Changing rims wheels for a lighter model.

[sbasstbone]

Going back to the consumption thing, It has to be important and noticiable, when Tesla for example shows different consumptions with different rims. As I said, it is not only his weight directly in the total of the car. The wheels affects a lot. Then, @Kithmo, it's not as easy, it affects way more than you think, and could be noticiable in a short period.

Nevertheless my idea was not decrease the weight, but change it for other bigger without increasing the weight.

For example: If 17" rim + wheel is 14kg, Find a 18" or 19" rim lighter and make 14kg or 15kg and no 19kg with the change.

 

[Rapax]

Let's make this thread alive again.
I see many people know nothing about correlation between wheel weight and efficiency.
Stock 18" wheel is extremely weighty for an alloy wheel. It has more than 11kg, and plastic aero cap is additional 800g. That's ~2kg more than classic alloy wheel.
Just with lowering wheel weight you can extend the range, gain speed ect. MG4 (18") has really bad stock alloys.

 

[salty]

Personally I like the Caliper covers, on the X Power. Nowt wrong with them at all. What do you want,
8 Pot Brembos, for what your paying for the car. ??

 

[Rapax]

Personally I like the Caliper covers, on the X Power. Nowt wrong with them at all. What do you want,
8 Pot Brembos, for what your paying for the car. ??

I'm not talking about caliper covers ?
I'm talking about aero covers and additional weight of the wheel in trophy 18" version.
Aero covers are not needed if the wheel is not so heavy.
Less wheel weight, more efficiency.
Idk if anyone tried to drive a bicycle with really big heavy wheels vs sporty bicycle with thin light wheels. If yes, then he knows what I'm talking about.

 

[salty]

I'm not talking about caliper covers ?
I'm talking about aero covers and additional weight of the wheel in trophy 18" version.
Aero covers are not needed if the wheel is not so heavy.
Less wheel weight, more efficiency.
Idk if anyone tried to drive a bicycle with really big heavy wheels vs sporty bicycle with thin light wheels. If yes, then he knows what I'm talking about.

I know you're not talking about caliper covers. I'm replying to other posts in this thread. ????

 

[Ian Key]

Less weight might be more efficient but it depends on what speed you are doing. A 100g cube of polystyrene will cause more drag than a 2kg piece of metal with the same volume but aerodynamically shaped at 70mph.

 

[Rapax]

Less weight might be more efficient but it depends on what speed you are doing. A 100g cube of polystyrene will cause more drag than a 2kg piece of metal with the same volume but aerodynamically shaped at 70mph.

It would make small difference on highway, but in city driving it makes a difference much more. MG4 18" rims are unusually heavy, and quality is questionable. I had to modify one of the rims because it was not good casting and tire was bouncing, making steering wheel vibrate a bit on high speeds. Balancing was ok, but shape was not.

 

[craigupnorth]

I've got an Xpower. My understanding is though that the smaller rims with aero covers would be faster and more efficient? I think the bigger rims with bigger gaps are just for looks.

 

[Rapax]

Yes, you are right about smaller rims. But with XPower you can't go with 17" because calipers and discs are big for 17". It would not fit. ER have the same calipers and discs as XP.
Any 17" and 215 width, even without aero covers would be more efficient than 18" 235 wide tire.

 

[craigupnorth]

Yes, you are right about smaller rims. But with XPower you can't go with 17" because calipers and discs are big for 17". It would not fit. ER have the same calipers and discs as XP.
Any 17" and 215 width, even without aero covers would be more efficient than 18" 235 wide tire.

Ahh ok. Well … technically thinner rims/tires would be faster I guess ? But less grip.

 

[Rapax]

Grip would be marginally less in dry, it would be better on wet, better in snow, and it would be minimum 5% more efficient, and I'm conservative about 5%, probably it would be 10% ?

 

[JonnyG]

Larger, heavier and wider wheels & tyres gave 18.4% less efficiency in this "non scientific" comparison :

 

[Kithmo]

Larger, heavier and wider wheels & tyres gave 18.4% less efficiency in this "non scientific" comparison :

Nah, it was the black Front bumper small wind blade fang trims that caused it.

 

[salty]

Larger, heavier and wider wheels & tyres gave 18.4% less efficiency in this "non scientific" comparison :

Nah, not havin it. ??

 

[Ian Key]

Nah! It just proves that the aero covers work.

It would have been a better comparison if the wheels were the the same width with aero covers.

 

[ReintjeWA]

Something to throw out there, has anybody thought about going with a staggered setup for the RWD versions?

I'm tempted to change the wheels, but realistically I can't really justify the cost. I don't really mind the look of the aero covers (better than the stock alloys in my opinion) but having covers does sort of look a bit cheap to me. I might reconsider when it's time to replace the tyres.