Date: Wed, 02 May 2007 18:10:06 GMT From: still me <wheeledBobnospamo.com> Subject: Re: Classic 900 - aluminum or steel/best tires for sport driving
On Wed, 02 May 2007 13:13:58 GMT, johannes <johsnospamnospam-efitter.com> wrote: >> >> What is the weight difference for Saab wheels? I know that the Alu >> wheels I had on a Golf II were much, much lighter than steel, and I >> attributed the great performance of that car partly to this. > >But did you compare steel/alloy performance on the same car, or did you >just compare with another car? Just to throw a few facts into the mix: I think the alloy wheels may be lighter than the steel wheels, but not by a lot. Most aluminum wheels are rather heavy. Originally alloy wheels were a magnesium alloy. The Minilite was a popular choice. I believe my last set weighed in at about 8 lbs each. In contrast, I believe my Saab alloys are close to 40lbs each. They are twice the size, but even so.... Alloy wheels, if lighter, are important in one way: they reduce unsprung weight. Unsprung weight cannot be controlled like the sprung weight of a vehicle. Consequently, we try to minimize it. Alloy wheels today are more of an ornament that a performance enhancement - with the notable exception that in order to get lower (and consequently wider) tires on a car, most manufacturers packed in alloy wheels.
