SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: SL55 Weight
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 955
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2008 C63 ,2009 SL 63 AMG, 2011 SLS AMG
Dont waste your time bro. Your SL can get to about 1500 KG
, Ive seen it.
Here is what you need to do, you car weighs in at 1900KG:
1- Remove the hydralic suspension, sheds about 65KG
2- Remove your spare tire, jack and first aid kit, sheds about 20 KG
3- Remove the retractable system including, pumps, wires, cables, iron mountings, controllers, and bolts, this is the most weight saving feature on this car and what makes this car heavy, sheds about 240 KG
4- Get yourself some light tires, light rotors and light wheels, you will shed about 40KG of unsprung mass
5-Get yourself a carbon fiber hood, sheds about 15KG
6- Replace your two stock batteries (one under the hood, and the other under the trunk) with lithium base batteries (make sure they maintain amperage), sheds about 50KG
P.S> removing the retractable top is the most weight saving feature, but with a cost. It will cost you about $3000 and it will take about two or three days. One thing you also need to know is that once they move it from you SL, they will need to cancel the system and you wont be able to have the convertible feature once again. Remember, what makes the SL so beautiful is the convertible feature. Therefore, you have to decide if you dont want it anymore and want to set up your SL for full racing application, and trust me you will feel the diffrence.
You could also do this, keep your retractable top and do all the other options, and this will get you down to about 1700KG, and with the right mods, you coud still kill alot of cars on the streets
again, it is your choice
, Ive seen it. Here is what you need to do, you car weighs in at 1900KG:
1- Remove the hydralic suspension, sheds about 65KG
2- Remove your spare tire, jack and first aid kit, sheds about 20 KG
3- Remove the retractable system including, pumps, wires, cables, iron mountings, controllers, and bolts, this is the most weight saving feature on this car and what makes this car heavy, sheds about 240 KG
4- Get yourself some light tires, light rotors and light wheels, you will shed about 40KG of unsprung mass
5-Get yourself a carbon fiber hood, sheds about 15KG
6- Replace your two stock batteries (one under the hood, and the other under the trunk) with lithium base batteries (make sure they maintain amperage), sheds about 50KG
P.S> removing the retractable top is the most weight saving feature, but with a cost. It will cost you about $3000 and it will take about two or three days. One thing you also need to know is that once they move it from you SL, they will need to cancel the system and you wont be able to have the convertible feature once again. Remember, what makes the SL so beautiful is the convertible feature. Therefore, you have to decide if you dont want it anymore and want to set up your SL for full racing application, and trust me you will feel the diffrence.
You could also do this, keep your retractable top and do all the other options, and this will get you down to about 1700KG, and with the right mods, you coud still kill alot of cars on the streets
again, it is your choice
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From: Chicago
W215 V12TT Build by Speedriven, W221 S550 4Matic
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2011
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2011 E63, 2013 CLS63
Dont waste your time bro. Your SL can get to about 1500 KG, Ive seen it.
Here is what you need to do, you car weighs in at 1900KG:
1- Remove the hydralic suspension, sheds about 65KG
2- Remove your spare tire, jack and first aid kit, sheds about 20 KG
3- Remove the retractable system including, pumps, wires, cables, iron mountings, controllers, and bolts, this is the most weight saving feature on this car and what makes this car heavy, sheds about 240 KG
4- Get yourself some light tires, light rotors and light wheels, you will shed about 40KG of unsprung mass
5-Get yourself a carbon fiber hood, sheds about 15KG
6- Replace your two stock batteries (one under the hood, and the other under the trunk) with lithium base batteries (make sure they maintain amperage), sheds about 50KG
P.S> removing the retractable top is the most weight saving feature, but with a cost. It will cost you about $3000 and it will take about two or three days. One thing you also need to know is that once they move it from you SL, they will need to cancel the system and you wont be able to have the convertible feature once again. Remember, what makes the SL so beautiful is the convertible feature. Therefore, you have to decide if you dont want it anymore and want to set up your SL for full racing application, and trust me you will feel the diffrence.
You could also do this, keep your retractable top and do all the other options, and this will get you down to about 1700KG, and with the right mods, you coud still kill alot of cars on the streets
again, it is your choice
, Ive seen it. Here is what you need to do, you car weighs in at 1900KG:
1- Remove the hydralic suspension, sheds about 65KG
2- Remove your spare tire, jack and first aid kit, sheds about 20 KG
3- Remove the retractable system including, pumps, wires, cables, iron mountings, controllers, and bolts, this is the most weight saving feature on this car and what makes this car heavy, sheds about 240 KG
4- Get yourself some light tires, light rotors and light wheels, you will shed about 40KG of unsprung mass
5-Get yourself a carbon fiber hood, sheds about 15KG
6- Replace your two stock batteries (one under the hood, and the other under the trunk) with lithium base batteries (make sure they maintain amperage), sheds about 50KG
P.S> removing the retractable top is the most weight saving feature, but with a cost. It will cost you about $3000 and it will take about two or three days. One thing you also need to know is that once they move it from you SL, they will need to cancel the system and you wont be able to have the convertible feature once again. Remember, what makes the SL so beautiful is the convertible feature. Therefore, you have to decide if you dont want it anymore and want to set up your SL for full racing application, and trust me you will feel the diffrence.
You could also do this, keep your retractable top and do all the other options, and this will get you down to about 1700KG, and with the right mods, you coud still kill alot of cars on the streets
again, it is your choice
Best answer I've heard. By the way I don't own an SL yet, this is information gathering for a possible project. I didn't realize the folding roof is so heavy, 240kg is HUGE!! I mean that's more than my GSXR1000, the whole bike sitting on top of the car 
I have a question though, if the roof weighs 240kg why isn't the Black Series SL65 alot lighter, they did get rid of the roof and the Black still weighs ~1850-1900kg.
Last edited by e500slr; Aug 5, 2011 at 11:28 AM.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,653
Likes: 5
From: Ann Arbor
'03 SL55
All of your comments seem reasonable to me except #3. I just don't see 240 Kg of mass in the parts list for the vario roof. Image attached.
It is true that most coupes are 200-ish Kg lighter than their corresponding convertibles. E.g. this post claims the CLK55 coupe is 165 Kg lighter than the CLK55 cab: https://mbworld.org/forums/9455-post6.html. But most of that mass comes from adding supporting structures to the convertible's undercarriage since the roof isn't available to help ensure a rigid body.
Can you share more details about the project car that you are describing?
Thanks!
It is true that most coupes are 200-ish Kg lighter than their corresponding convertibles. E.g. this post claims the CLK55 coupe is 165 Kg lighter than the CLK55 cab: https://mbworld.org/forums/9455-post6.html. But most of that mass comes from adding supporting structures to the convertible's undercarriage since the roof isn't available to help ensure a rigid body.
Can you share more details about the project car that you are describing?
Thanks!
Dont waste your time bro. Your SL can get to about 1500 KG, Ive seen it.
Here is what you need to do, you car weighs in at 1900KG:
1- Remove the hydralic suspension, sheds about 65KG
2- Remove your spare tire, jack and first aid kit, sheds about 20 KG
3- Remove the retractable system including, pumps, wires, cables, iron mountings, controllers, and bolts, this is the most weight saving feature on this car and what makes this car heavy, sheds about 240 KG
4- Get yourself some light tires, light rotors and light wheels, you will shed about 40KG of unsprung mass
5-Get yourself a carbon fiber hood, sheds about 15KG
6- Replace your two stock batteries (one under the hood, and the other under the trunk) with lithium base batteries (make sure they maintain amperage), sheds about 50KG
....
, Ive seen it. Here is what you need to do, you car weighs in at 1900KG:
1- Remove the hydralic suspension, sheds about 65KG
2- Remove your spare tire, jack and first aid kit, sheds about 20 KG
3- Remove the retractable system including, pumps, wires, cables, iron mountings, controllers, and bolts, this is the most weight saving feature on this car and what makes this car heavy, sheds about 240 KG
4- Get yourself some light tires, light rotors and light wheels, you will shed about 40KG of unsprung mass
5-Get yourself a carbon fiber hood, sheds about 15KG
6- Replace your two stock batteries (one under the hood, and the other under the trunk) with lithium base batteries (make sure they maintain amperage), sheds about 50KG
....
Banned
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 955
Likes: 1
2008 C63 ,2009 SL 63 AMG, 2011 SLS AMG
All of your comments seem reasonable to me except #3. I just don't see 240 Kg of mass in the parts list for the vario roof. Image attached.
It is true that most coupes are 200-ish Kg lighter than their corresponding convertibles. E.g. this post claims the CLK55 coupe is 165 Kg lighter than the CLK55 cab: https://mbworld.org/forums/9455-post6.html. But most of that mass comes from adding supporting structures to the convertible's undercarriage since the roof isn't available to help ensure a rigid body.
Can you share more details about the project car that you are describing?
Thanks!
It is true that most coupes are 200-ish Kg lighter than their corresponding convertibles. E.g. this post claims the CLK55 coupe is 165 Kg lighter than the CLK55 cab: https://mbworld.org/forums/9455-post6.html. But most of that mass comes from adding supporting structures to the convertible's undercarriage since the roof isn't available to help ensure a rigid body.
Can you share more details about the project car that you are describing?
Thanks!
Sure, my pleasure.
The photo you added doesnt show the wiring and the hydralic pump with the controller that control all these hydralic cylinders. Those weigh alot. Actually when you remove the retractable top, you will be moving every movable peice with all of its actuators
. What i'm trying to say is that you will be moving the inner parts and outter part. The outter parts will be replacd with a single peice ( in place of the roof and the two brackets) while keeping the upper part of the trunk that opens up. The car that my friend worked on weight at exactley 1903KG. Immediatly after all the retractable system was removed, we weighd it again and it was at 1657KG. Trust me, it makes a HUGE diffrence
. I know, because ive driven it
.
Last edited by jacob502; Aug 6, 2011 at 05:59 PM.
Banned
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 955
Likes: 1
2008 C63 ,2009 SL 63 AMG, 2011 SLS AMG
Best answer I've heard. By the way I don't own an SL yet, this is information gathering for a possible project. I didn't realize the folding roof is so heavy, 240kg is HUGE!! I mean that's more than my GSXR1000, the whole bike sitting on top of the car I have a question though, if the roof weighs 240kg why isn't the Black Series SL65 alot lighter, they did get rid of the roof and the Black still weighs ~1850-1900kg.
you are exactly right
. its actually 1840 KG but look at how it compares with the 2009 SL65 roadster. you can view it from the AMG website
2009 SL65 Black Series 1840KG
2009 SL65 roadster 2160KG
about 320 KG diffrence
, due to the retractable system and the light weight seats.the SL63 and the SL55 weigh alot less than the SL65 due to the 65 having a heavy engine with all the turbos, exchangers, and large intercoooler.
a base 65 engine weighs 200 KG more than the 63 or the 55
thats why from 0-60 they all have about the same timings. but after that the 12 cylinders start firing hard
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,653
Likes: 5
From: Ann Arbor
'03 SL55
Thanks for sharing. Did your friend reuse the factory glass? Or replace it with something lighter?
BTW, the hydraulic pump (A7/5), main relay (A7/5k1), and valve block (Y55/1) are in the diagram, just above the left rear wheel.
Thanks again!
BTW, the hydraulic pump (A7/5), main relay (A7/5k1), and valve block (Y55/1) are in the diagram, just above the left rear wheel.
Thanks again!
Sure, my pleasure.
The photo you added doesnt show the wiring and the hydralic pump with the controller that control all these hydralic cylinders. Those weigh alot. Actually when you remove the retractable top, you will be moving every movable peice with all of its actuators. What i'm trying to say is that you will be moving the inner parts and outter part. The outter parts will be replacd with a single peice ( in place of the roof and the two brackets) while keeping the upper part of the trunk that opens up. The car that my friend worked on weight at exactley 1903KG. Immediatly after all the retractable system was removed, we weighd it again and it was at 1657KG. Trust me, it makes a HUGE diffrence. I know, because ive driven it.
The photo you added doesnt show the wiring and the hydralic pump with the controller that control all these hydralic cylinders. Those weigh alot. Actually when you remove the retractable top, you will be moving every movable peice with all of its actuators
. What i'm trying to say is that you will be moving the inner parts and outter part. The outter parts will be replacd with a single peice ( in place of the roof and the two brackets) while keeping the upper part of the trunk that opens up. The car that my friend worked on weight at exactley 1903KG. Immediatly after all the retractable system was removed, we weighd it again and it was at 1657KG. Trust me, it makes a HUGE diffrence. I know, because ive driven it.MB World Stories
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Joined: Apr 2019
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SL55 AMG, 2004, Killer Chiller, Weistec 3L S/C, Lt Headers, Coils, Tune, etc.
Best answer I've heard. By the way I don't own an SL yet, this is information gathering for a possible project. I didn't realize the folding roof is so heavy, 240kg is HUGE!! I mean that's more than my GSXR1000, the whole bike sitting on top of the car I have a question though, if the roof weighs 240kg why isn't the Black Series SL65 alot lighter, they did get rid of the roof and the Black still weighs ~1850-1900kg.
