hood) already. Plus its an easy easy mod

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

I looked at this a while ago and decided the power/$ just wasn't there. Heck, I just saved 5lbs per front tire by switching compounds, profile, and tread depth while staying with a 16" rim. That's like 80lbs at the very outer rotational mass. 5.5lbs per ea rear saved too when combined with some new rims. My K-1's were just a bit too heavy and I'll use em for the rears when tracktime comes.

krismax

iTrader: (15)

will this lug fit the acorn style of the kosei K-1?

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Ive actually found a better product. Down to 17 grams, and available in a set of 20. Im about to buy it tonite (just got paid !! )
They are out of black, so Im thinking silver... I am not sure I can get away with electric red or blue!

http://www.racingdimension.com/index...ROD&ProdID=203

the available colors




By my figuring, its knocking about 10-11 lb unsprung weight off the the car...

(standard lugnuts = 2.0 oz (weighed on postal scale))

2.0 oz x 20 lugs = 40 oz x 28 g/oz = 1120 g
20 x 17g each = 340 g

difference = 780 g
780 g * (1 oz/28 g)
= 28 oz
28 oz / 16 oz/lb = 1.74 lb dropped
1.74 lb x 6 (rotational mass, close to middle, so say 6, not a factor of 8)
= 10.44 lbs!

For about 70 bucks, done!!

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Not sure... Hey Krismax, what have you gotten your max's weight down to?
Speaking of extreeeeeme weight reduction, I saw some really really lightweight rims on tirerack. Like $370 each but 15x7 were only 10.7 lbs. Wow... If I only had money like that to spend...

krismax

iTrader: (15)

i weighed it recently its around 2600-2620 with pass seat out with my CF trunk on it will be in the high 2500's.

yeah that a decent weight for a 15x7 mine are 15x7 but around 13.5lbs . Iam sticking with my koseis very cheap for the weight.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Yea, theres better money to spend than going from 12-13 lbs rims to 11 lb rims for $1500. Whats the story on the CF hood (TRUNK) ? Im interested too...

Edit: trunk not hood

krismax

iTrader: (15)

Oh its a CF trunk i bought it from sadler over a year ago now waiting for tilley to paint it.

And a huge weight savings you may want to look into is 95 max aluminum bumbers just the front seems to have saved around 25lbs. These bumpers front and rear filled with foam would be much lighter than the steel and stronger.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for that great tip on the bumpers... Thats awesome!!!

$tillenmax2k

How in the world are they gonna knock off 10lbs when the stock ones don't even weigh that much?

2.0 oz x 20 lugs = 40 oz x 28 g/oz = 1120 g
20 x 17g each = 340 g

difference = 780 g
780 g * (1 oz/28 g)
= 28 oz
28 oz / 16 oz/lb = 1.74 lb dropped

So you would remove a whopping total of 1.74lbs of unsprung weight.
Also, such a minor change in weight that close to the axis of rotation will be irrelevant to performance. Just keep some strong lug nuts on there. It's worth the extra grams to keep you wheels from flying off.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

OK, you are not as passionate about it as I am. I actually considered spending $1600 to get 10.7 lb wheels in 15x7 instead of my 12 lb'ers... So for $70 bucks this seemed like pretty good bang for z buck

10/1.74 = 5.7 factor, not the usual 8 that is suggested for rotational mass so dropping the 'effective' equivalent of 10lbs (what I meant) is not inconcievable.
And "irrelevant" is such a strong word!! Everything adds up!

And finally, I dont think that the lugnuts are less "Strong"... I always torque to spec before a track session, so I would be suprised if 3-5 of them decided to break or let go... Anyone else care to chime in?

krismax

iTrader: (15)

you know how i am about weight reduction, and actually i agree there on my to do list.

I find that the people who dont have the passion like we do tend to have slow as$ cars

$tillenmax2k

So you think I'm not passionate, but that may be because you don't know that i did spend several thousand $ to lighten rotational and unsprung mass just in the front, not just "considered" it. Although that may be because i don't feel the need to post about every detail on my car.

I'm all for improving performance, but i always make sure the Pros outweigh the possible Cons when considering modifications. Simply saying that the lug nut's weight can't be compounded to come up with an imaginary inflated reduction in unsprung weight, and only slightly so for rotational mass.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Its cool, man- we are all passionate about our max... I retract the statement.

Peace out!

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

If you're that serious about the weight and performance then how about lightweight rotors like Ceasar was looking into? Or shaving tires to 4/32"? Or carbon fiber driveshafts? Much to be gained from any/all those I would think.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Great info, thanks alot- I did try to find lightweight rotors, apparently there were titanium rotors out there from a company that appears to have gone belly-up... I will check with Ceasar on that. I didnt even know about CF driveshaft option! Thanks thanks! (CF driveshaft Probably cost-prohibitive but its great to learn this stuff.)

michaelnyden

iTrader: (15)

try www.thebrakeman.com his oe replacement "convo" rotors shed a good amount of weight and aren't extremely expensive like titanium ones...
and they are right here in CA...

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

OMG that is the best info I could have hoped for

I can totally see these in the rear:




and also going for something perhaps a bit more substantial up front---- but still lighter!
I might be able to lose 40 lb of rotational weight for something like $700. Compared to 60 lbs sprung weight with CF hood and trunk for like $1500!

I just hope he makes the stuff in the right specs for da 4th gen.

You are da MAN!!! Thank you, much.

michaelnyden

iTrader: (15)

plus they have the convoOE rotors in "cryo" treated....so they can withstand a lot more abuse from overly aggressive track pads...

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Cool!

as an aside, any idea what the convo saves in terms of weight?
And if the racing applications are available to our specs?

michaelnyden

iTrader: (15)

I don't know the weight savings....you would probably have to call them...but I don't think they make the racing application in our sizes...just the convoOE rotors which are still a good weight savings...

hey spaniard...do you think I could go to the track with you one time...I want to see if the maxima is any good at the track...I know I will add weight to your car and throw off your balance you are used to, but I want to get into track racing and want to see without actually tracking my car if it is something I would want to do as AutoX is getting old...

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Sure, absoluteley..! I will be in SoCal (barring unforseen problems, [not likely]) at Willow Springs July 9-10. (Will be in NorCal @ Thunderhill next weekend)
Since its my first time at willow springs, I will be taking it a bit easy and definately will not care about extra weight. The one thing that would make it easy is if you can get a snell 2001 helmet instead of looking around to borrow one.
Let me know whatcha think-

michaelnyden

iTrader: (15)

sounds good...I've been to willow springs before but haven't driven my car there...been with friends before...I have a helmet from my autoX'ing days...

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Cool- send me a PM sometime before that weekend and we can set it up.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

I'd highly recommend staying away from stuff like the Convo rotors and other things like that.. just use standard round discs.. buy the best quality you can afford... and spend the money to make yourself some 2-pc rotors if you're really concerned about weight savings.

the 2004 Maxima rotors that I have made for my stuff drop unsprung weight by over 5lb per corner, and they're a forged steel rotor that lasts a loooooong time. (I've been through about 15 sets of brake pads on them already and haven't had to turn them yet!)

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Drop 5 lbs compared to what? The 96 stock rotors? That would be something indeed; but to step up to that I would have to buy bigger wheels and that would hurt... Both from larger diameter of rotating mass and more $ for tires standpoint. I wouldnt have any issue with the rear rotors dropping some lbs/area. They dont seem to really do anything at all, based on the fact that I have never replaced the brake pads on them... ever!

michaelnyden

iTrader: (15)

how would the 2004 maxima rotors be lighter when they are 12.6" vs. the 4th gen maxima 11" inch front rotors? are they 2 piece?

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

yeah, sorry for not making that clear.. the weights I was mentioning above are comparing the stock 2004 Maxima rotor to the 2 pc custom ones.

I have some worn out stock rotors around here somewhere.. I'll see if I can't get some numbers on them as well.
but honestly you should be able to find/make something that will work witht he stock calipers and wheels and save you a decent amount of rotating, unsprung weight.

michaelnyden

iTrader: (15)

wait, so do they have 2pc rotors in our stock size/application? or do the Z32 rotors come in 2pc somewhere? I wouldn't think twice about the convoOE rotors if I switched up to the beefy Z32 rotors...I know they are almost the same diameter as ours...but the thickness is much, much more...