If the stock parts are replaced with an aftermarket header, exhaust, etc., doesn't that affect the balance of the car? ie no more 50/50 weight distribution

Just popped in my head while looking for recipes on the net

 

I don't think that weight difference would be significant.

 

Yes, it would.
Yes, I suspect insignificant. I suspect tire wear and pressure is more significant.

And isn't it changed by the weight of occupants (unless seats are perfectly centered), fuel load, cargo load...?

I think, perhaps ignorantly, that the 50/50 thing is over-rated and bordering on being a cliche. No F1 car is 50/50. Porsche 911's and Acura NSX's are both heavily rear-biased.

 

>And isn't it changed by the weight of occupants

OK, so in my case, it's severely biased toward the left side of the car

Would that make the car pull right or left? Should I compensate by putting higher air pressure in the left tires?

(OK, I'm kidding.....but then again.....??)

 

The more weight you can take out of the car, the more you can add to the cargo capacity

(Hmm... mugen exhaust-> now I can carry 425 lbs!)

 

It depends!

It depends on where the item is.

More importantly is sprung versus unsprung weight. If you can lighten the unsprung load, you improve things drastically (lighter wheels, rotors, brake calipers, tires).

Unsprung weight is "worth" 4 TIMES sprung weight (which is divided between all the wheels).

Back to your balance query. Mid-engines divide the weight evenly on all the tires.

Front engine cars have most of the weight on the front axle, and Porche 911's and old rear-engine VW's had the weight hanging over the rear axle.

The have markedly different handling characteristics.

In our case, depending on how much of the exhaust your replacing, it runs from the front all the way back and lightening it would not affect the balance appreciable.

The passengers and gas tank are in the middle to minimize balance affects.

I DO notice a handling difference with a passenger and without. One reason I tone things down with a passenger is because of that difference (nevermind wanting to shelter/protect them while willing to hurt/maim/kill myself--it's just not acceptable to do that to another.)

So, in answer, you'd have to substancially affect the load in front of the front axle or behind the rear axle (think leverage) to adverselly (sp?) affect things.

DON'T CARRY A LOAD OF CEMENT IN YOUR TRUNK! (You'll could cause understeer...!)

Be safe,

Randy

 

The Integra Type-R was actually corner balanced with an "average" size 150lb (or something like that) person in the driver seat. The suspension tuning already took into consideration that someone would be driving the car. I don't know if this is true with the S2000, but I imagine they must have put in as much thought in an S2000 as they did the Integra R.

 

I always thought that weight dist. was calculated when the car is "dry". After you put gas, people and "stuff" in it, it all goes out the window anyway. IMO, not a big concern.

 

I love the new look xviper

 

Travelling "in cognito"!