Whos gone from steel to alloy wheels?

[Plumper]

Has anyone ever changed from steel rims to lighter alloy rims and noticed an improvement in ride comfort???

On paper it works seeing as you will be reducing your unsprung weight, but I want to know just how noticeable this is in reality. So if you have done the steel to alloy swap, I want to hear your comments on it, good or bad.

I currently run 16x7 steel rims on my D22.

Cheers!

 

[longy509]

no difference that i can tell just look beta

 

[MAT713]

I actually just picked a brand new 16 x 8 +0 offset steel wheel (sunraysia dynamic) today.

I've got the same size in Mickey Thompson Classic Black II alloys and I was actually quite surprised how much heavier the steel rim was.

As a general rule of thumb, for every 1kg you save in rolling unsprung weight actually feels like 5kg.

 

[rabbit-chop]

Yeah I went from steel to alloy - standard dx steelies (super heavy thick gague steel) with the standard shitfull 205/r tyres and a set of sunraysias with km1's on weekends to a set of alloys with bridgstone a/t tyres, the difference in ride comfort was very noticeable, but it could have been the tyres, have since put cooper st-maxx tyres on the alloys and its still a comfy ride.

Biggest difference to ride quality will come from decent shocks tho cos the standard ones are pathetic, and torsion bars if your running a steel bulbar and winch.

[EDIT]; sunrasias are pretty light weight as they are tho- I cant imagine them weighing much more than alloys.

 

[Plumper]

Yeah I'm running EFS suspension all round with comfort springs in the rear, so that's all fairly well sorted.

The steel wheels Im currently running weigh in at 12.3kg each (no tyre), does any one know how much the factory D22 alloys weigh for comparison???

 

[ben85]

i know my 16x7s with 265s weigh 30kgs, my 16x8s with 285s weigh 42kg each. big difference. i havent weighed the stock alloys yet but i will when i get the chance.

 

[Plumper]

Cheers Ben, that'd be great if you could weigh your factory alloys. Have they got tyres on them???

 

[Bazz]

If going from alloys to steelies notice much more fuel consumption?

 

[NathanJG]

Got some stock D22 alloys freighted earlier this year and they weigh 10.3kg without a tyre.