Hi all,
This last holiday, I have spent some time testing my Eclipse GT. She was "busy" at the shop and tracks during the year, so I previously didnt have much time to play with her.
Btw, I have posted this in the brazilian Mitsubishi Club. English is not my native language, and I dont know the correct english word for all car pieces. I would be very gratefull if you make any correction.
I have started testing some weight reduction "theories" for the 4G. I could read lots of posts about this subject, but i havent got numbers and/or pictures. So I removed and weighted the following items:
- Back-seat;
- Spare tire;
- Tools;
- Trunk cover;
- Trunk floor;
The whole procedure was quite easy. Bellow are the results:
- Lower (horizontal) part of the back-seats: 4.2 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3171636445/" title="IMG_0749 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/3171636445_333ab6d0d2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0749"></a>
- Vertical part of the back-seats: 7.2 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172466902/" title="IMG_0748 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1066/3172466902_02e593069b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0748"></a>
- OEM Subwoofer: 6.9 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172469010/" title="IMG_0751 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3172469010_bdcb95b5e1.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0751"></a>
- Spare tire: 12.8 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172468178/" title="IMG_0750 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/3172468178_3f97c5ba39.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0750"></a>
- Tools: 4.4 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3174263688/" title="IMG_0752 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/3174263688_7c218c363e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0752"></a>
- Trunk cover: 2.0 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3173429935/" title="IMG_0753 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/3173429935_956f8c8dbf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0753"></a>
I have forgotten the trunk floor in the shop (320 miles away from here). I dont know its weight. Probably about 2Kg (will not include it for now).
See the car after this process:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3171635097/" title="IMG_0746 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1142/3171635097_8efffe1b11.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0746"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172466464/" title="IMG_0747 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1370/3172466464_b1b5d18e8f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0747"></a>
These have given a total weight reduction of 37.5 Kg (82.6 lbs) . With another -12Kg from the coilover/exhaust/cai (I had the car weighted at each wheel in November), I think I have a good starting point for improving its performance.
I have done preliminary tests with my G-Tech Pro RR. I had improved my 0-60 times about 0.1s with just the -37.5kg, as expected from the math at 0-60 mph Calculator - 060calculator.com. I am going to make better measurements and post the results here (it was raining slightly at that day).
Next months, I am planing to go even further:
- Remove passenger seat: -23Kg (50lb);
- Replace driver seat for a Sparco Evo: -18Kg (60lb - 18.5lb);
- Install Volk Racing TE37 wheels: -14Kg;
- FC hood: -15Kg ?;
- FC trunk: -15Kg ?;
- Lighter battery: -10Kg;
Counting the already installed reductions:
- Coilovers: -12Kg;
- Seats, subwooker, spare tire: 37.5Kg
We could have about 145Kg (319 lbs) of total weight reduction, without doing anything not-reversible and keeping the interior quite good. This would translate to something similar to +30hp if I remember the math (1 hp for each 10 lb). That would be fantastic.
A side-effect of removing back-seats and trunk floor: engine sound is louder and more metallic from inside (I loved it).
I have tested these weight reduction in racing simulators (GTR2 and rFactor) where I have been building/modeling my Eclipses for the last months. As expected, the weight reduction improves acceleration, braking and handling. I could reduce my lap times accordingly. I cant wait to test this in the real tracks.
Update (Jun 23rd, 2009):
I have installed the Evo X Small Battery Kit from AMS Performance. The OEM battery is 17.7 Kg, while AMS Battery is 6.8Kg. Its almost 11Kg of weight reduction:
Best regards,
Ziki
This last holiday, I have spent some time testing my Eclipse GT. She was "busy" at the shop and tracks during the year, so I previously didnt have much time to play with her.
Btw, I have posted this in the brazilian Mitsubishi Club. English is not my native language, and I dont know the correct english word for all car pieces. I would be very gratefull if you make any correction.
I have started testing some weight reduction "theories" for the 4G. I could read lots of posts about this subject, but i havent got numbers and/or pictures. So I removed and weighted the following items:
- Back-seat;
- Spare tire;
- Tools;
- Trunk cover;
- Trunk floor;
The whole procedure was quite easy. Bellow are the results:
- Lower (horizontal) part of the back-seats: 4.2 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3171636445/" title="IMG_0749 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/3171636445_333ab6d0d2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0749"></a>
- Vertical part of the back-seats: 7.2 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172466902/" title="IMG_0748 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1066/3172466902_02e593069b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0748"></a>
- OEM Subwoofer: 6.9 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172469010/" title="IMG_0751 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3172469010_bdcb95b5e1.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0751"></a>
- Spare tire: 12.8 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172468178/" title="IMG_0750 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/3172468178_3f97c5ba39.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0750"></a>
- Tools: 4.4 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3174263688/" title="IMG_0752 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/3174263688_7c218c363e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0752"></a>
- Trunk cover: 2.0 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3173429935/" title="IMG_0753 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/3173429935_956f8c8dbf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0753"></a>
I have forgotten the trunk floor in the shop (320 miles away from here). I dont know its weight. Probably about 2Kg (will not include it for now).
See the car after this process:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3171635097/" title="IMG_0746 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1142/3171635097_8efffe1b11.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0746"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172466464/" title="IMG_0747 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1370/3172466464_b1b5d18e8f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0747"></a>
These have given a total weight reduction of 37.5 Kg (82.6 lbs) . With another -12Kg from the coilover/exhaust/cai (I had the car weighted at each wheel in November), I think I have a good starting point for improving its performance.
I have done preliminary tests with my G-Tech Pro RR. I had improved my 0-60 times about 0.1s with just the -37.5kg, as expected from the math at 0-60 mph Calculator - 060calculator.com. I am going to make better measurements and post the results here (it was raining slightly at that day).
Next months, I am planing to go even further:
- Remove passenger seat: -23Kg (50lb);
- Replace driver seat for a Sparco Evo: -18Kg (60lb - 18.5lb);
- Install Volk Racing TE37 wheels: -14Kg;
- FC hood: -15Kg ?;
- FC trunk: -15Kg ?;
- Lighter battery: -10Kg;
Counting the already installed reductions:
- Coilovers: -12Kg;
- Seats, subwooker, spare tire: 37.5Kg
We could have about 145Kg (319 lbs) of total weight reduction, without doing anything not-reversible and keeping the interior quite good. This would translate to something similar to +30hp if I remember the math (1 hp for each 10 lb). That would be fantastic.
A side-effect of removing back-seats and trunk floor: engine sound is louder and more metallic from inside (I loved it).
I have tested these weight reduction in racing simulators (GTR2 and rFactor) where I have been building/modeling my Eclipses for the last months. As expected, the weight reduction improves acceleration, braking and handling. I could reduce my lap times accordingly. I cant wait to test this in the real tracks.
Update (Jun 23rd, 2009):
I have installed the Evo X Small Battery Kit from AMS Performance. The OEM battery is 17.7 Kg, while AMS Battery is 6.8Kg. Its almost 11Kg of weight reduction:
Best regards,
Ziki