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What is the real world effect of added wheel weight?
So I am contemplating a new set of rims for my 2004 R50 Cooper. I currently have summer tires mounted on a set of 16" X-Lites from a Cooper S and a set of Blizzaks mounted on 15" 8 spoke Silverstones (original to the car) for the winter. Personally I am not a huge fan of the look of the Silverstones though I do like the X-Lites. I started looking around Tire Rack for a set of wheels to replace the Silverstones (which I would probably keep with the car unless there was an interest in them). I quickly found that there was nothing catching my eye in a 15" size however I did fall in love with the OZ Superturismo GTs.
As they are only available in 16,17, and 18" size they would assume the role of summer rims from the X-Lites which would become my winter rims. What I am really wondering about is the difference in weight. The X-Lites are rather light for an OEM wheel at 17.6lbs while the Superturismos are listed as 20lbs for the 16" and 21lbs for the 17". How much am I going to notice the extra 2 or 3 lbs per wheel over the X-Lites? They are comparable to the other OEM Mini wheels, the X-Lites are just really light.
I have 12 pound wheels it's a noticeable difference, steering feels quicker, as does acceleration but I doubt it's a diff in seconds just feeling on accel
Its just one of those things that you have try,,, 2lb I would notice but not everyone would 3lbs+ yah 5lb absolutely , remember the tire weight counts as well, and different sizes have different weights so figure the set up together. It can make the whole car seem lighter
Simply put...
More stable feel going in a straight line, with slower acceleration, and slower deceleration....you get a gyroscope effect, and a flywheel effect combined....
My mini...when it was driven with a light set if rims and a heavy set, back to back was like night and day....
Heavy rims made it more truck or SUV like straight like stable, but slower to turn....
Light rims, it was more nimble....felt more like a small car, more mini like.
Will you notice a few pounds?
The difference i felt was a set of steel rims (tried snow tires on them, and within a couple miles, drive the car back to swap them out) and a set of alloy rims.....same tires, same day....same size. So yes...
Some rims sold with MINI's are very heavy..gen1 "S -lites" are famous for their heavy weight.... similar to steel rims....and "hollies" are sought after by other drivers, usually miata's due to their extreme light weight (the center centric rings is too small, but many get machined to fit...then mini guys buy them back on Craigslist....causes a bunch of issues).
They are quite a bit lighter than the S-Lites. The thing is they would be replacing my X-Lites for summer use which are surprisingly light.
Yup...x-lites are decent OEM rims...
That why they were the "stock" rim on the S... lighter than most...also this helped with mpg.
Tip...when you get hub centric rings/adapters...spend the extra $$ on the metal ones...
Then just use a TINY bit of anti sieze when you install them...a trace...the plastic ones melt if you are very crazy, but tend to deform and can let the rim wobble a tiny bit...the metal ones give the rims an OEM smooth feel. The anti sieze keeps them from sticking to the car or the rim...and can help make your rim changes time easier....just a TRACE on the mating surfaces was what I did...kept the rim from getting stuck to the rotor.
Last edited by ZippyNH; Sep 28, 2016 at 08:32 AM.
Reason: Fixed auto correct craziness!!
Yup...x-lites are decent OEM rims...
That why they were the "stock" rim on the S... lighter than most...also this helped with mpg.
Tip...when you get hub centric rings/adapters...spend the extra $$ on the metal ones...
Then just use a TINY bit of anti sieze when you install them...a trace...the plastic ones melt if you are very crazy, but tend to deform and can let the rim wobble a tiny bit...the metal ones give the rims an OEM smooth feel. The anti sieze keeps them from sticking to the car or the rim...and can help make your rim changes time easier....just a TRACE on the mating surfaces was what I did...kept the rim from getting stuck to the rotor.
I learned the hard way that anti-sieze is important with the stud bolts. I had a valve stem fail over the summer and it took me 45mins to get the wheel off the hub. Most of that time was simply not wanting to kick the tire to knock it loose on the sketchy factory jack, but the rim was still stuck on there pretty good. This was a week and a half after having the rim off because the front left and rear right were swapped the last time the wheels were off meaning they were rotating the wrong way, not looking forward to doing the winter swap, especially since my current jack doesn't fit under the front of the car meaning I have to use the sketchy jack.
Tip...
Drive you car up onto a scrap piece of lumber...a 2x6 that's a couple feet long from the scrap section of home depot works for $2
The you can slide you jack under the car....just make sure the lumber is STILL UNDER the tire when you lower it...so you can get the jack out....
No need to spend $$$ on a $$ lowprofile jack....a regular one is fine.
Can usually do both side at a time....is about a 30 minute job soring and fall....tip..
Get a regular tire iron....much easier than the stubby one from MINI.
The "unsprung" weight includes wheels and tires, brake assemblies, the rear axle assembly, and other structural members not supported by the springs. Reducing unsprung weight is the key to improving handling.
The lower the unsprung weight, the less work the shocks and springs have to do to keep the tires in contact with the road over bumpy surfaces. Lot of problems, if not all of them is caused by inertia. Bigger weight means higher inertia. Higher inertia means more workload for shocks and springs to keep tires on the ground. If unsprung components have a high mass they are harder to accelerate/decelerate and thus it is more difficult for the suspension to maintain a consistent tire load.
An easy way to reduce unsprung weight and improve traction in normal cars is to replace stock wheels and tires with lightweight wheels. Note that as the wheel diameter or width increases, the weight of the overall wheel and tire package increases, thereby increasing unsprung weight. Keep in mind the stock runflat tires are VERY heavy too, not to mention the poor ride quality!
In addition to the weight of the wheel you also have to consider which tire and what size will fit.
In the case of your example with OZ rims, the 20-21 lb weight isn't that big a difference unless you are driving on a track or accelerate and brake very hard.
Under normal street use you will only notice a very slight difference to weight alone. The 20-21 lb wheel will work OK compared to a 17lb wheel.
The exact tire size you choose with more or less sidewall and with different rubber compounds (Summer vs All Season) vs tread block pattern will play a significant role in how your car will handle and perform so it's good to plan for a tire and wheel combo when deciding.
For example if street ride comfort is more important that responsive handling then a 16" wheel combined with a 205/55-16 All Season tire will work.
If all out performance is more important with low miles driven per year then a Max Summer tire in 205/45-17 or 215/45-17 will work better.
As wheel diameter moves from 15" to 17" the sidewall height is reduced with a stiffer less giving sidewall and resultant firmer ride but with more responsive handling, especially with changing direction and in tight turns.
Even within a given tire size the exact tire you choose plays a major role in handling and ride comfort, it doesn't have to be one or the other but cost may be higher for tires that provide both. E.g. Michelin Pilot Super Sport. Further sometimes the tire that suits your needs doesn't come in sizes to fit anything less than 17" wheels.
