[Scubacat]

Hello guys. New to the site but joined after finding this post in a web search for LTG upgrades.
If gaining performance by reducing rotating mass is what you're after, save your money on this endeavor. It will have a very poor ROI.
Instead, spend it on the trickest, lightest set of wheels you can find. You will reap much more benefits and have a mod that will satisfy your eye and that of those around you.

Lightweight, low mass wheels pay off in several regards...
1.) They reduce unsprung weight. So, not only is your car marginally lighter, but it allows your suspension to react to terrain faster, increasing grip and responsiveness.
2.) They present less rotating mass for the calipers to stop. This improves braking performance with NO additional braking changes.
3.) They, because they are lighter, are easier to accelerate, providing a slight performance benefit with no additional mods.

The reason this works is that mass, father out from the point of rotation magnifies the gyroscopic or centrifugal force it exerts. It's much like a flywheel on four corners of your car. If they were made with balsa wood they would take very little effort to accelerate or stop them, if they were made from lead, it would take much more energy to effect change.

My Aprilia has BST Carbon Fiber wheels on it only the 6" center hub is 7075 alloy, even my brake rotor and caliber hardware is all titanium...Hell, ALL of the stressed hardware is titanium, all the unstressed was swapped for 7075 aluminum. The bike, already having a revered reputation for exceptional handling, was transformed. I had to re-learn how to ride quickly with it. It was the single best mod on the bike.

Now, on a bike the effect will be magnified, compared to a car as the pre and post wheel weight make up a much larger percentage of the bikes weight and the wheels transition through an arc left to right unlike a car. BUT...if you take 5-8lbs a wheel of the car, you reap several SMALL benefits that work together and will add bling where a D.S. or axles will not.

My .02

[Corner carver]

Originally Posted by Scubacat

Hello guys. New to the site but joined after finding this post in a web search for LTG upgrades.
If gaining performance by reducing rotating mass is what you're after, save your money on this endeavor. It will have a very poor ROI.
Instead, spend it on the trickest, lightest set of wheels you can find. You will reap much more benefits and have a mod that will satisfy your eye and that of those around you.

Lightweight, low mass wheels pay off in several regards...
1.) They reduce unsprung weight. So, not only is your car marginally lighter, but it allows your suspension to react to terrain faster, increasing grip and responsiveness.
2.) They present less rotating mass for the calipers to stop. This improves braking performance with NO additional braking changes.
3.) They, because they are lighter, are easier to accelerate, providing a slight performance benefit with no additional mods.

The reason this works is that mass, father out from the point of rotation magnifies the gyroscopic or centrifugal force it exerts. It's much like a flywheel on four corners of your car. If they were made with balsa wood they would take very little effort to accelerate or stop them, if they were made from lead, it would take much more energy to effect change.

My Aprilia has BST Carbon Fiber wheels on it only the 6" center hub is 7075 alloy, even my brake rotor and caliber hardware is all titanium...Hell, ALL of the stressed hardware is titanium, all the unstressed was swapped for 7075 aluminum. The bike, already having a revered reputation for exceptional handling, was transformed. I had to re-learn how to ride quickly with it. It was the single best mod on the bike.

Now, on a bike the effect will be magnified, compared to a car as the pre and post wheel weight make up a much larger percentage of the bikes weight and the wheels transition through an arc left to right unlike a car. BUT...if you take 5-8lbs a wheel of the car, you reap several SMALL benefits that work together and will add bling where a D.S. or axles will not.

My .02

Thanks for the interest Scubacat!
These driveline upgrades are more being geared towards people who will be making 500+hp from these LTGs...
I completely agree that for most you will see better returns from investing in light weight wheels for all the reasons you suggested; no argument at all. The driveshaft and axles upgrades will be necessary for anyone who wishes to double (or more so) their power level and not have said parts failing under the much greater stresses... and why not keep them as light as possible?
This thread will be expanded on when I have time and more information back from the various aftermarket companies I've been communicating with, including: wheels, clutch/flywheel, driveshaft, axles, accessory pullies, ect.

Sorry for the late response... Between work and house renovations I haven't had alot of time for the forum over the last 2 weeks.