jchasey Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 It is a an engaging exercise in reducing weight from the Caterham, and gives you something to tinker with in the garage over winter when going out on track/getting tuition is not an option. (I agree that those things are more likely to improve your times!) I'll also add that while some lightness upgrades can be hugely expensive for minimal gains (e.g. swapping bits to carbon fibre) others can be cheap as chips. My favourite weight/cost upgrade was removing my tunnel top (1.4kg) and making up some gaiters for the gear stick and handbrake from some ali strips and an old leather jacket from a charity shop - cost about £2. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Bill Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 in a comedy about face, if you are to save weight, rotating weight is where it is at. Look in the 7FAQ's about the Hoopster's findings, very interesting. BB Edited to add, I always fancied on of these here... Edited by - Badger Bill on 10 Dec 2009 11:35:21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelloyd Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Having previously owned a R500 i must admitt bit suprised at such an early stage you are looking to make lighter.What part of the blistering performance do you think could be improved on,or what is it you are not satisfied with ,the car is a complete and utter rocket ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6speedmanual Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 It's a philosophy. Peter BRAWNGP green SUPERLIGHT FCITW 2009 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Walker Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Whatever happened to Dave Hooper 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpa Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 He's still wibbling away on Cam7/Tour7 (se7ens.net fora), all the way from Newcastle... Don't think he's on BC any more, but you never know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Whittle Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Sell it and buy a bird-engined 7 with plenty of RiF carbon panels I am Leg End... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Bill Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 'Bird?!?!!? Ye Gods man, he wants lightweight! 😳 You Shirley mean an R1 motor... 😬 BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickrick Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 You'll not gain much by loosing anything from the baseline car weight. Reducing rotational inertia in the driveline parts however, has 15 times the benefit of loosing weight from the car. So get yourself a carbon propshaft. Chassis rotational inertia, wheels, tyres, brake rotors, has 3 times the benefit. So, Dymags (Although I hear they've gone bust?) CR500's, and some of RiF's HiSpec alloy brake rotors. Don't think you'll notice the difference though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Mickrick, You certainly can feel the difference when you change between Yoko's and CR500's - and wheel weights as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickrick Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Mmmm. I've only ever run CR500's. I liked the feel, so never thought about anything else. I'm surprised actually, that you say it made such a difference. Nice to know. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 The only thing i would change after some time are the dampers, for ali Pro tech one's Matt, if you still have the wiper set i am interested but p&p has to be to Belgium Edited by - elie boone on 12 Dec 2009 08:41:36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul McKenzie Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Mick, He's on ACB10's which weigh nothing , so going to CR500's would gain a lot of weight 😳 Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickrick Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Oh, I thought CR500's where lighter. Well. you get my point. Thanks for teaching me something paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Badger Bill loosing weight from the car makes it quicker everywhere so the example used for reduction in quater mile times is not realy the whole story - and probably one drawn up by a Yank to justify their 3000kg "muscle cars" ?. My examples were just in response to where weight could be lost rather than a jobs completed list . Even if any of us are not the driving gods we would all like to be, loosing weight and increasing responsiveness and agility of the vehicle will enable even the average driver to gain more satisfaction from the car with its willingness to change direction and improved feel. Thats why as an extreme example the busa engined cars handle and go around a track or twisty road quicker than a much more powerfull Vauxhall engined car, that by comparsion feels lethargic and unresponsive. The only essential difference is weight loss - yes mostly from the engine and gearbox but just weight loss in the end. No level or length of driver training will provide that difference in vehicle behaviour and dynamics from weight loss as it affects the tool not the user. or you could just have a decent poo and eat less pies ( but please dont ) dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Well said Dave (Apart from the pie stuff ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattobrien Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 Having taken the scales out to the garage I think that the first weight saving measure will be swapping the banner battery for a Red Top 15. The current banner weighs in at 7.9kg and a Red Top 15 is claiming 5.4kg - 2.5kg for £100. Not sure how easy it will be to buy weight at £40 / kg moving forwards. Will be looking at rotating mass and weight saving there. Have also checked the other low / no cost things that can be done and can report that the passenger seat is already bolted to the floor - no weight to be saved by losing the runner there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendennis Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I think your find CR500's are lighter than ACB10 It is Avon policy to manufacture light tyres aimed at lightweight cars but also the CR500 has less rubber than the ACB10. Radials are heavier generally though but not in this case Matt, could you lose some of the plumbing thus reduce the coolant content Rear caliper is an easy area for some weight saving and would not cost a lot If your considering changing dampers, Protech in my opinion may not be an upgrade. You should ask yourself why are they cheap Want to rent an 18th century Farmhouse in Rural Somerset? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattobrien Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 Number plates! Just got my personalised plates back from the old car and they weigh 470 grams - surely stick on ones will be much lighter 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannylt Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Pendennis, are you sure? I often swap between ACB10 and CR500 and I'm sure the CR500's are MUCH heavier just lugging them about. I'll weigh them tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendennis Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Not much in it Danny, I was comparing worn ACB10 with worn CR500 Want to rent an 18th century Farmhouse in Rural Somerset? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshall cook Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Not sure of the OE's battery weight, but the Odyssey Dry cellis 11.7lbs. I have had great luck with this in my airplane also. MartyGator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_Russell Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Convert it to live axle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattobrien Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 New battery fitted at the weekend - went with a Powervamp PVR25 in the end, not quite as light as the 15 or 20, but a little more powerful. the best quote while fitting it was "you know you have a competition car when it has been worked on with a grinder" 😬 Well we had to get a couple of large rivets out of the passenger foot plate somehow. Am now awaiting my new lighter number plates and she will be ready for her first track day. Must remember to get some tuition too The next possible weight saving will be a new exhaust, but that will solely be down to whether or not I can get it through the noise police with the current one, the weight saving would be purely incidental. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannylt Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 ACB10 - 9.1kg, CR500 11.6kg so 20% ish? Significant I'd say - certainly feels it lugging them around! These are 6" on the 8-spoke alloys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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