Weight Distribution
 

So I've been thinking about this. judge if you want, but one of the best cars I've driven was the RX-8 and it had a large part to do with perfect 50/50 weight distribution, or so I'm told. The Boss 302 has a 55/45. I've seen some guys relocate their battery to the trunk to try and open up space or improve weight distribution. Has anyone done this on these cars, and if so, was it a noticeable improvement?

Relocating the battery is expensive and has little benefit. It sounds good though. If you are that worried about it buy a lightweight battery.

Not really worried about it was just thinking if there were ways to even it out. More mental masturbation than anything else, but sometimes I just try to think of making things more perfect.

I moved the battery to the trunk, 32 lbs from the right front cowl to behind the right rear tire. Cost was $200 for the cable kit, aluminum battery box, an extra braided engine to chassis ground strap and some extra battery terminals. I also bought an Optima AGM red top battery to replace the stock wet cell. I believe it's worth the effort, but then again I love to work on the car and love the details like a 1% shift in weight distribution.
Steve

You forgot to tell him what else you did. ;) If all you're going to do is move the battery I don't think it's worth the effort. You put a little more effort into yours. :hail:

Throw a couple of midgets in the trunk. Relocate the driver's seat to the back seat and use a series of pulleys and cables to steer, brake, and accelerate.

You "could" eliminate other things such as gutting your interior, removing windshield washer fluid and reservoir and maybe some lighter suspension components if it's even possible on a Boss? I'm not proficient in these models so much as the 05-09's. :)

I like to think about this stuff, too. I love the idea of the battery in the trunk, but ultimately, for a street car, I believe it's not worth the effort. All other things being equal, you are adding the weight of the battery box, securing hardware, and cabling. If you didn't care about adding weight, you could just leave everything alone, add a sub-box, and get your 50/50 with a baller stereo to boot.

If you get a lighter battery, then you reduce the effect of moving the weight and it makes even less sense.

When in doubt, do as the race cars do. I have only seen one Boss race car that relocated it's battery. All others appear to have just replaced the battery with a lighter one in the factory location.

IMO overall weight is far more important than weight distribution. Check the most successful racing platform of all time to see why I think this (Google Porsche 911 or GT3 or whatever).

Jimmy

Agree with this. Weight savings are more important than distribution. From there, proper suspension setup will go a long way towards giving you the driving feel you desire.

I would not mind 50/50, makes tuning easier - but I don't lose sleep over it or anything, either, and I certainly wouldn't go massively out of my way to make it happen.

Agreed, lose the weight wherever you can. Losing weight from the front end would give you the biggest advantage though. Rotors with aluminum hats, lighter radiator, hood, battery, etc.

I have done all of the above, and an aluminum bumper bar, lightweight chrome moly radiator/sway bar bracket, carbon fiber trunk lid, removed rear seat, rear seat belts and brackets during roll bar install, rear brake shields (-1lb LOL!) of course the largest single weight loss item would be the driver who could stand to lose 60 lbs, then again a chrome moly K member saves 15 lbs......................
Steve

Forgot the aluminum 1 piece driveshaft that saved 19 lbs alone. And Corsa mufflers save 9 for the pair over GT500 axle backs.

so whats your car weigh in at right now...

I thought I read somewhere that a lightweight Braille wouldn't work with the electronics in our cars? Maybe there's no merit to that. I had planned on doing it but was waiting to confirm that. Is anyone running one?

has anyone seen it weighed out at all 4 corners and if so what are the results?

I was told there could be issues with one of those. ;)

Absolutely live how an RX-8 Changes direction.

I like the way you think, except I'd get the midgets to do all the steering and braking from the trunk. I'd just get a P-tube and yell orders from the backseat :heh:

I was thinking that I should just pull my passenger seat on track days to drop another 46 lbs. My Sparco race seat shaves 11 lbs in itself, but I wondered about the l/r distribution of removing the pass seat. Most clubs I run with don't allow passengers anyway and the ones that do generally require the same restraints as the driver. Currently I don't have a second race seat for the pass side. Any reason not to pull it?

Gary no reason not to take it out other than the airbag light(which is already on right?) and the fact that you are going down the slippery slope of full gut out factory racecar (Boss 302S). I have seen the symptoms in you for the past year and I believe your case is terminal. I on the other hand have been seeking treatment and my chemo therapy is an infusion of an old Sprint Cup Taurus or Focus to set up as a NASA GT 1 car. The race bug is an insidious one, tough to cure, and you have to spend all your money fighting it.
Steve

:rofl2: I'm definitely in the danger zone, but I still have control....no really I do :p

Yea I get the yellow light on the speedo, but I'd probably also get the passenger light on the right side of the dash above the stereo....what's one more yellow light.