I’ve been doing a few bits on the car since getting it. and i’ve been making a track of all the parts going on and off (except at the gram level, i havent weighed in new bulbs or phone holder for example).
Below is a list of what i’ve changed so far and their weights.
*Note i dont plan for this to be a thread for weight-watching. theres a ‘decent’ list i found on the Miata forum which has various items. but i couldnt find any full lists. certainly not for my mods
for anyones interest: ND component weights - Page 5 - MX-5 Miata Forum
In short summary, after 12 aftermarket parts/items, i am up 5.5lbs in weight total, but have a net loss in unsprung weight
Single biggest gain was the Eibach front sway bar! that was very heavy.
Single biggest saving was the 6-pot willwood calipers (front).
Weights are accurate with scales typically used for postal items.
*exception being the OEM exhaust - as these i have taken weights from another forum as mine are still on the car but the replacements are accurate i can be sure of as self-weighed.
The 6-pot willwood were lighter than expected. like for like (caliper, braided vs rubber hose, and pads) they actually came in just shy of 1.5kg lighter a corner AND that was with my near-death pads (advertised was 1.3kg. bonus!)
I was most surprised about the cobalt backbox! it wasnt something i had fitted myself so was amazed how heavy it was. its half the size of the OEM, they must have really crammed in the packaging , this might need to be a re-visit for me in the future if the decibel track limits are in range. ‘free weight’ to be lost there with the right product.
The next item for me will be wheels + tyres as i will be storing my snow tyres for the winter in a month or two. probably a net-equal though as the alloys will be lighter per corner, but the resulting wider rubber will offset.
I am looking at those Kogegi things from Flying miata, with a 235/40 on them.
hope some of this may come in handy for others in the future. Search is your Friend
Interesting! Thanks for sharing. Are you sure the original front sway bar is just four pounds? Amazed at the weight change of the front calipers ( at some considerable cost though)
I recently got an Il Motorsport backbox S/H. I’ve yet to get the original off but have strong hunch it going to not be an upgrade weight wise….
You’re going a bit more track focused than me, but otherwise very similar. I decided to keep with the standard wheel width but a bit more offset and will be going up to 215s in the spring. I seem to recall that the Recaro wheels are heavier than the regular stock 17s, so you’re likely to make quite a saving even at an inch wider. I went for OZ Allegeritas which are only 6.35kg per corner, so a noticeable saving.
Recording stuff is good; especially when working on a car, which, being inorganic is always repeatable.
I’m about to change my suspension for a second time and I will waste an age because I didn’t record the odd spannering needed to get the rear suspension out and in of the boot for example. I will try this and that until I come across what worked last time. Very irritating and easily avoided by a tidy mind🙂
i didnt fit the suspension myself as i had a garage have the fun and hassle of dealing with the old bushings, and then setting ride hide to specs but… i have since fitted the rear strut bar myself. the room is tight by the rear bulkhead but its just 2 bolts per shock tower. each side has room for a breaker bar on one, and the other needs the ‘double spanner’ extension for the leverage.
also to confirm above… i double checked the weights of the rear and front anti-roll bars - they are indeed correct.
(i had forgotten how silly then the rear is! smaller than my little finger. )
Four pounds is nearly two bags of sugar so that’s actually fine. I think I just found the weight difference between that and the aftermarket item astonishing.
Yes the rear SB is a skinny thing but it doesn’t have to control as much inertia once it starts moving.
Interesting info from the track cars is it’s often left standard or removed when an upgraded front bar is fitted.
I found someone on here is that suggested it’s nice to have a car that doesn’t roll as much but it can make a breakaway more sudden. I can see the physics of that
Also some think the fitting of typical aftermarket coilovers tightens up the car enough to preclude the sway bar upgrade for road use.
Anyways, it’s interesting stuff
Confirmed - Recaro Alloy wheel weights 9.08Kg per alloy
i took it down to the tyre shop today with the garage scales, and asked them to whip off the snow tyre so i could weight it separately.
but the replacements are accurate i can be sure of as self-weighed.
, this might need to be a re-visit for me in the future if the decibel track limits are in range. ‘free weight’ to be lost there with the right product.
but, my goal isnt weight loss in general, i just like to record things.