http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum Forum for discussion of radical or major modifications such as engine swaps, transmission swaps, and other serious powertrain modifications on engines OTHER than stock. en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:15:51 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/images/solstice2/misc/rss.jpg http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f65/v8-weight-imbalance-theories-debunked-60618/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:35:31 GMT As a builder, owner, and driver of a LS7 Solstice I am constantly faced with remarks implying (often outright declaring) that the cars are ill-handling and front-heavy. I never hear this from anybody who has ever owned or driven one. The comments usually come from people who compare our cars to 40-year-old V8 Vegas. So for those who care about such things, here are the facts. I have taken three Solstices to a local truck stop over the past couple of years and put them on the scales. One was a stock Solsice with an automatic transmission. One was a GXP with a manual transmission. One was LS7 car with a T-56 manual transmission. Here are the results: The OEM Solstice with Automatic weighed 2900 pounds. Weight on the front axle was 1540, with 1360 on the rear. That is 53% front and 47% rear. The GXP weighed 2960 pounds. Weight on the front axle was 1600 and 1360 on the rear. That is 54% front and 46% rear. The LS7 car weighed 3100 pounds. Weight on the front axle was 1620, with 1480 at the rear. That is 52% front and 48% rear. All of the weights are with no driver or passenger in the cars. Having people in the cars would move the balance towards the rear of the cars. Image: http://linger.com/Solstice-weight-1.jpg Image: http://linger.com/Solstice-weight-2.jpg Image: http://linger.com/Solstice-weight-3.jpg As the numbers show, the weight balance on the LS7 car is actually better than 2.4 or 2.0 cars. We will have to see how it goes with the LSA cars, but I suspect they will be balanced at least as well as the factory 4-cly cars. I hope this post, based on actual data as opposed to speculation, puts to rest the false concerns about so-called imbalance issues with the V8 cars. As a builder, owner, and driver of a LS7 Solstice I am constantly faced with remarks implying (often outright declaring) that the cars are ill-handling and front-heavy. I never hear this from anybody who has ever owned or driven one. The comments usually come from people who compare our cars to 40-year-old V8 Vegas.

So for those who care about such things, here are the facts.

I have taken three Solstices to a local truck stop over the past couple of years and put them on the scales. One was a stock Solsice with an automatic transmission. One was a GXP with a manual transmission. One was LS7 car with a T-56 manual transmission.

Here are the results:

The OEM Solstice with Automatic weighed 2900 pounds. Weight on the front axle was 1540, with 1360 on the rear. That is 53% front and 47% rear.

The GXP weighed 2960 pounds. Weight on the front axle was 1600 and 1360 on the rear. That is 54% front and 46% rear.

The LS7 car weighed 3100 pounds. Weight on the front axle was 1620, with 1480 at the rear. That is 52% front and 48% rear.

All of the weights are with no driver or passenger in the cars. Having people in the cars would move the balance towards the rear of the cars.














As the numbers show, the weight balance on the LS7 car is actually better than 2.4 or 2.0 cars. We will have to see how it goes with the LSA cars, but I suspect they will be balanced at least as well as the factory 4-cly cars.

I hope this post, based on actual data as opposed to speculation, puts to rest the false concerns about so-called imbalance issues with the V8 cars. ]]> Mods - Engine/Transmission Major, including Transplants WadeLinger http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f65/v8-weight-imbalance-theories-debunked-60618/ http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f65/anybody-want-take-guess-60575/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:34:50 GMT Image: http://www.linger.com/img_7094.jpg ]]> Mods - Engine/Transmission Major, including Transplants WadeLinger http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f65/anybody-want-take-guess-60575/