Lightweight Wheels - S3

[Dandanfings]

So i realized my mistake, the 19'' BBS LM-R replicas i have look great but the slightly increased diameter and substantial weight increase is obviously hurting performance, comfort and economy.

As of next week i will be making the switch back to 18'' wheels and not just any old rim but a substantially lighter one, i believe my 19'' reps weigh around 19kgs and the wheel i am switching to is 9kgs!.

Rotational mass is supposedly worth 4x compared to regular mass, so that's 40kg a corner equaling 160kg of weight loss for the car.
If i was hitting under 3.2 seconds to 60mph before.... god only knows what i will be getting with these installed!

The wheel i have chosen is the Autec Wizard which goes under a different name in the states which the M3 boys rate very highly for track duty's.

http://www.autec-wheels.de/design/rim/name/typ_w-wizard_gunmetal.html

I haven't stopped there though, i also upgraded the rubber to Michelin Super Sports on the front and a set of Pilot Sport 2's on the rear, the reason for the mix is because i picked up the PS2's for peanuts (new) and was curious which tyres would be best on the front (it is really a FWD car after all).

 

[naughts4187]

So i realized my mistake, the 19'' BBS LM-R replicas i have look great but the slightly increased diameter and substantial weight increase is obviously hurting performance, comfort and economy.

As of next week i will be making the switch back to 18'' wheels and not just any old rim but a substantially lighter one, i believe my 19'' reps weigh around 19kgs and the wheel i am switching to is 9kgs!.

Rotational mass is supposedly worth 4x compared to regular mass, so that's 40kg a corner equaling 160kg of weight loss for the car.
If i was hitting under 3.2 seconds to 60mph before.... god only knows what i will be getting with these installed!

The wheel i have chosen is the Autec Wizard which goes under a different name in the states which the M3 boys rate very highly for track duty's.

http://www.autec-wheels.de/design/rim/name/typ_w-wizard_gunmetal.html

I haven't stopped there though, i also upgraded the rubber to Michelin Super Sports on the front and a set of Pilot Sport 2's on the rear, the reason for the mix is because i picked up the PS2's for peanuts (new) and was curious which tyres would be best on the front (it is really a FWD car after all).

Yep I've got some BBS CH-R's which come in at around 10kg each, also some OEM speedlines which weigh an absolute tonne, but look great. I've always stayed away from reps for that very reason.

 

[Dan930]

What size are the bbs BBS CH-R's mate

 

[leosayer1]

A 10kg saving per corner should be very noticeable the moment you hit some bumps.

9kg is very light.

Don't kerb them!

 

[Tony1982]

You're not getting under 3.2 seconds mate, If u have it timed properly u might get 4.0 if you are lucky! Them new wheels will help like

 

[JordanQuattro]

Team dynamic pro race 1.3 's are about as light as they come. enkei also make very light wheels, just depends if you want a jap style wheels on your German motor

 

[Dandanfings]

You're not getting under 3.2 seconds mate, If u have it timed properly u might get 4.0 if you are lucky! Them new wheels will help like

I spy a umbilical cable... are you perhaps a sat rat?

 

[Dandanfings]

Team dynamic pro race 1.3 's are about as light as they come. enkei also make very light wheels, just depends if you want a jap style wheels on your German motor

I did consider those but thankfully i found these ones instead as they weigh about the same and look a little more 'euro'

 

[Tony1982]

long story short I was a military diver, got out to go off shore, life was great rolling in cash blah blah, then work started drying up for me and struggled with the insecurity so rejoined the military as a diver again, sticking it out till I've done the full time then get back off shore.

 

[Dandanfings]

long story short I was a military diver, got out to go off shore, life was great rolling in cash blah blah, then work started drying up for me and struggled with the insecurity so rejoined the military as a diver again, sticking it out till I've done the full time then get back off shore.

I was gonna say the work has dried up, my father was a deep sea diver (one of the first in north sea) has been a OCM since 1979 and if you know the north sea you might know him as the north sea tyrant as supposedly that was his nickname.
I also used to work offshore about 10 years ago but gave it up as the whole 1 month off and 1 month on drove me mad.

 

[Tony1982]

Yeah it's not that great at the minute, the North Sea is particularly difficult, most of my offshore business has been in the Dutch sector and South America. The constant travel and constant hunt for long term contracts did me in! Well 4 years of it paid for a house and car in full so can't complain, can't believe my other half stuck around though. Still known on the circuit though so still get offers, if a lengthy secure deal shows up I might consider it

 

[Magicfiver]

How about the OZ ultraleggera HLT in 18's, think these are light weight wheels too. Not sure on the actual weight tho.

 

[Dobby]

after some wheels myself, preferably black.. doesnt leave alot of choice without spending a fortune though

 

[Dandanfings]

Car just feels amazing and light now, such a worthwhile upgrade!

 

[steeve]

Make sure you don't go dropping into one of the many potholes that abound!

 

[S.]

How about the OZ ultraleggera HLT in 18's, think these are light weight wheels too. Not sure on the actual weight tho.

oz ultraleggera's 18" weight is under 9 kg's. i've gone from oem 18" which weight 12kg to oz, and there's a noticeable difference.

 

[Dobby]

oz ultraleggera's 18" weight is under 9 kg's. i've gone from oem 18" which weight 12kg to oz, and there's a noticeable difference.

pics?

 

[S.]

hi, mate i'm on a 8p platform, just been looking arround the forums and wanted to share my opinion, the difference in performance and handling with lighter wheels should be the same on 8p or 8v.

 

[nervus]

This makes sense! Does anyone make a nice looking lightweight wheel? None of these suit an Audi and look a bit cheap IMO!

 

[naughts4187]

This is why I've gone for BBS CH-R's. This is a US pic in lbs so that's just under 12kg a corner, and I think that's a 20inch rim too with 9j width. Plus they look the dogs on Sepang blue!

 

[Dobby]

This is why I've gone for BBS CH-R's. This is a US pic in lbs so that's just under 12kg a corner, and I think that's a 20inch rim too with 9j width. Plus they look the dogs on Sepang blue!

not such a fan of the silver lip, what you think of bbs sr's

 

[paulk]

iv had a few sets of 19 bbs ch and for a motor sport wheel they are very heavy, hence selling my 19 bbs ch r , biu they look mint on the s3

As for the wheels helping 0 to 60 I thought the wheels are un sprung weight so they will only improve road feel and rebound so the dampers arnt working so hard, but I may be wrong

 

[nervus]

Those BBS look great but all the reps put me off buying real ones.

20" look fab on saloon but I think they may look too big on the Hatch! My 19" look borderline acceptable IMO!

 

[Dandanfings]

This looks much better...

 

[Dobby]

This looks much better...

View attachment 59361

Could you take a pic from the front or rear to show what a 35 offset looks like mate?

 

[RobH_S3]

Ordering some OZ Ultraleggera's next week they weigh 8.4kg. One thing with these wheels is the car NEEDS lowering to make them suite imo. Cant be having standard ride height with track wheels

 

[desertstorm]

This is an interesting test to show the difference in performance . mpg and cornering ability for different size wheels on the same car.
By keeping the same car and using the same manufacturer for the tyres and very similar wheels they have narrowed down the differences to basically the size of the wheel.
The extra weight doesn't just add to the unsprung weight each wheel and tyre acts like a flywheel.
The same as a heavy flywheel on an engine will slow the acceleration a heavy wheel tyre combination stores energy, the heavier it is and the further out the weight is concentrated the more energy it stores.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/effects-of-upsized-wheels-and-tires-tested

One of the reasons I only run 17 inch Team dynamics pro 1.2 wheels on my car.

Karl.

 

[paulk]

Ordering some OZ Ultraleggera's next week they weigh 8.4kg. One thing with these wheels is the car NEEDS lowering to make them suite imo. Cant be having standard ride height with track wheels

some as new for sale on mk5 golf gti forum

 

[RobH_S3]

Cheers just looked but there formula hlt's not ultraleggera's