How much would saving 60 pounds of wheel weight make a difference?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 65
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From: Rhode Island
2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic Sport
How much would saving 60 pounds of wheel weight make a difference?
Hey guys,
I'm looking to get lightweight wheels for my 2013 C300 Sport, I was told that saving weight with wheels and tires is a lot more effective then losing weight on the frame, I'm not exactly sure if this is true but I think it makes some sense. Anyway I found out the stock 17" wheels are 31 lbs. each in the front and 33lbs each in the rear without tires. I found wheels that are 17lbs each all around, so that would total 60 pounds in weight savings. Do you guys think this would make an actual performance difference?
Pilfered this off a Porsche forum:
Olaf Manthey explains in an interview : “Removing 33 pounds of unsprung weight at the wheels is equivalent to losing 198 pounds from the body of the car, as a 1:6 factor has to be applied when the car is moving and that weight becomes mass. In fact, we are conservative with the 1:6 ratio, as Porsche considers it to be 1:7.
Thanks
I'm looking to get lightweight wheels for my 2013 C300 Sport, I was told that saving weight with wheels and tires is a lot more effective then losing weight on the frame, I'm not exactly sure if this is true but I think it makes some sense. Anyway I found out the stock 17" wheels are 31 lbs. each in the front and 33lbs each in the rear without tires. I found wheels that are 17lbs each all around, so that would total 60 pounds in weight savings. Do you guys think this would make an actual performance difference?
Pilfered this off a Porsche forum:
Olaf Manthey explains in an interview : “Removing 33 pounds of unsprung weight at the wheels is equivalent to losing 198 pounds from the body of the car, as a 1:6 factor has to be applied when the car is moving and that weight becomes mass. In fact, we are conservative with the 1:6 ratio, as Porsche considers it to be 1:7.
Thanks
Last edited by nkucz; Nov 21, 2017 at 07:41 PM. Reason: new content
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 337
Likes: 45
From: Seattle
2016 C300 4MATIC
That ratio only applies until the wheels are at speed. That is, from a dead stop. The ratio lessens the faster you go.
In my opinion you would notice no difference. Possibly thousandths of a second in a 0-60 run.
In my opinion you would notice no difference. Possibly thousandths of a second in a 0-60 run.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Rhode Island
2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic Sport
Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 94
Likes: 6
2008 C300
Effects of unsprung mass are more on the suspension than on 0-60 performance. Less wheel weight will allow it to track better on imperfect roads - better handling - but also might transfer more road vibration and noise to the cabin ... but as other poster suggests , unless you are measuring track times in 1/10 of seconds you might not notice much ....
