So the stock SE-R has a 63.5% to 36.5% front to rear weight distribution. For optimal balance and performance, you want 50/50, right...so what are the best ways to get a classic SE-R closer to 50/50? Or at least more like 60/40 or 55/45.

If you want to do the calculations, that's 1647.2 lbs on the front, 946.81 pounds on the rear. To make it exactly 50/50, you would have to transfer 350.2 lbs from the front to the rear, or simply remove 700 lbs from the front. So you have to mix it up. Here are my thoughts on what to do:

Remove the A/C compressor - get the OEM belt for non A/C cars, AND you can cut the size of that mount-to-engine bracket as well. It has to remain on for the alternator, but you can shave a good 8 lbs off if you cut in the right places.
Remove the A/C condenser fan
Relocate the battery to the trunk (there are kits available to do this)

These are just some cheap ideas. You could always add a fiberglass hood, panels, lightweight UR pulleys, lightweight flywheel, etc...but will it ever get to 50/50? Has anyone done this yet? If so, how did you do it?

Aaron

If you removed that much weight from the front, the front end would look jacked up. I know when wolfcri and I took the motor out of the blue egg we swapped motors into, the front end looked like it was flying. The motor/tranny probably weighed in at about 350 pounds.

That said, I don't think there's a way to make 50/50 weight distribution possible...by REMOVING weight. you could always ADD it, but that would defeat the purpose now, wouldn't it ;)

You could always replace the shocks/struts with ones that are designed for a lighter weight SE-R...but I agree, it would probably be near impossible to get to 50/50.

hey guys, de-lurking for a moment....
reduce front weight? how about a tube frame front end?

You probably can't get a 50-50 weight distribution, at least for a streetable SE-R.

Battery relocation, carbon fiber hood ... that will help, but I really doubt you can get it down to 50-50.

I think if you had a 50/50 front drive car you would have major traction problems.

Tim

I was under the impression the 50/50 distribution was optimal in handling for a RWD car.... and that a FWD car actually benefits from a slightly more front weight bias? Also note that simply moving something back towards the center at all if it's currently over the front wheel, will help balance the load between the axles, even if it's not moved to the rear (of course I can't think of anything you'd move anyways)... the more weight that is in the center of the car, as opposed to the front and rear (even if it's 50/50) will help the car rotate quicker.... this is why the Miata is so much more nimble and rotates so much easier than even other cars that have a 50/50 weight.

50/50 weight distribution on a fwd car? Never happen Cap'n.

Best you can do is the usual stuff (battery to the back, remove A/C, etc.). Then get coilovers and get the crossweighting perfect.

Even without moving/removing anything, my properly crossweighted SE-R has been described as "Brilliant" on a road course.

Originally posted by MaddMatt
50/50 weight distribution on a fwd car? Never happen Cap'n.

Best you can do is the usual stuff (battery to the back, remove A/C, etc.). Then get coilovers and get the crossweighting perfect.

Even without moving/removing anything, my properly crossweighted SE-R has been described as "Brilliant" on a road course.

Crossweight as in left vs. right side of the car?

Explain this in more detail, please...

Originally posted by kman92classic
Crossweight as in left vs. right side of the car?

Explain this in more detail, please...

Basically, you want the weight of the right front and left rear to be the same (or as close as possible!) as the left front and right rear.

RF + LR = LF + RR

For more info, see the section on this page about halfway down called "Corner Balancing":

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_alignment_tips/911_alignment_tips.htm

Tom Paule's corner-weighting technique (http://www.se-r-list.org/archives/1998/1998-12/msg01209.html)