Weight reduction list!!!
To get the side impact bars out of my 98 Z I used the following very simple procedure: (by the way, I did both doors in the time it took me to write this procedure)! It's not hard & doesn't take that long. Maybe 2 hours for both doors!
1. Take the inside door panel off the door.
2. Unplug everything.
3. Pull all the wires through the rubber gromet in the door. Note: You don't have to pull them all the way out (into the inside of the car), just out of the door.
4. Take a pencil and trace a light line around your door hinges (mark the actual door, not the hinge). This will come in very handy later on.
5. On the end of the door, take out the door latch screws, and the side impact support bolts that come through the door skin.
6. This next step is were you have to make a decision...
-You can either unbolt the door hinges, take the door off the car and (set it on an old couch) then start unbolting the side impact bars (with a 10mm & 15mm). Either way I'm pretty sure you are going to have to cut the side impact bar at one point or another.
OR
-what I did (with the door still attached to the car) was wiggle the "back end" side impact bar around enough to get a ratchet in between the door & the side impact bar, the take your trusty grinder with a zip disk and make a nice clean "very careful & patient" cut. It doesn't matter where you cut the bar as long as you cut it once. I cut mine about 6-8 inches from the end of the bar (the end that is towards the back of the door) It isn't bad if you take your time, don't force anything, let the grinder do the work, but you better have a strangle hold grip on that bitch incase it grabs and decides to go it's own course! If you are not patient your door will have some new "sweet looking" air vents. This is why I put a ratchet in between the door & the side impact bar. It gave me about an extra half inch away from the "danger zone" outter door skin.
7. Once the bar is cut: Take the "small end" of the (side impact bar and the support brace) out of the door, walk out side and throw it on your neibours roof.
8. Now this is when I took my door off. Put something under the back half of your door to support it, I used a old couch or sofa. If you want to have a nice clean looking install or i guess this is a "de"stall, then you need to unbolt your door hinges so you can pull the rest of your side impact bars out of the rubber gromet wiring hole. There will be 4 (either 15mm or 5/8 I can't remember) bolts to take out.(Last chance to trace some light pencil lines around your hinges on to the door. You will need these lines when you are putting your door back on. If you want to have a "trailer trash looking" camaro then drill a 2" hole through your door. If this is a street car, the inspectors will notice there are no side impact bars after you get in an accident.
9. Once they are unbolted take the door off and rest it on someting like a couch or "Sofa" so that you can start unbolting the rest of the side impact bars from the other end of the door (nearest the front end of the door). Use a drill to drill out the 2 rivets that go between the outter door skin and the support bracket. You will see what I am talking about once to get the door off.
10. Using a 1/4" ratchet & 10mm unbolt the rest of the side impact bar from the support bracket. Note: use a normal size socket, you don't need to grind your socket to get these small bolts, because the side impact bar support brace is now loose, and you can wiggle the support brace around until you get your hand in there to "feel" the socket over the bolt)
11. Once the side impact bar is un bolted pry it away from the support bracket with a screw driver or something (cause it has that sticky **** all over the bar & support) then slide it through the (already cut rubber gromet) wire hole in the front of the door. Once you get it out Harpoon it at the neighbours "loud *** dog"!
12. Next step is take out the other support bracket (the one you just unbolted the side impact bar from). You have to wiggle this one all the way to the back of the door, pull it out and tie a string around it, the tie the other end of the string to your neibors bumper, then kick it under his car.
13. Put your door back on. This is were your lines that you traced with a pencil will come in very handy. Line up the hinges with the lines you drew on the door. Put the 4 Nuts back on and snug them on enough that you can still bump the door around with your hand to line up perfectly to all your traced lines. Now you can tighten the **** out of your hinge bolts.
14. Pull the wires through the gromet in the door & hook up all your wires again.
15. On the end of your door use some slightly bigger washers and bolt up your door latch to the door skin. Don't tighten the **** out of them yet, just get them snug. Close the door and let the latch "fall into it's natural position", open the door then tighten them up. OH ya, at this point take a look at that black looking "post" that is attached to the car. You will notice that there is a guide in your door that lines up with this "post" You don't need it anymore either. So unbolt that post, it is useless now. Maybe a pound weight savings for each "post"?
16. Put your door panel back on.
17. Have a beer and do the next door.
18. Close your door and from the outside take a look at your door gaps around your door to make sure they all look even. They should be if you lined up your hinges correctly.
Notes: I did this whole thing by myself, but it would have been easier & quicker with a friend. I didn't even come close to cutting or nicking the outter door skin when I was grinding, because I took my time and knew the consequences if I was to "slip". I don't see any reason to keep the side impact support brackets at the end of each side of the door. Some guy's are layzee and don't feel like taking them out, well why bother with this project then? I don't see any structural support in having these support brackets in the door. My door isn't sagging or not lining up with these end supports out of the door, so take them out. They weighed almost the same as the side impact bar itself. I'm willing to bet the side impact bars, support brackets, door "posts" and the insulation I pulled out for both doors weighed very close to 20 - 25 pounds total. Take your aftermarket speakers & wiring out and I bet it's closer to 40 pounds total! This is an awesome weight reduction mod for guy's installing rollbars, and in my opinion well worth the time, effort and definatly worth the cost!
1. Take the inside door panel off the door.
2. Unplug everything.
3. Pull all the wires through the rubber gromet in the door. Note: You don't have to pull them all the way out (into the inside of the car), just out of the door.
4. Take a pencil and trace a light line around your door hinges (mark the actual door, not the hinge). This will come in very handy later on.
5. On the end of the door, take out the door latch screws, and the side impact support bolts that come through the door skin.
6. This next step is were you have to make a decision...
-You can either unbolt the door hinges, take the door off the car and (set it on an old couch) then start unbolting the side impact bars (with a 10mm & 15mm). Either way I'm pretty sure you are going to have to cut the side impact bar at one point or another.
OR
-what I did (with the door still attached to the car) was wiggle the "back end" side impact bar around enough to get a ratchet in between the door & the side impact bar, the take your trusty grinder with a zip disk and make a nice clean "very careful & patient" cut. It doesn't matter where you cut the bar as long as you cut it once. I cut mine about 6-8 inches from the end of the bar (the end that is towards the back of the door) It isn't bad if you take your time, don't force anything, let the grinder do the work, but you better have a strangle hold grip on that bitch incase it grabs and decides to go it's own course! If you are not patient your door will have some new "sweet looking" air vents. This is why I put a ratchet in between the door & the side impact bar. It gave me about an extra half inch away from the "danger zone" outter door skin.
7. Once the bar is cut: Take the "small end" of the (side impact bar and the support brace) out of the door, walk out side and throw it on your neibours roof.
8. Now this is when I took my door off. Put something under the back half of your door to support it, I used a old couch or sofa. If you want to have a nice clean looking install or i guess this is a "de"stall, then you need to unbolt your door hinges so you can pull the rest of your side impact bars out of the rubber gromet wiring hole. There will be 4 (either 15mm or 5/8 I can't remember) bolts to take out.(Last chance to trace some light pencil lines around your hinges on to the door. You will need these lines when you are putting your door back on. If you want to have a "trailer trash looking" camaro then drill a 2" hole through your door. If this is a street car, the inspectors will notice there are no side impact bars after you get in an accident.
9. Once they are unbolted take the door off and rest it on someting like a couch or "Sofa" so that you can start unbolting the rest of the side impact bars from the other end of the door (nearest the front end of the door). Use a drill to drill out the 2 rivets that go between the outter door skin and the support bracket. You will see what I am talking about once to get the door off.
10. Using a 1/4" ratchet & 10mm unbolt the rest of the side impact bar from the support bracket. Note: use a normal size socket, you don't need to grind your socket to get these small bolts, because the side impact bar support brace is now loose, and you can wiggle the support brace around until you get your hand in there to "feel" the socket over the bolt)
11. Once the side impact bar is un bolted pry it away from the support bracket with a screw driver or something (cause it has that sticky **** all over the bar & support) then slide it through the (already cut rubber gromet) wire hole in the front of the door. Once you get it out Harpoon it at the neighbours "loud *** dog"!
12. Next step is take out the other support bracket (the one you just unbolted the side impact bar from). You have to wiggle this one all the way to the back of the door, pull it out and tie a string around it, the tie the other end of the string to your neibors bumper, then kick it under his car.
13. Put your door back on. This is were your lines that you traced with a pencil will come in very handy. Line up the hinges with the lines you drew on the door. Put the 4 Nuts back on and snug them on enough that you can still bump the door around with your hand to line up perfectly to all your traced lines. Now you can tighten the **** out of your hinge bolts.
14. Pull the wires through the gromet in the door & hook up all your wires again.
15. On the end of your door use some slightly bigger washers and bolt up your door latch to the door skin. Don't tighten the **** out of them yet, just get them snug. Close the door and let the latch "fall into it's natural position", open the door then tighten them up. OH ya, at this point take a look at that black looking "post" that is attached to the car. You will notice that there is a guide in your door that lines up with this "post" You don't need it anymore either. So unbolt that post, it is useless now. Maybe a pound weight savings for each "post"?
16. Put your door panel back on.
17. Have a beer and do the next door.
18. Close your door and from the outside take a look at your door gaps around your door to make sure they all look even. They should be if you lined up your hinges correctly.
Notes: I did this whole thing by myself, but it would have been easier & quicker with a friend. I didn't even come close to cutting or nicking the outter door skin when I was grinding, because I took my time and knew the consequences if I was to "slip". I don't see any reason to keep the side impact support brackets at the end of each side of the door. Some guy's are layzee and don't feel like taking them out, well why bother with this project then? I don't see any structural support in having these support brackets in the door. My door isn't sagging or not lining up with these end supports out of the door, so take them out. They weighed almost the same as the side impact bar itself. I'm willing to bet the side impact bars, support brackets, door "posts" and the insulation I pulled out for both doors weighed very close to 20 - 25 pounds total. Take your aftermarket speakers & wiring out and I bet it's closer to 40 pounds total! This is an awesome weight reduction mod for guy's installing rollbars, and in my opinion well worth the time, effort and definatly worth the cost!
at a track wopuld they allow me to remove panelling on the inside, the pasenger and rear seats...the other seatbelts (not driver) sun visors, ttop holders and windsheild wiper blades?... they wouldnt kick me into a different class would they?
Here is some info on weight savings from stock full exhaust to headers with TSP True duls.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...9&page=3&pp=10
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...9&page=3&pp=10
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Here's a thread I've been working on at the CorvetteForum: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=984927
I ripped off a bunch of information from this thread, so it's only right that I give it back. It's mostly C5 & C6 information, but many of the #'s is for interchangable aftermarket parts, and I do have a few F-body parts. I'm still working it, but it's not very easy for me to compile F-body #'s since I don't have one, and unfortunately when people post in this thread they're not posting enough information about what care it came off, and I require that before I copy it over into my thread....that's why I refer to this thread as 'Good' instead of 'Great'. Lot's of contributions here, keep 'em coming!
Eugene
I ripped off a bunch of information from this thread, so it's only right that I give it back. It's mostly C5 & C6 information, but many of the #'s is for interchangable aftermarket parts, and I do have a few F-body parts. I'm still working it, but it's not very easy for me to compile F-body #'s since I don't have one, and unfortunately when people post in this thread they're not posting enough information about what care it came off, and I require that before I copy it over into my thread....that's why I refer to this thread as 'Good' instead of 'Great'. Lot's of contributions here, keep 'em coming!
Eugene
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Good to know, thanks NoseUp! I'm still sifting thru those HUGE thread, but eventually I'll get thru it all. If I really start getting curious, I'll PM folks and ask for more information about what they posted.
Eugene
Eugene
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 416
Likes: 1
From: Minnesota
Originally Posted by Dear John
I have heavy chrome ZR1s now that weigh in at 23lbs each and want to get some Bogart RR10s that weigh 15lbs a piece. Is it worth it to change the wheels? About how much would that weight gain me appx? I can get a grand for my ZR1 and only have to put up another $1,500 for the Bogies and tires. What do you think? 
Also, Gm put aluminum brake drums on some of the '80s G and B body cars.
Has anyone taken the ebrake shoes off? That could be worth a couple #s of unsprung.
Last edited by Muffracing; Jan 19, 2005 at 10:12 PM.
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 418
Likes: 0
I think just as importantly as loosing the weight it is important to know that everything listed on the list can not be removed. It is also important that people should know how removing an item will affect the driveability of their car, especially if it is a daily driver. I have done alot of weight reduction on my daily driver, somethings were easy to live with others I had to go back and replace. I am going to attempt to educate people here so that they can make an educated decision on if they should or can live with removal of certain items.
I'll start from tip to tail on what I removed.
-Windshield washer bottle and pump. This is no big deal if you live in a southern state, it just means wash your windshield when you get gas. If you live up north it sucks in the winter with the snow and sluge that gets on your windshield when driving in bad weather.
-Baffels in WS6 hood. I removed all the baffels interior and exterior of the hood as well as ground off the tabs that hold the outside baffles on. As long as you don't have a paper filter and make sure everything seals up ypu should be OK. I have about 70,000 miles on this mod with no problems. Must use K&N or similar filter to do this.
-Most baffels around under motor. Means when you ride through water or mud it splashes on the motor. I have not had any problems other than keeping motor clean with this one.
-Power steering. It is ok when moving but a pain in the rump when in a tight parking lot mine has been done for about a year, I have not had any other problems though.
-Air conditioner. If you live up north this is not as big a deal due to cooler summer temps but here down south I bring an extra shirt on meeting days or take my wifes car. It is ok when moving but you wont enjoy being in traffic. It also helps the car run a little cooler due to the removal on the coils in front of the radiator.
-Cruise control. This is only an inconvience. I drive an hour to and from work every day and I have been fine with it this one will be dependant on your personal usage of it.
-coolant overflow bottle. Did this one only to find out the LS1 coolant system is dependent on that bottle and since I broke it detaching it from the battery hold down I had to buy a new one.
- The line that connects the throttle body to the coolant sytem. I removed this line altogether and capped the connections off only to find out you can do a throttle body bypass but should not remove these completley so I had to go back and replace it.
-EGR systems. I have had no averse effects from this however in some states you nay need this to get through emissions. Check this out closely first. You also will need LS1 edit to correct the codes that it will throw.
-Cats. Same as EGR.
-Heat shields under car. It is not that bad since the cats are gone, with them I would think it would get hotter in the car.
-Replace steering wheel with non airbag wheel. The only problem with this is I found out now that the removal of the air bag is illegal. Hope the safety cop dont pull you over LOL. This will also throw a code on your cluster gauge open it up and put black electrical tape over the bulbs. DO NOT REMOVE any LED from the cluster gauge it will screw up your gauges. Learned this the hard way.
-Sun visors. I made little covers and screwed them back over the holes where the visors connected. I always carry sunglasse in the car so no big problem unless you forget them. Sucks for passenger with out sun glasses.
-Remove insulation and sound deadner from stock carpet. This along with poly bushings and a cat back exhaust makes it hard to carry on a conversation with out some extra effort. You will also have new squeaks and rattles you did not hear before. Haven't had this through a summer yet but I suspect it will be hotter from the drive train under the cabin now.
-Back seats and belts. Obvious thing you cant carry any passengers other tham that no big deal.
-Removed all speakers except ones in the lift back Your radio sounds like crap but it only counts if you listen to it any way. I am not worried as long as I have something to hear, I am not entering any sound contest anytime soon so was not a big deal.
-Spare and jack. I traded mine for carrying a small air pump it is a lot lighter than the tire and jack. It has been this way for two years never had to use it yet. Obvious draw back is if your tire goes flat or gets shreded while driving you are screwed if you do not have triple A.
- Lineing in trunk and T-top holders. Little louder in the car as well as no where to put your tops when there out. I hardly ever remove mine and when I do I lay them where the back seat was. Proably not the safest thing but I hardly take them out.
This is what comes to mind for now I will update when I have more time. If you have any questions just ask I will do my best to answer them.
Thanks Dave
I'll start from tip to tail on what I removed.
-Windshield washer bottle and pump. This is no big deal if you live in a southern state, it just means wash your windshield when you get gas. If you live up north it sucks in the winter with the snow and sluge that gets on your windshield when driving in bad weather.
-Baffels in WS6 hood. I removed all the baffels interior and exterior of the hood as well as ground off the tabs that hold the outside baffles on. As long as you don't have a paper filter and make sure everything seals up ypu should be OK. I have about 70,000 miles on this mod with no problems. Must use K&N or similar filter to do this.
-Most baffels around under motor. Means when you ride through water or mud it splashes on the motor. I have not had any problems other than keeping motor clean with this one.
-Power steering. It is ok when moving but a pain in the rump when in a tight parking lot mine has been done for about a year, I have not had any other problems though.
-Air conditioner. If you live up north this is not as big a deal due to cooler summer temps but here down south I bring an extra shirt on meeting days or take my wifes car. It is ok when moving but you wont enjoy being in traffic. It also helps the car run a little cooler due to the removal on the coils in front of the radiator.
-Cruise control. This is only an inconvience. I drive an hour to and from work every day and I have been fine with it this one will be dependant on your personal usage of it.
-coolant overflow bottle. Did this one only to find out the LS1 coolant system is dependent on that bottle and since I broke it detaching it from the battery hold down I had to buy a new one.
- The line that connects the throttle body to the coolant sytem. I removed this line altogether and capped the connections off only to find out you can do a throttle body bypass but should not remove these completley so I had to go back and replace it.
-EGR systems. I have had no averse effects from this however in some states you nay need this to get through emissions. Check this out closely first. You also will need LS1 edit to correct the codes that it will throw.
-Cats. Same as EGR.
-Heat shields under car. It is not that bad since the cats are gone, with them I would think it would get hotter in the car.
-Replace steering wheel with non airbag wheel. The only problem with this is I found out now that the removal of the air bag is illegal. Hope the safety cop dont pull you over LOL. This will also throw a code on your cluster gauge open it up and put black electrical tape over the bulbs. DO NOT REMOVE any LED from the cluster gauge it will screw up your gauges. Learned this the hard way.
-Sun visors. I made little covers and screwed them back over the holes where the visors connected. I always carry sunglasse in the car so no big problem unless you forget them. Sucks for passenger with out sun glasses.
-Remove insulation and sound deadner from stock carpet. This along with poly bushings and a cat back exhaust makes it hard to carry on a conversation with out some extra effort. You will also have new squeaks and rattles you did not hear before. Haven't had this through a summer yet but I suspect it will be hotter from the drive train under the cabin now.
-Back seats and belts. Obvious thing you cant carry any passengers other tham that no big deal.
-Removed all speakers except ones in the lift back Your radio sounds like crap but it only counts if you listen to it any way. I am not worried as long as I have something to hear, I am not entering any sound contest anytime soon so was not a big deal.
-Spare and jack. I traded mine for carrying a small air pump it is a lot lighter than the tire and jack. It has been this way for two years never had to use it yet. Obvious draw back is if your tire goes flat or gets shreded while driving you are screwed if you do not have triple A.
- Lineing in trunk and T-top holders. Little louder in the car as well as no where to put your tops when there out. I hardly ever remove mine and when I do I lay them where the back seat was. Proably not the safest thing but I hardly take them out.
This is what comes to mind for now I will update when I have more time. If you have any questions just ask I will do my best to answer them.
Thanks Dave
Last edited by Getav8; Jan 28, 2005 at 10:40 AM.
Originally Posted by Muffracing
Has anyone taken the ebrake shoes off? That could be worth a couple #s of unsprung.
Corda's car has a small import alternator on it replacing the heavy delco unit.It had a
custom bracket of some sort to mount it.This might free up some parasitic loss as well as remove weight.
custom bracket of some sort to mount it.This might free up some parasitic loss as well as remove weight.
Originally Posted by NoseUp
Factory steering column, steering wheel, and column bracket: 32lbs
Race column kit, out of the box, and a cheap 3-spoke Grant wheel/hub kit: 7lbs
*25lb loss*
Race column kit, out of the box, and a cheap 3-spoke Grant wheel/hub kit: 7lbs
*25lb loss*
Where did you get the race column kit? How much did it set you back? Lastly, is it remotely capable of street driving? I've seen the kind that are basically steel tubes to the steering rack with no provisions for turn signals.
Thanks
I got an extra 3.5lbs out of my doors combined:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-racing-tech/274398-i-lost-3-5-lbs-fiberglass-out-my-door-dremeled-hole-sawed.html
here is some other stuff I weighed on the digital scale:
Wipers
2.5 lbs. wiper blades and arms only
3.5 lbs. all the motor brackets etc. only
4.5 lbs. wiper motor only
Total
10.5 lbs. wiper blades and arms, wiper motor, all the brackets etc.
Door parts
14.5 both door bars
5.5 both brackets at the rear of the door that the door bar attaches to
1.5 both door insullation + clear plastic dust covers under the door panel
3.5 I cut all the fiberglass out of both doors that I could with a dremel and a hole saw so I got a total of 3.5 lbs out of the doors combined.
<.5 speaker holder brackets
Front Bumper Parts
3.5 this is for the black metal bracket just in front of the hood catch and the fiberglass piece that attaches between that bracket and the front bumper that has hood adjusters on it.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-racing-tech/274398-i-lost-3-5-lbs-fiberglass-out-my-door-dremeled-hole-sawed.html
here is some other stuff I weighed on the digital scale:
Wipers
2.5 lbs. wiper blades and arms only
3.5 lbs. all the motor brackets etc. only
4.5 lbs. wiper motor only
Total
10.5 lbs. wiper blades and arms, wiper motor, all the brackets etc.
Door parts
14.5 both door bars
5.5 both brackets at the rear of the door that the door bar attaches to
1.5 both door insullation + clear plastic dust covers under the door panel
3.5 I cut all the fiberglass out of both doors that I could with a dremel and a hole saw so I got a total of 3.5 lbs out of the doors combined.
<.5 speaker holder brackets
Front Bumper Parts
3.5 this is for the black metal bracket just in front of the hood catch and the fiberglass piece that attaches between that bracket and the front bumper that has hood adjusters on it.
Pulled the front bumper support on my 99 SS today. Man what a pain in the ***. Dam foam wanted come out had to cut it. Then I cracked the paint around the pass air dam in the front lower bumper(about 1/2" hard to see). I had the front grill removed and the holes filled when the front was painted. Dammit..........
This weeked I took off the front sway bar,spare tire and jack and the front bumper support. O-well I like the front end lift when I hammer it. Well worth and it and I can't really tell a driver change after any of it on the corners. I don't drive corners fast anymore just 1/4 mile so its good.I think I'll pull the carpet next, being my daily driver I'll just mess it up anyway with my work boots.
Eric
This weeked I took off the front sway bar,spare tire and jack and the front bumper support. O-well I like the front end lift when I hammer it. Well worth and it and I can't really tell a driver change after any of it on the corners. I don't drive corners fast anymore just 1/4 mile so its good.I think I'll pull the carpet next, being my daily driver I'll just mess it up anyway with my work boots.
Eric