Rim weight-do we have anything like this?

[Turbo6Smackdown]

http://www.carcraft.com/projectbuild/116_9905_light_vs_heavy_wheels_comparison/

Looks like it's a bust to me. Unless you're an 11.0 car trying to bust a ten, or a 10.0 car trying bust a 9.9. Which at that point it could be just icing your intake, or waiting for a few degrees drop in the weather, or a slightly better track prep, and/or a few more rpm's on the launch. TOTALLY not worth the thousand or more dollars for one single tenth. Especially on the street.

 

[3-5.0]

I can't remember the exact numbers but I once weighed my Mustang cast replica 17in rims and they were like 57lbs! compared to 43lbs iirc for the stock 15in cast. I couldn't believe how fricken heavy they were that's why I weighed them. 14lbs per wheel doesn't sound like much but you can definitely get an appreciation for rolling stock and the extra force needed to get a wheel moving and keep moving when you heft them.

You're right it probably doesn't make a difference when just cruising around trying to look good but on the other hand guys will drop lots of coin on other mods to gain few HP -especially when squeezing tenths at the lower spectrum. I think if you are going to fork out for 18in rims maybe spending a little extra for quality billet lighter weight wheels could be looked at as a HP benefit to money ratio.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Yea. It's just another one of those mods that belong in the "If you aren't running low tens already, don't waste your money." class. Like 70mm throttle bodies or mini tubs and all of that jazz.

 

[buickGN3:16]

Everybody knows that, just like saving 15% on car insurance hahahaha

 

[Pronto]

You missed the point! An aftermarket rim can be 8" or more and still be lighter than stock. That allows a wider tire without it bulging out and ruining the contact patch. Better 60' is worth a lot several tenths. Plus reducing rotating mass is worth more than just the just the weight. Lots of guys running slower than 10s use lighter weight rims to run faster. Pick up a GN rim and compare it to a T rim.

 

[Powertechn2]

Rotating mass importance seems to go down as the et's do.
A few guys on a truck forum I belong to have switched from a stock set-up weighing in at 73lbs per corner down to 57 lbs per corner and to them it makes a huge difference, but we are talking 14.2-13.5 et trucks. I can tell a difference from my summer set (107lbs per corner) to my winter set (76ish lbs per corner), but that is an extreme difference. The difference in rotational mass made more of a difference than an $800+ tuner did with either setup.

I will say that I damn near hit myself in the face when I picked up a set of weld draglites, wayy lighter than I had expected, that is what was on my car when I bought it, and what I think I will continue to run as I like the looks, and I already have like new wheels on the front, the rears unfortunately are extremely wide and too much backspacing, also are screwed and tubed...

 

[buickGN3:16]

Cant beat the welds, even tho evryone runs them but still worth it, very light & deff makes a diff

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

The actual difference it made wasn't really contested. They do make a little difference. It was how much was a tenth or two was actually worth. 1500 bucks? Nope. Not at all. I could wring out a tenth by changing air pressure and being within the first few people down the track at 10:00 am For 1500 bucks I'd go straight for a set of champion irons. Anything else would be dumb.

 

[buickGN3:16]

The jegs brand wheels are just as light, cheaper & look identicle to weld wheels, only diff is center caps.. Just a thought

 

[TT/Ameasap]

I bought my whole wheel and tire combo for $600. Deals are out there for used drag wheel/tire combos. Just need to know what your looking for.

 

[buickGN3:16]

True my welds wer $250.. 3.5" skinnys & 8.5" rears.. Yea i run the pizza cutters lol

 

[Powertechn2]

so far the car came with welds, just the fronts were skinny and goofy offset, swapped them straight up for a wider more normal front set, looks a lot better, tires also were good, the ones I had were suffering from major dry rot. The rears he had to swap were camaro offset, rubbed. The current rears have 28x12.5 et's that are 12 years old or so and just seem to have a lot of back spacing, however now that I fixed the airbags they don't rub and look better, might just re-polish them, replace rubber and keep em. Also have a set of black steelies somewhere.

 

[Bigjsn250]

The jegs brand wheels are just as light, cheaper & look identicle to weld wheels, only diff is center caps.. Just a thought

3:16, I don't think you are correct here. I know they look the same but the jegs wheels have solid spokes, the welds are hollow. They are actually quite a bit heavier than the similar welds, if I remember correctly 4-5 lbs per wheel.

 

[buickGN3:16]

as far as the racelights go, " which are same style as welds draglites" i have held both in my hands with no tires on them.. i dont know about the dragstars tho..