wheel weights

pinsx3 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 11:53 AM

Has anyone weighed stock steel 14" wheels and compared them to turbinas and other wheels? Pete

**Tifosi** · #2 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 01:36 PM

I'll be switching to alloy wheels in the next week or so and thus will have the factory steel wheels available for weighing if you're interested.

For reference they look like

and are 14x6 made of steel.

pinsx3 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 02:00 PM

great! Thanks -- weigh the others too for comparison. P

**Gubi** · #4 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 03:05 PM

Stock steel wheels from my '91 weighed 35 lbs with 185/70R14s on them. Tire weight from Tire Rack is listed as 21 lbs, so that equates to a ~14 lb wheel. Seems low to me, but there you go.

For comparison, the 15" alloy phonedials from later Spiders weighed 42 lbs with 195/60R15s. Tire weight is listed as 20 lbs, so that's a ~22 lb wheel.

pinsx3 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 03:08 PM

So the steelies are really pretty light.

why all the fuss about alu?

**Gubi** · #6 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 03:18 PM

I wouldn't draw too many conclusions from the 15" phonedials - they're pretty unusually heavy. My understanding is that in general alloys are lighter than steel in the same size.

But let's be honest: people rarely buy alloys for the reduction in unsprung weight. They're mostly bought because they look cool.

JoeCab · #7 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gubi

Stock steel wheels from my '91 weighed 35 lbs with 185/70R14s on them. Tire weight from Tire Rack is listed as 21 lbs, so that equates to a ~14 lb wheel. Seems low to me, but there you go.

**Gubi** · #8 (**permalink**) 08-24-2006, 04:37 PM

Could be, Joe. I'm sure the total weight with tire was 35 lbs, but like I said I had to extrapolate the wheel weight from the listed tire weight.

That being said, this is a later steel wheel and I've heard that the more modern ones are actually fairly light. 22 lbs on the phonedial jibes with what I've read elsewhere.

**Craig** · #9 (**permalink**) 08-25-2006, 09:40 PM

Hi Guys,

You can add BWA 14 x 5.5 phone dials to the list at just over 7kg.

**Tifosi** · #10 (**permalink**) 08-26-2006, 06:36 PM

OK, managed to have everything together today to weigh on my highly calibrated bathroom scale.

Stock factory steel wheel as pictured above in 14x5.5 16lbs w/o trim ring and centercap

Australian made (WSI?) aftermarket alloy Cromadora CD-35 replica at 14x6JJ 15lbs w/o centercap