have run flat tires, an air compressor, and tire plugs

[holden j caufield]

it'll lighten the car and maybe make handling better. I'm wonder if it's bad to be too light in the rear of the car. More likely to fish tail?

 

[Mo0o]

you're much better off slapping on a few more typeR stickers.

 

[holden j caufield]

this is a serious question. People said la 3 lb lighter wheel wouldn't be worth it but I've noticed a gain in acceleration, handling, and mpg.

 

[Rastus]

Get rid of the tire plugs and the compressor too.

Do you have hair plugs? They are expendable.

 

[compnovice]

You can also try an atkins diet

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: holden j caufield
this is a serious question. People said la 3 lb lighter wheel wouldn't be worth it but I've noticed a gain in acceleration, handling, and mpg.

Wheels are unsprung weight. Your spare tire is not.

 

[holden j caufield]

are these responses supposed to be funny? ok? haha

 

[holden j caufield]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: holden j caufield
this is a serious question. People said la 3 lb lighter wheel wouldn't be worth it but I've noticed a gain in acceleration, handling, and mpg.

Wheels are unsprung weight. Your spare tire is not.

finally a real response. Yes unsprung makes a bigger difference but overall weight reduction has to make some sort of improvement.

 

[doze]

I dont think there will be any difference in daily driving performance, but it won't hurt anything. Just make sure you put the spare back in the car for road trips.

 

[cheesehead]

Two words:

Murphy's law.

I would reccomend instead removing other even less useful stuff. For example, the rear seats in many cars often weigh a ton - replace them with crappy (but light) bucket seats, and you're set.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Yeah... losing that 30lbs is going to make all the difference. :roll:

Originally posted by: holden j caufield
this is a serious question. People said la 3 lb lighter wheel wouldn't be worth it but I've noticed a gain in acceleration, handling, and mpg.

It's called a placebo... look it up.

 

[iamaelephant]

Here's a better idea

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Yeah... losing that 30lbs is going to make all the difference. :roll:

Originally posted by: holden j caufield
this is a serious question. People said la 3 lb lighter wheel wouldn't be worth it but I've noticed a gain in acceleration, handling, and mpg.

It's called a placebo... look it up.

Unsprung weight can make a surprisngly large difference. There's actually good physics behind it.

3lbs is not much. 12lbs (for four wheels) spinning at hundreds of revolutions per minute, however, can make a noticeable difference.

 

[Zee]

in terms of preparation, no. Nails and holes and stuff is not what the spare is really for. Most people will keep driving to the nearest tire repair shop. It's for the blowouts and the shredded tires. Basically it's so that you don't ride on your rims and potentially mess up your axle as well.

 

[clickynext]

What car is it? If you're driving a miata trying to improve your track times, then yes, definitely remove it! But if you're driving a camry around the street, no.

If you want to talk about the pros/cons without considering the significance of a tire's weight, then in a front wheel drive car the added weight will improve the balance of the car since the weight is in the front. In a rear wheel drive car the weight can improve the grip of the drive wheels.