121 replies to this topic

[steveracer]

yeah, i know but it makes it harder to drift w/o the e-brake.

 

 wait...

wrong car  

Nah, just a slight set up change can have you drifting ALL OVER the  place.

[Mark]

Wheel liners, sound deadening mats, trim on the hood, unnecessary exhaust heat shields, and brake backing plates removed? The ebrake weight with cables and brackets is significant tho it is a bit of a pain to remove the cables. I'd chuck it all if weight was the concern. 

 

Mark

[Alberto]

Yep.  All that easy stuff is out.  That's why I started wondering about things like the corner window, wiper bottle and other junk.  

 

Since starting this thread, I've learned that the wipers are indeed useful.  Even if I make a conscious effort to avoid rain races, there is sometimes a passing shower or a car that dumps liquid where it would be helpful to have the wiper.  Fwiw, I try not to do rain races b/c higher probability of body damage - not b/c I'm scared.

Headlights are useful for loading/unloading the car when I arrive late at night - which is pretty much always the case since I can't take time off work to arrive mid day.

 

Stuff removed since starting this thread includes:

- plastic trim around the headlights,

- the glove box,

- the metal bracket under the glove box,

- the metal bit that I found on the back of the dash

- the metal cover hiding the ECU in the passenger foot well

- lots of rubber worms that accumulated under the headlights and other places

 

I checked underbody exhaust heat shields and they are gone.  The one around the header will be retained.

 

Things still left to check or consider:

- The car has the nice glass Hella E Code glass headlights.  I'm going to remove one and try to compare weight to a cheap OE plastic headlight.

- I can probably cut out some 1 to maybe 3 lbs max of additional metal from the doors but I need them to be somewhat structurally sound so they can support my weight as I lean on them when loading the car on the trailer.

- I can switch to an 18.5 lb Braille battery over the stock replacement AGM from O'Rielly's which weights 28 lbs.

- I can remove the e-brake stuff but that is very nice (and safe) to have for loading /unloading the car on the trailer by myself.

 

No idea what else since the corner window, wiper bottle and gasket under the hardtop is not legal to remove.  

[Danny Steyn]

 

 I can remove the e-brake stuff but that is very nice (and safe) to have for loading /unloading the car on the trailer by myself.

 

Alberto. Forget about weight reduction! remove the ebrake STAT. Removing the drag from this apparatus will yield you way more gains than any weight loss. Trust me on this.

[LarryKing]

What Danny said. The Speedwell Institute for Spec Miata and Jello Wrestling did extensive research on self adjusting ebrakes. The conclusion was that the rear brakes self adjust on track, causing drag, and that the internal ebrake mechanism should be removed from the rear calipers. At that point the 3-4 pounds of handle and cables are useless. I load my car on an open trailer, sometimes by myself. Maybe a little more work without the ebrake but no big deal.

[Bench Racer]

Wash, rinse, repeat.  There's no magic to weight reduction. Don't get into the illegal to remove game. If you cage is heavy your screwed otherwise get to the legal to remove stuff. If your body weight and or seat is an issue, you know the answer.

 

The potential heavy cage reminds me of a cage built HEAVY on the passengers side to make weight rather than a normal cage with some extra ballast. THEN the weight rule was lightened (or proposed) for that spec line car and the grousing began. Don't remember the end to story.

[Alberto]

^Yeah, I'm not going to go crazy about removing weight.  Just want to optimize a parameter that is easily addressed to the extent that I can.  

 

I race regionally (Sealed SM) and have no interest, time or budget to race Nationals/Majors.  My ego is accepting of a mid pack finish so long as I have fun achieving it with my fellow competitors.

 

I'll do some more research into the rear brakes.  Sounds interesting.  Are there any threads on the topic that I should read to educate myself?

 

 

I also want to apply these lessons to my friend's car that needs to lose 100 lbs.  We are planning on sneaking into his garage when he's not looking and cutting out his doors and other stuff.  Ssshhhhh, don't tell him.  He's rather attached to the clean look of his interior.

He's quick but the car is way overweight.

Then again, maybe we shouldn't...  He just installed an East Street Motor so maybe we should sneak in and install the a/c and add lead to his car instead... 

Hmmm... he might actually enjoy the a/c.  Can't have that.

 

 

I'm working on losing personal ballast as well - which yields the additional benefit of being physically stronger and not getting fatigued as easily behind the wheel which will help me be consistent and finish with better results.  I've noticed issues around that the last 2 years from life happening but that is another thread.  Anyone want to start an SM fitness challenge for the off season?  

[davew]

Also remember that 20 pounds is about 0.1 of a second on the track. If you are 2 seconds off the pace you would need to loose 200 pounds.

[Danny Steyn]

A dragging ebrake mechanism can be worth WAY MORE THAN 2 SECONDS. 

[Bench Racer]

I'll do some more research into the rear brakes.  Sounds interesting.  Are there any threads on the topic that I should read to educate myself?

I searched for a better take it apart article but couldn't find.

 

Instructions on take it apart:

 

http://www.miata.net...rake/index.html

 

Working guts layout:

 

https://www.google.c...jBUKE5HoNCoixM:

 

When looking at picture ^ the parts by name are:

Adjuster arm, hot dog pin, adjuster bolt, automatic adjuster inside of piston.

 

I cut the threaded end off the adjuster bolt (right end as viewed) and threw the threaded end away. The other end has an o-ring which I wanted to stay in place. I didn't pull the automatic adjuster out of the piston because it looked like a PITA. I also didn't remove the gold colored part of the adjuster arm. Don't remember why.  Of course removed the remainder of the e-brake system to and including the cockpit handle.

[Ron Alan]

I have a roll back trailer now that i found is just steep enough(20-25 degrees when I load?) that even in first gear the car will slowly turn the motor over and want to roll back when i get out. So I simple throw a 2x4 down when i'm loading and run over it...then roll back. Between the compression and the 2x4 the car doesn't move when I get out(ebrake for loading is a lame excuse!). Get rid of the ebrake stuff Alberto! If you drive to my house and bring me your rear calipers will happily do what is necessary to get rid of your self adjusters!

[Alberto]

Thanks Ron.  I have a few sets of old calipers sitting around so I'll probably give it a try myself first.  I've been meaning to learn how to rebuild calipers so here is a good excuse to learn.

 

Fwiw, one of my e-brake cables is fubar so I've been leaving the car in gear when loading this year.  It is annoying but I've been getting used to it.  I tried to use a 2x4 that I cut to fit but it gets pushed up/down the trailer deck by the tires instead of the tires running over it.  The steel deck of the trailer is too slippery.

[Bench Racer]

 I tried to use a 2x4 that I cut to fit but it gets pushed up/down the trailer deck by the tires instead of the tires running over it.  The steel deck of the trailer is too slippery.

Drill a couple holes in the 2 x 4, transfer holes to trailer, press a pair of carriage bolts into the 2 x 4, 2 x 4 should stay in place. Bolt in place if need be. 

[Alberto]

^Been meaning to do that all year  I only remember when I'm loading the car on the trailer.  I hear memory is the first thing to go when getting older

[Ron Alan]

Thanks Ron.  I have a few sets of old calipers sitting around so I'll probably give it a try myself first.  I've been meaning to learn how to rebuild calipers so here is a good excuse to learn.

 

Fwiw, one of my e-brake cables is fubar so I've been leaving the car in gear when loading this year.  It is annoying but I've been getting used to it.  I tried to use a 2x4 that I cut to fit but it gets pushed up/down the trailer deck by the tires instead of the tires running over it.  The steel deck of the trailer is too slippery.

Email me or call me and i will give you the steps I use to do the rear calipers

[Alberto]

Update

 

1. I think I'm done gutting the doors.  They are still sturdy / not flimsy.  The top section is down to just the final inner layer with some 2" holes cut into it.  I was afraid to cut further as I didn't want the door flopping around but I might cut a couple more 2" holes in them.

 

This was my first time using an angle grinder and hole saw.  This task made a huge, dusty mess of the car and my garage.  The sparks and flying hot pieces were fun.  Glad I was wearing a breathing mask and glasses

 

 

2. I ordered some tow straps to replace the steel tow hooks that are currently on the car.  

 

3. Removed the glove 'box', steel ecu cover and a bunch of other odds and ends on the interior but there wasn't a lot of things to remove to save weight.

 

The heavy metal pieces of the dash bar had already been trimmed out by the cage builder and there really wasn't anything under the dash to remove to save weight so that was largely a fruitless exercise.  I need to weigh all this junk and see where I net out.  I'm nowhere near the 50lbs that I'd like to remove.  Still working on losing personal ballast.  That is taking longer...

 

 

Still to do:

- remove emergency brake

- probably buy a lexan corner window for the pax side.  The stock glass corner window is a little over 1 lb.

- route some cable so I can open the doors from the inside

- brush on some paint to protect the bare metal edges

- wash this nasty, smelly dust off the car

 

[Bench Racer]

Sorry to be late with the info.

 

Harbor Freight or elsewhere, cuts that door excess off in a hurry, then draw file with hand file. Nor grinding required.

 

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[MPR22]

 

Update

 

1. I think I'm done gutting the doors.  They are still sturdy / not flimsy.  The top section is down to just the final inner layer with some 2" holes cut into it.  I was afraid to cut further as I didn't want the door flopping around but I might cut a couple more 2" holes in them.

 

This was my first time using an angle grinder and hole saw.  This task made a huge, dusty mess of the car and my garage.  The sparks and flying hot pieces were fun.  Glad I was wearing a breathing mask and glasses

 

 

2. I ordered some tow straps to replace the steel tow hooks that are currently on the car.  

 

3. Removed the glove 'box', steel ecu cover and a bunch of other odds and ends on the interior but there wasn't a lot of things to remove to save weight.

 

The heavy metal pieces of the dash bar had already been trimmed out by the cage builder and there really wasn't anything under the dash to remove to save weight so that was largely a fruitless exercise.  I need to weigh all this junk and see where I net out.  I'm nowhere near the 50lbs that I'd like to remove.  Still working on losing personal ballast.  That is taking longer...

 

 

Still to do:

- remove emergency brake

- probably buy a lexan corner window for the pax side.  The stock glass corner window is a little over 1 lb.

- route some cable so I can open the doors from the inside

- brush on some paint to protect the bare metal edges

- wash this nasty, smelly dust off the car

 

you may not be able to remove the corner window in favor of Lexan.  The way I understand the rules (IMO) you can remove completely for safety reasons, ie you are too big to get out the passenger window without it being removed but you can't arbitrarily replace with a lighter product.  Anyone that calls anyone out on that piece of glass (pog) is a POS.  (IMO). 

[Jeff Wasilko]

Ducting may be added to provide fresh air to the driver
compartment. This ducting shall be located in the driver and/
or passenger vent window area by means of a transparent/
alternate vent window material and duct with no modifications
to the bodywork.
To improve driver exit through the window area, the driver vent
window and vent window supporting frame may be removed
as an assembly. If removed, ducting may be in the passenger
side vent window only.

[Alberto]

by Lexan, I meant one of the vented windows as mentioned in Jeff's comment.

 

Thanks.