lightest tire & wheel combo
- Thread starter eljefino
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I should've weighed my MX-5 wheels before I sold the car. It had the OEM 15" 5-spokes with 195/50/15 Toyo Extensa HP tires. I swear a stiff breeze could blow those down the street!
'14 Honda Accord aluminum wheels, 17" with 215/55-17 Michelins were 49 lbs when I weighed one. They feel more like 80!
OEM Cruze Eco wheels (17 lbs) with TPC-spec 215/55-17 94V Goodyear AFM tires (19 lbs). 36 lbs ready to roll. My 16" winter setup is considerably heavier.
Less unsprung weight is always a good thing.
My SSR type C wheels weigh in at 8.5 lbs. 15x6 size
The Accord's wheels
Wrong alloy. True lightest are real magnesium wheels (say 4X15 front runners ) and light front drag tires. They may not be to safe on the street as they are thin and not durable against curbs, but they'll be lighter
JHZR2
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Originally Posted By: eljefino
Let's have fun:
alloy 14" wheel from my 1983 merc w123 with a
185/75/14 Hankook 724. These tires are "S" rated and don't have particularly many plies.
30.0 Lbs!
Not sure where that tire size came from, but it's not what I'd use on any w123.
I suspect the OE 240D aluminum alloy "steelers" (without hubcaps) and the OE 175r-14 tire would be lighter fwiw!
Let's have fun:
alloy 14" wheel from my 1983 merc w123 with a
185/75/14 Hankook 724. These tires are "S" rated and don't have particularly many plies.
30.0 Lbs!
Not sure where that tire size came from, but it's not what I'd use on any w123.
I suspect the OE 240D aluminum alloy "steelers" (without hubcaps) and the OE 175r-14 tire would be lighter fwiw!
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Find me a new 175R14 tire.
The aformentioned 185/75R14 is as close as I can find to the OE size.
There is the Vredestein Sprint Classic, but they are a tad expensive
Find me a new 175R14 tire.
The aformentioned 185/75R14 is as close as I can find to the OE size.
There is the Vredestein Sprint Classic, but they are a tad expensive
The REAL, original MInilite branded 10" diameter magnesium wheels could not have weighed much more than a frisbee!
On my 1990 Miata, the car comes from the factory equipped with 14" aluminum wheels and they weigh 13 LBs. Most tires that fit weigh in at around 20 lbs.
I have on the car the TR Motorsports 15" Aluminum wheels (one size larger tire; TR = Tire Rack house brand) with Dunlop Direzza Star-Spec 195-15 / 60's on it now, total weight including valve stem and lug nuts is 32.8 LBs per wheel.
I am also running brake rotors that are larger diameter but 2 Lbs lighter than stock. You can easily feel the difference a pound makes in handling.
My RAM's steel wheels, tires, stems, lug nuts and balance weights, on the other hand, come in around 80 Lbs a corner. You cannot feel anything ... it doesn't "handle" so much as "eventually gets there".
I have on the car the TR Motorsports 15" Aluminum wheels (one size larger tire; TR = Tire Rack house brand) with Dunlop Direzza Star-Spec 195-15 / 60's on it now, total weight including valve stem and lug nuts is 32.8 LBs per wheel.
I am also running brake rotors that are larger diameter but 2 Lbs lighter than stock. You can easily feel the difference a pound makes in handling.
My RAM's steel wheels, tires, stems, lug nuts and balance weights, on the other hand, come in around 80 Lbs a corner. You cannot feel anything ... it doesn't "handle" so much as "eventually gets there".
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Wrong alloy. True lightest are real magnesium wheels (say 4X15 front runners ) and light front drag tires. They may not be to safe on the street as they are thin and not durable against curbs, but they'll be lighter
Not so safe on the track either ... Magnesium (the origin of the phrase "Mag Wheel") burns. That's why they are banned in almost all organized racing.
Wrong alloy. True lightest are real magnesium wheels (say 4X15 front runners ) and light front drag tires. They may not be to safe on the street as they are thin and not durable against curbs, but they'll be lighter
Not so safe on the track either ... Magnesium (the origin of the phrase "Mag Wheel") burns. That's why they are banned in almost all organized racing.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Let's have fun:
alloy 14" wheel from my 1983 merc w123 with a
185/75/14 Hankook 724. These tires are "S" rated and don't have particularly many plies.
30.0 Lbs!
I think you win! I guess the 8.5lb rims with a 195/50R15 bfg sport comp2 would be 28.5lbs. No one runs superlight rims with S rated single ply sidewall ballon tires though.
I think I am doing OK with my stock Focus rims at 15.5lbs and 21 lb tires. For the price anyways.
Let's have fun:
alloy 14" wheel from my 1983 merc w123 with a
185/75/14 Hankook 724. These tires are "S" rated and don't have particularly many plies.
30.0 Lbs!
I think you win! I guess the 8.5lb rims with a 195/50R15 bfg sport comp2 would be 28.5lbs. No one runs superlight rims with S rated single ply sidewall ballon tires though.
I think I am doing OK with my stock Focus rims at 15.5lbs and 21 lb tires. For the price anyways.
Last time I was buying tires the General Altimax HP was the lightest tire in my size by quite some margin. This was for 215/60 R16, I;m not sure if it holds true across the entire range of sizes.
I opted not to buy it, partly because I felt the lightness must have been achieved in large part through lack of sidewall material, and with the atrocious condition of the roads where i live I thought they were too high risk for sidewall damage or even a warped rim from potholes, knuckles & subductions.
I'm not sure there is any way to make a tire lighter without reducing it's ability to take impacts. It's wise to take into consideration the conditions of the roads in your town.
I opted not to buy it, partly because I felt the lightness must have been achieved in large part through lack of sidewall material, and with the atrocious condition of the roads where i live I thought they were too high risk for sidewall damage or even a warped rim from potholes, knuckles & subductions.
I'm not sure there is any way to make a tire lighter without reducing it's ability to take impacts. It's wise to take into consideration the conditions of the roads in your town.
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