Corner weights

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Sorry if this is the wrong place but there is no other clear winner. Most people interested in corner weights are interested in racing anyway.

 

I visited Lakeside today and Fulcrum were offering free corner weight measurements. Popped my 240 up and it was pretty close to what I expected.

FL=271KG

FR=334KG

RL=279KG

RR=286KG

 

The total weight was 1171KG (include one useless 120KG lump of driver)

 

Keeping in mind I have a full cage that makes the car (minus driver) 1051KG.

 

I still have some mods in mind for the near future that I am confident will take another 27KG off that bringing it down to 1024KG

 

I am reasonably happy with the total. I am also quite pleased with the weight distribution, although I'm a little surprised that (taking the driver out of the equation) there was more weight in the back than the front)

[Zedman240®]

very valuable info there...I've always wanted to put my zed on those scales. Were those readings with you in the car? I wouldv'e liked to see the weights without driver. Just shows what effect the driver has on the corner weights..

[PZG302]

Gee Greg, you're trying if you can't get more weight than that out of the car.

 

My late 240 weighs in at 960kg all up ready to hit the track, less me, and that's with the only fibreglass being the bonnet and front bar, the rest of the panels are steel. Plus lexcen side and rear windows.

[stevo_gj]

That extended sump would only be approximately 3.6 kg additional weight.

[bluerat]

The rear end is near perfect galderi, have you got coil overs in the front? remember what you take out of one side, you must add it to the other side. A Zed's weight dist is a mile better than a 1600! I might have to sit in the rear seat, extend the steering wheel boss and tie bricks to my shoes....or finish my Zed! lol.

 

Just a quick question, were they asking people to disconect there swaybars when they were weighed?

[620Z]

I would be getting your front right fixed. The car couldn't be handling to well with 60 odd kg difference between left & right.

[garvice]

Having said that how would you propose "fixing" the front right?

 

Dont use the clutch to shift, that way you only need one leg (at least 15-20kg there). Not sure about the other 40kg though.

 

Seriously though, your doing well mate.

Do you still have the original dashboard?

Have you thought about cutting holes in your interior panels then using one of those dies to lip the hole (I.E. Have a hole with a lipped edge so you dont weaken the steel). I have a mental blank at the moment so cannot think what they are called.

[garvice]

This is what I am talking about, check out the holes in these photos

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/topic/51265-weight-reduction-mods-240z/page__view__findpost__p__454178?s=719ac43842a06f41ffc79a31dd5a81de

[RLY240]

Our '72 240z rally car weighs in about 1110kg race ready (spare wheel, tool kit, 1/2 tank fuel) but no driver / co-driver.

We run a fully welded cage, L28, four wheel discs etc but otherwise standard running gear, all steel panels and glass windows.  Interior is stripped of most trim / sound deadening.

Minimum dry weight for the class is around 1050 which we could achieve with lexan and glass parts if budget and care factor were there.

Roger

 

[620Z]

OK the only way you will fix your corener weight variances would be to instal coil overs and adjust the weight distribution to suit with you in the car. That would fix part of your handling problem.

On the other side of things if you are talking about trying to lighten the car. My advise and I mean this in a nice way would be for you to lose some weight. It would be far cheaper and easier than trying to throw stuff out of the car. 

[GV260]

I had my series 240Z tarmac rally car weighed at 1,120kg without me but with approx. half a tank of fuel (est 30kg). So dry weight would be around 1,090 kg. It had a full bolt in roll cage, spare wheel & carpets removed but not internal panels. All glass original.

 

Roger (RLY240) - as you also have a Z tarmac rally car, can you send me a PM so we can converse re events (ie Classic Adelaide) and our cars.

[RLY240]

OK the only way you will fix your corener weight variances would be to instal coil overs and adjust the weight distribution to suit with you in the car. That would fix part of your handling problem.

 

You can also shim the springs to alter the cormer weights - quite common for series production racing / historics etc.

And of course you can always move the weight in the car (battery etc).  Biggest problem with weight disparity left to right is less in the handling / cornering but moreso under braking (lock the unladen wheel) and corner exit (spin the unladen rear wheel).

 

Should always scale the car with the sway bar disconnected and then re-connect it while still on the scales and set the drop links so that the bar isn't twisted when connected, again may require shims / spacers under the rubbers to get the height right.

Or just drive the damn thing...

Roger

 

[260DET]

Yeh a lot of people don't realise that the S30 tends towards being bum heavy, one practical result being its not necessary to put the battery in the back. Good info to be kept in mind re spring rates etc too.

[NZeder]

Yeh a lot of people don't realise that the S30 tends towards being bum heavy, one practical result being its not necessary to put the battery in the back. Good info to be kept in mind re spring rates etc too.

yes and most racer replace the lighter R180 with the heavier R200

 

Don't forget that the S130 might be heavier in stock trim vs S30 but they do have a 40% better CD so with that in mind - how is your S130 going and what weight have you got that down to?

[PZG302]

Greg, been away for work so it has taken a while to see this, but my Zed has been built to Group 2B Marque Sports rules, so no interior, no sound proofing, no heater, no passenger seat. Wheels are 3 piece Simmons and suspension is standard struts. Brakes are Wilwood calipers up front and SAAB calipers up back with no handbrake or mechanism. As stated before the windscreen is still glass biut other windows are lexcan and all panels are still steel save for the bonnet which is glass.

 

Whatever could be removed has been in terms of removeable trim. I run the standard dash and gauges, have a full steel cage and run the R180, as you know.

 

Once I get back from this job out west and have the car at home you are quite welcome to come round for a sticky beak to get some ideas for the trip to Jenny's

[garvice]

Search for punch and flare tools or dimple tool.

They use them in the aircraft industry.

 

Also check out this quote by Tony D.

Got some correspondence recently on someone building a Group 4 240. he decided the FRP kit was not light enough so it's going to be Carbon Fiber. Then he got it in his head that the aluminum bolts that are supposed to hold the fenders on were to heavy, so he hit the heads with a ball mill, then gundrilled the M6 bolts with a 2mm drill....to lighten the fasteners further.

Gundrilled the replacement Titanium Rear A-Arm bolts as well...

 

Some people say they "want to reduce weight" and from now on I will always be able to tell if they are serious when I ask "have you ball milled the heads and gundrilled all the Aluminim M6 fasteners on the car yet?" LOL!

 

[PZG302]

Greg, you don't need to be drastic and drill holes everywhere, the easiest way to get weight out of a Z is to remove the sound deadening, anything up to 20kg depending on how pedantic you are, and how much time you have. If you are keen to have a look at my car I will be doing some work on it on the Monday holiday and you are more than welcome to come and have a look to see what I have done to get some inspiration on getting some weight out of your car.

[260DET]

yes and most racer replace the lighter R180 with the heavier R200

 

Don't forget that the S130 might be heavier in stock trim vs S30 but they do have a 40% better CD so with that in mind - how is your S130 going and what weight have you got that down to?

 

1240KG in road registerable form complete with doors that I can hardly lift.  Its the S30 blokes who obsess about weight, at the expense of body strength and consequentially handling sometimes.

[garvice]

Looking good Greg.

Sheet metal with bends in it is always stronger then flat sheet metal.

I'm not saying you have to use it on structural members, but I wouldn't be afraid of it mate.

 

Also, what tool did you get? Where and how much if you don't mind me asking?

 

Does it only do circles or did it also do those long oval shapes in the dash?

[260DET]

Yeh nice work Greg, as garvice indicated flared holes are usually stronger than just plain holes and can be used in structural members providing they are designed to incorporate them. There are some on the inside of the sill panels on the S30 from memory.

[260DET]

Might add that for hole cutting without the flare there are metal hole cutting kits available at affordable prices from places like Trade Tools. My six piece kit cost something like $40 on special.

[PeterAllen]

You can use a holesaw and a flanging tool.

 

http://www.skygeek.com/ats-ft100.html