GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: simon44 on 21 December 2009, 15:37
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Hi, has anyone got any advice on reducing weight from the MK3? I've got a completely standard 3 door and I'm mulling over reducing its weight a little. Perhaps changing the front seats to lighter bucket seats (if I can find some at a reasonable cost), removing the spare and possibly some of the interior trim. If anyone has any advice and thoughts I'd be interested to hear them!
I'm also looking to make a few light performance mods including a decent oil from the guys at Opie and a K&N panel filter. Are there any other light mods that will add performance?
Many thanks for your help.
Simon
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I've completely stripped the interior of my car and i can honestly say it does feel a little different when driving it.
Get the lot out, door cards, rear seats, carpet, underlay, head lining, Aircon....what ever you can but remember your going to have nothing in there and it won't look great at all. To be fair it's not worth it IMO....
The only reason i have done all that is to replace the carpet underlay as i was sourcing a leak and it's ten times easier with a blank canvas. It will be back to normal within a couple of weeks however.
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Welcome to the site, you will lose some weight but not a lot also day to day comfort will suffer.
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Try Weight Watchers :grin: :grin: :grin:
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It is very worthwhile performance wise.
As an example a standard 16v has 128 bhp per ton. If you reduce the weight by 100 kgs the bhp per ton goes up to 140, and if you reduce the weight by 130 kgs (as I have in mine) it goes up to 145 bhp per ton.
Reducing the weight increases the power to weight ratio and makes a big differance. As an example on a short straight on a track I can usually hit 100mph by the braking point with my wife in the car, without her I can hit 106mph. Before anyone says she must be a fat munter she weighs about 60 kgs.
It all depends on what you want the car for and how much you can take out without sacrificing comfort, safety, etc.
Mine is mainly a track car and anything not needed or to expensive to replace with something lighter has gone.
Paul
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Try Weight Watchers :grin: :grin: :grin:
Not as funny as it seems! I weigh approx 110 kgs so a lighter driver beats me everytime!
And carts? well forget it!
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Paul86S2, do you have a thread about your track car by any chance? Interested in seeing what you have done with it :smiley:
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Thanks guys. So, I'll start with a diet for me right after Christmas! GTI_Wherry, when you stripped yours was there anything that you removed that was heavier than you expected?
Cheers,
Simon
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Paul86S2, do you have a thread about your track car by any chance? Interested in seeing what you have done with it :smiley:
Just added one at:
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=138331.0
Paul
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you've stripped 130kgs from a mk3? I wouldn't have thought seats, door cards, flooring and headlining would amount to that much.
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Thanks guys. So, I'll start with a diet for me right after Christmas! GTI_Wherry, when you stripped yours was there anything that you removed that was heavier than you expected?
Cheers,
Simon
The carpet and underlay was heavier than first thought but that was more to do with it being soaked in water! Theres nothing individual thats heavy it's more a case of when it's all together you think "Okay thats quite a lot!"
It wont be until you have the lot out for example the rear seats and all the boot and carpets. That when put together is actually quite heavy.
If you want it to be lighter but still with the comfortness i'd suggest just removing the rear and leave the front in.
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you've stripped 130kgs from a mk3? I wouldn't have thought seats, door cards, flooring and headlining would amount to that much.
Add in aircon, lighter exhaust, manual window mechanisms, airbags, fog lights, speakers, wiring etc etc and it all adds up.
The 130kgs is what came out minus what went back in to replace some of the stuff that came out (ie bucket seats, harnesses, strut braces etc)
Paul
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you've stripped 130kgs from a mk3? I wouldn't have thought seats, door cards, flooring and headlining would amount to that much.
Add in aircon, lighter exhaust, manual window mechanisms, airbags, fog lights, speakers, wiring etc etc and it all adds up.
The 130kgs is what came out minus what went back in to replace some of the stuff that came out (ie bucket seats, harnesses, strut braces etc)
Paul
Did you remove the Bilge pump and Perkins Diesel engine? :grin:
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So far I have removed the following:
Spare wheel - 14kg
Wheel jack kit - 2.4kg
Parcelshelf - 2.3kg
Boot carpet - might keep/havent weighed yet!
I'm looking to keep the interior trim to keep it comfortable for daily use. There are three areas I think I can save more weight:
1. Changing the front seats for lighter weight seats - the originals look very heavy
2. Changing the wheels to lighter wheels
3. Stainless steel exhaust system
4. Replace rear windows with polycarbonate - may be one step too far?!
I can afford to do 1. or 2. at the moment but not 3. or 4.
I'll keep you posted on progress!
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Front seats in mine were 20kgs each including the frames.
Stainless steel Magnex cat back exhaust saved 7 kgs over the original.
Paul
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Simon, you'd be better off not stripping your car out but buying some decent springs, shocks, wheels and tyres. They'll improve your enjoyment of the car far more than shaving 0.02 seconds of your 0-60 time - and make life easier when you get a puncture.
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Many thanks Mac7 - any advice on a decent road going suspension set up? Wheels and tyres are in hand!
S86S2, thanks for the info on weights - how is the magnex for daily use (ie noise) and has it added anything to performance?
Many thanks
Simon
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S86S2, thanks for the info on weights - how is the magnex for daily use (ie noise) and has it added anything to performance?
Many thanks
Simon
Magnex is fine for daily use, it upped the noise levels by a couple of decibels to about 82, even with the de-cat it only registers 84 to 85.
It was a bit boomy for the first few hundred miles but settled down, it sounds noisy in my car but there is nothing sound deadening in mine. Performance wise no real differance that you could notice but I liked the weight differance.
Paul
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I weighed one of my car's standard 15" wheel and tyre and together they weigh 17.5kg. Does anyone have a weight figure for either the a 15" wheel or tyre? I've got my eye on some lighter weight wheels - 7kg - but the tyres might be heavier than I first thought.
Cheers,
Simon
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My standard longbeach alloys with 205 50 15 tyres weigh 16 kgs. My Standard vr6 wheels with 205 50 15 tyres weigh 16 kgs. Some Corrado wheels I have which are 6 inches wide with 205 50 15 tyres weigh 15 kgs, and some Antera 16 inch wheels which are 7.5 inches wide with 205 45 16 tarmac rally tyres weigh 18 kgs.
I don't know the weights without tyres.
I have some Toyo 195 50 15 loose tyres in the shed which I will weigh tomorrow.
Paul
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Thanks for your help and info Paul.
Cheers
Simon