Subaru DIET

[BuruKid]

Wieght is a car's biggest enemy. It slow acceleration, fuel economy, handeling. So I thought I would start a diy thread that we could all put our heads together and lose 150lbs. of 90% usless wieght. Please only post if you have somthing to add to the list. All things must be for the most part useless like sound insulation in the trunk or spare tire. Tell us what you removed. Take a picture and post it. And tell us about what it wieghs

[BuruKid]

So no A/C or radio. Here is an example
I removed the spare tire and jack
Picture Here
It wieghed 35lbs.

[Huffer]

Driver goes on diet, loses unsprung weight and is fitter.

That's my best tip.

[shazapple]

Free
- smaller battery
- supports in the hood (theres a thread over on NASIOC about cutting a few out)
- removing the sound deadening material attached on the underside of the hood (if any)

Not free
- Lighter wheels and tires

[shooter]

Remove sound deadening through out the car, a little nosier but theres over 50lbs.

A really cheap and easy one... don't fill the gas tank :P :P

[Plays_with_Toys]

Divorce or break up with female counterpart. Thats 100lbs atleast right there. Maybe more for you, but my girl is 5'2" :lol:

[pdawg]

Divorce or break up with female counterpart. Thats 100lbs atleast right there. Maybe more for you, but my girl is 5'2" :lol:

Less wieght and no play make subie guys dull.

[95LegacySTI]

I dont think there is a lot you can do to lose weight in a legacy, spare tire and jack are a good one. Take out the back seat if nobody uses it? take out the wood in the back and just line the trunk with the carpet. You could take out the headliner. I dont know, Legacys are fat, they always will be.

[BuruKid]

The stuff in the hood. Is that just sound insulation? It not a heat sheild kinda thing? And if so is it necessary?

[Huffer]

I took it off my Legacy, and my Impreza. A lot of people speculate on it's use or purpose (fire retardant, heat insulator, noise reducer).

Never had a problem mechanically with either of my cars, Northern and Southern hemispheres.

Does make popping the hood a little more attractive.

[jey]

Most cars have a chunk of metal inside the glovebox door to make it not feel so "cheap". That's a few free pounds, though I haven't verified it myself / removed it.

[mranlet]

Behind the skidplate that protects the steering rack is a huge hunk of metal. I'd guestimate that it weighs anywhere from 10-15 lbs. It's just held on by two 10mm bolts and I believe all it does is act as a vibration dampening device. I didn't notice any difference with it out.

My biggest weight reduction - removing the front axles :twisted: Other weight I've stripped includes the driver's airbag (since the MOMO wheel I have doesn't accomodate one), sidepiping and removing the stock exhaust, and ditching the front bumper support plastic. I think my fiberglass bumper and Chevy wheels weigh less than the factory equipment, but they weren't free and I'm not eally even sure. Replacing the OEM seats with fiberglass buckets can save some weight, but they're also not free.

How about ditching the hood plug on Outbacks and GTs, dry-icing the floor coating (thick floormats acomplish the same thing), pulling some of the matting off of the back of the carpet. Replacing the huge heavy factory sunroof with the simple flip-up kind can save close to 100lbs.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Seriously, this doesn't belong in the DIY section.

GatorGT, if you see this, please move it. Same goes for Shane, our big bad admin.

But on subject,

I would looks at spare tire, jack, seats (if they're not necessary), carpeting/sound insualtion, carbon fiber stuff (if you have money :lol: ). There's quite a few things you can do to majorly affect weight, but most require sacrifices to drivability.

For instance, MRanlet doesn't really need AWD, so he did a RWD conversion (PIMP Man! I love it :D) and that would save a LOT of weight, AWD is heavy. Honestly, if you're worried about weight (for racing), an AWD subaru is not for you.

[Huffer]

Waitasec - how does his conversion from AWD to RWD affect the weight?
The drivetrain is still extended to the rear of the car, he still has 4 wheels on the ground, all turning?

Seriously, not trying to flame, just wondering.

[Wiscon_Mark]

take out the front axles & differerential- lotta weight there.

[mranlet]

take out the front axles & differerential- lotta weight there.
'Tis true. I left the front diff in for the sake of maintaining consistent lash of the layshaft, but the axleshafts are something like 25lbs for the both of them.

Pretty soon, a RWD transmission may be used in my whip for more weight savings.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I bet you it would be more efficient too, Mranlet, you would get more power to the ground.

[mranlet]

That's what I was hoping for, but my car didn't dyno any better in RWD form that other comparable OBs do in AWD form. I'd chalk it up to the transmission and differential's mechanical advantage turning that 20lbs of weight savings at the end of the driveline becoming essentially 5lbs off of the crank pulley, but only when in gear.

Still saves me some sprung weight though...

That and I cut two 2" by 2" squares out of my spare tire well to be able to unbilt the R200 in the rear :lol:

BTW, the Wagon Mafia stickers are badass. I want one.