Does wheel weight affect the performance of a car? I couldnt seem to find a solid answer to the question; How will a heavyweight rim affect your ride in comparison with a lightweight rim?

My personal thought = the ligher the better

thanks in advance

 

The less rotational mass you have, the better acceleration and fuel economy you will have. There is really no gain from having a heavier wheel. The ride quality will not change with wheel weight, as long as you're comparing the same size wheel.

 

Ok thanks man

 

I strongly disagree!

When I'm driving on my 15x7 Regamaster Evo wheels, I feel everything on the road. They are 7.5lbs made of magnesium. They're very sensitive and absorb no impact. You can feel every rock on the road through them.
Driving on my 15x7 Buddy Club wheels is much different. Same size but weigh 16lbs of aluminum alloy. You can definitely notice a difference in the ride as you don't feel every small imperfection in the road. Going over train-tracks produces the most noticeable change in quality.

It's very subtle, but noticeable. When you go into larger sizes the difference is magnified MUCH more. For example, when we do Escalades and Hummers at my shop. Those guys put wheels on which are the same dimensions as OEM, but weigh 2-3 times as much! The difference in ride quality is very apparent. Heavier wheels make the car accelerate slower but are more comfortable. Light wheels are quick (and good for mileage & sensitivity) but less comfortable.

 

Going from a steel 15x7 wheel (roughly 24lbs) to an aluminum 15x7 with a similar offset (roughly 16lbs), I noticed no change in ride quality in my car. I also swapped the tires over from the steel wheels to the aluminum ones. This could be down to suspension components, the car's weight, and the nature to which they're designed to function... but it could also be down to just the type of tire being used. Its not really something that can be measured, as there are too many variables.

PS. I've never seen a Magnesium Regamaster EVO. Every one that I've imported, has been Forged Aluminum. How did you find out if you had a Magnesium set?

 

The weight of the wheel really shouldn't have any impact on ride comfort. The stiffness and thickness of the sidewall will.

 

In theory (which is all I can speak on) a heavier wheel will have more inertia, which will cause the tire to deflect more before the wheel moves the suspension, which could result in improved ride quality.

In theory, it also results in reduced traction over rough pavement.

In reality, how much difference it makes, I can't say.

 

When I added heavier wheels to my 1.6 liter Miata back in the day, it felt like I was dragging an anchor behind; the car lost quite a bit of "pep" and braking distances were increased.

As Matt mentioned, those would be the "casualties" of a heavier wheel with little effect on comfort (your tire selection will effect that)

 

Well, there's two answers to that question!
1: I bought them from a friend while we worked at the same performance shop (he's also a reputable member on these forums). He told me they were magnesium, and they weighed out to just under 8lbs.

2: When I hit a pot-hole, they bent like wet noodles. I quickly learned the difference in durability between aluminum alloy and magnesium.

 

1. What did you weigh them on?

2. The Forged Aluminum ones aren't exactly strong either, sadly.

 

I used a scale. I mounted them myself, so I had the chance to handle them first without tires. The first time I picked them up it was very surprising, since most 15's in the same size weigh 2, 3, and 4 times as much.

 

sorry dood, but i doubt you have Evo's made from Magnesium. they're extremely light for the 15x6.5 size (i think they come in at 9lbs a wheel) though.

there is not a lot of wheels out there made from magnesium these days, and definately not for a Honda fitment.

bending like noodles is a problem with the Regamasters. however, bending is safer than cracking so it's doing what it's probably designed to do.

 

Yeah, I expected that from Hater Tech You "think"? I know

Sorry "dood", but they're magnesium. Bought brand new.

 

Oh, they're only 15's? I thought they were 16's, hence my amazement as to the statement that they were Magnesium. My forged aluminum 16x7's weighed in at around 10lbs (weighed on professional corner balancing scales), so its not far-fetched to think that your wheels are actually just forged aluminum.

Before putting the wheels on, did you happen to notice if there was a more goldish tone to the metal on the hub, almost like unoxidized lead? That could help tell you if its forged aluminum or magnesium. But, the simplest way would be to take a tiny shaving of the metal, and put a torch to it. Be very careful though, as one of the two metals is EXTREMELY flammable and cannot be extinguished with water. So do the test in an open area, away from anything that could get damaged.

 

So you bought them brand new as you say, yet in a previous post above, you bought them from a friend who just told you there were made of magnesium.

there was nothing in my post that was 'hating' on your claims, just trying to help you figure out what you think you might have purchased.

anyways, it's pathetic that i'm trying to help you understand that you probably just believe what your friend told you as 'mag wheels' are in fact, not magnesium wheels.

embarassing for Canadians to see this.

 

I bought them off of him when they were brand new. Never driven on. Then mounted them myself.
Did you know it was possible to do that? Are you old enough to comprehend how that works?

Good call!

 

I find it hard to believe they would of made a rim out of magnesium that is only one pound lighter than their forged version. I guess the price could show some clarity

 

Lmao

 

haha! Now someone doesn't even believe that the wheel exists ...
... I bet the next guy doubts I'm actually a real person. Just a digital troll created to propagate mythical magnesium wheels.

 

Maybe if the troll posted pics as well but I'm sure they're going to look exactly like the forged aluminum alloy Evo but he will claim other wise

Must admit, I haven't fed a troll in quite some time. It's too bad these young kids are so un educated these days...