Weight

[STEWART]

How much of a difference do you think weight really makes? I just recently weighed my B4 and it was 1670g or 60oz should i be concerend?

[Northy]

Can 'o' worms.

I think weight matters a lot, as does any other professional racing series. Others don't.

G

[Richard Lowe]

Yep, weight is a bad thing IMO. Adding weight means either the setup is wrong or the car's design is wrong.

[Lee Martin]

how do you wrk tht out thn?

[jimmy]

Weight is ace, give me MORE lead!

[Lee Martin]

indeed!!!!

and having to put weight in a car allows you to put it where its needed/wanted for the best performance

[Richard Lowe]

Originally Posted by pidge

how do you wrk tht out thn?

Adding weight to change the weight distribution will change the balance of the car, at the expense of reduced corner speed due to just having more weight to haul about. Generally tires will produce more grip if they have a heavier car sat on them but it's more than offset by having to change the direction of the extra weight.
When do you see full sized cars adding ballast to increase grip? The only reason it's used in WRC and F1 cars is because they have to use it to get upto the minimum weight limits.

If you are adding weight to a car to make it better over bumps then the suspension setup is wrong, it makes a lot more sense to match the suspension setup to the weight of the car instead of increasing the weight of the car to match the suspension for the reasons above

Originally Posted by pidge

and having to put weight in a car allows you to put it where its needed/wanted for the best performance

True, but only upto the minimum weight limit, once you go over it you are only making the car slower than it could be.

[Lee Martin]

i can see your point....but big cars need the power to weight our little ones can be way way way over powered anyway, therefore allowing us to be able to aid handle by adding weight

[Swiss]

Originally Posted by Richard Lowe

Adding weight to change the weight distribution will change the balance of the car, at the expense of reduced corner speed due to just having more weight to haul about. Generally tires will produce more grip if they have a heavier car sat on them but it's more than offset by having to change the direction of the extra weight.
When do you see full sized cars adding ballast to increase grip? The only reason it's used in WRC and F1 cars is because they have to use it to get upto the minimum weight limits.

If you are adding weight to a car to make it better over bumps then the suspension setup is wrong, it makes a lot more sense to match the suspension setup to the weight of the car instead of increasing the weight of the car to match the suspension for the reasons above



True, but only upto the minimum weight limit, once you go over it you are only making the car slower than it could be.

Surely the change of direction comment will only be relevant if the wheight is at the extreme edges of the car.... not down the centre?

Also as I understood it, F1 cars are made as light as possible so the can ballas the car out... e.g. putting weight in the relevant places to tune the car?