I use my 92 HB Civics for Road Racing only. Now that both cars have no interior, the weight balane is all messed up, they have 67% in the front. Thats hurting me alot when I brake and when taking corners. What can be done do have a better weight distribution? Both cars weight 2000 lbs and I don´t want to go any higher. I will begin by installing the battery in he trunk but what else can be done? Thanks
Jay

 

I would just get a lighter battery up front (hawker or equivelent). The wiring and swtich needed to move it to the trunk will add weight to your car, and less weight is generally better than weight balance. If you have power steering, I'd get a manual rack and rip that out. Rip out a/c if you have it, and any environment controls. Otherwise I'd say brake early and get on the gas ealier in the turn to balance yourself out.

 

Remove front bumper support, eliminate anything in the engine bay you do not need. 2000 lbs is fairly heavy for a stripped road race hatch, so I am confident there is a lot to be removed.

 

Some of the best ways to loose weight up front for little or no money

-battery relocated to the back
-fiberglass hood/fenders
-remove the a/c
-light rims/tires

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ricey McRicerton &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Some of the best ways to loose weight up front for little or no money

-battery relocated to the back
-fiberglass hood/fenders
-remove the a/c
-light rims/tires
</TD></TR></TABLE>

and a fat person in the trunk

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jwaked &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what can be done to have a better weight distribution?</TD></TR></TABLE>


Take away 17% of the weight in the front

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Happyman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Take away 17% of the weight in the front
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Or move 8.5% of it to the back.

 

also how much do you weigh?
gotta love a 300lb driver in a stripped car

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jwn7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also how much do you weigh?
gotta love a 300lb driver in a stripped car </TD></TR></TABLE>

its faster to strip a car than it is to lose 150 lbs

 

do you have adjustable coilovers? (I hope so ) get you car corner balanced (corner weighed) Do it with you or your weight in the car - by adjusting the height on adjustable coilovers you might be able to get a more even ratio...you also want to get the LF+RR = RF+LR (or as close to = as possible)...get a Carbon Fiber hood too

Edit what brakes are you running in the front? you might wanna look into some lightweight brakes (like wilwood - dynalite/fastbrakes) & lightweight rims (buddy club p1 QFs, spoon/desmond evo's, volks, etc)

 

loose all the weight possible out of the front then add 2 or 3 40lbs metal plates to the back of the car , kinda like a wedge in nascar. good luck

 

The distribution is as follows:

LF 669 lbs RF 645 lbs
LR 327 lbs RR 343 lbs

The lowest I can run in my class is 1900 Lbs. The car has no AC, no PS, Fastbrakes 11" front and rear, carbon Fiber hood.
Jay

 

I weight 180 lbs

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jwaked &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The distribution is as follows:

LF 669 lbs RF 645 lbs
LR 327 lbs RR 343 lbs

The lowest I can run in my class is 1900 Lbs. The car has no AC, no PS, Fastbrakes 11" front and rear, carbon Fiber hood.
Jay </TD></TR></TABLE>

like i said loose the weight in the front, liek bumper support and all the metal u wont need for the track, then when u get 80lbs taken off the front add the 2 40lbs of wedge to the back that would be as follows

LF 629 RF 605
LR 367 RR 383

thats 62% on the front will just taking out the bumper support, there is more metal that can be taken out of the front also

BTW i know you can get the 92-95 Civic Hatchback EGs down to 1700lbs

 

plexi front windows, remove headlights if day driving, remove unneccesary wiring from your harness, lighter rotors, fiber fenders hood, shave your body parts down by sanding and grinding, remove front bumper support, no ps, no ac, find a lighter steering rack, remove al the crap that lifts your hood up and just use pins, no wipers, make a aluminum rad support, remove splash guard, lighter battery and relocate to back, remove windshield washer pumps and container and hoses, if the car has been painted over alot sand it all off and just do one coat if it a track car it'll save some weight. Man thats all i can think of thats easy to do. Could shorten up the frame. Hell chop the top on it.

 

He can't go lighter than 1900 lbs so in reality he can't drop 600 lbs in the front. I'd suggest lightening up the front a little with a cf hood, remove bumper support, lighter wheels, lighter suspension/brakes and then make the rear that much heavier it'll counter balance it better but it won't be perfect.

 

The front bumper support, headlights, AC, PS, windshield washer pumps and container and hoses were removed. It has aluminum radiator , CF hod and aftermarket header. The bodyshop is installing the plexi glass as I write. After they are installed, I will weight it and see how much I can add to the rear to get to my 1900 lbs minimum weight limit.

I guess I will try what adirondackR said, lifting the front a little to see how much weight it transfers to the rear.
Thanks guys.
Jay

 

i have no idea how to do it from experience, but what would happen if you got a fuel cell in the very very back of the car. like i said i dunno if this would help at all or not, but the way i am thinking is the farther back it is the more weight distribution to the back only and not the front. hope it helps and hope this doesn't show my true identity of an idiot!!

 

you really want to lessen the weight in the front? nobody has said the obvious:

"yank out that B series engine and tranny and drop in a SOHC D series setup!". that will take a ton of weight off the front end; plus, when you sell your B series stuff, will probably come out ahead with expenditure. better than free weight loss/balance; you'll actually pocket money!

power output will obviously be lower (unless you are a real D series guru) but your weight balance concerns will be addressed.

problem solved!

 

you should be more concerned with making equal cross weights as opposed to making equal front-rear weights

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris Sawatsky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you should be more concerned with making equal cross weights as opposed to making equal front-rear weights</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Mount your driver's seat in the back seat area, if your rules allow extending the steering wheel shaft and pedals.

Keep as much weight as possible within the wheelbase.

 

Not to mention, are you sure the scales were level?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kedwards &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Mount your driver's seat in the back seat area, if your rules allow extending the steering wheel shaft and pedals.

Keep as much weight as possible within the wheelbase.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Second that. Ever notice in the european touring cars that it looks like the driver is in the back seat?

If you wanted to do a lot of fabrication you could shift the rear suspension forward slightly (shorter wheelbase)

 

Suggesting removal of the bumper support is a dumb and dangerous idea. Slightest bump and you're going to be needing a new radiator. What are you doing? Racing each other from 20 feet away?

Warren