# Light weight oem VW wheels?



## MaxwellMoulton (Jul 26, 2006)

Dont read this *thread*...misleading.
thanks raceware.

_Modified by MaxwellMoulton at 9:36 AM 1-30-2008_


_Modified by MaxwellMoulton at 1:25 PM 1-30-2008_


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## raceware (Sep 28, 1999)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*

If you can tell the difference in gas mileage based on the weight of the wheel, you're driving WAY too slow !


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## MaxwellMoulton (Jul 26, 2006)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (raceware)*

yea, some of us are concerened with rising gas prices my man...thanks for the input though.


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## raceware (Sep 28, 1999)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*

The point was that if you really think lighter wheels will deliver a significant increase in mpg, you're gonna be disappointed. If the car companies could get 1/2 mpg increase by using a lighter wheel - they would because they need to meet CAFE standards or pay hefty fines.


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## MaxwellMoulton (Jul 26, 2006)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (raceware)*

what your saying makes sense, oem isnt an option, but if your saying no wheel can increase gas mileage, wrong, maybe not oem though if thats what your saying...my father has a tdi, he bought my brothers long beaches and got roughly 2 mpg worse..that is substantial in my opinion.


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## Prop (Jan 24, 2003)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*

You do realize 18" tires will also be heavier since they're generally wider. So you want a bigger tire and a bigger rim, but want better mpg? Honestly, it just becomes a number game then. Don't give friends or girls rides because the extra weight will cause you to lose mpg also. Don't have a sub box either.
If you drive 15000 miles and average 28 mpg (22/30), you will pay $10 a month if you avg 26 mpg @ $3 a gallon. $13.75 a month if gas goes up to $4. Driving 84 miles less a month should offset that too.


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## MaxwellMoulton (Jul 26, 2006)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (Prop)*

Prop, i dont even know how to respond to that to be honest. Did you really think you were imparting knowledge upon me with those brilliant facts? I asked if there were light weight oem wheels, and your telling me about how if a wheel is taller sometimes its wider, well no ****. Back to the question, maybe i should rephrase. Are any factory vw wheels lighter than others, doesnt have to be sustantially, just a few pounds perhaps, and i think i would prefer prop to not respond again due to the fact i think he made everyone a little less intelligent. Thanks.


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## raceware (Sep 28, 1999)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MaxwellMoulton* »_what your saying makes sense, oem isnt an option, but if your saying no wheel can increase gas mileage, wrong, maybe not oem though if thats what your saying...my father has a tdi, he bought my brothers long beaches and got roughly 2 mpg worse..that is substantial in my opinion.


*OK, if you say so... *








I'll call the engineers in Wolfsburg and tell them to put light wheels on all of the cars to increase their CAFE numbers and save millions.


_Modified by raceware at 10:13 AM 1-24-2008_


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## EL PAALO (Oct 14, 2003)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*

they're all anchors afaik.
buy something aftermarket.


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## [email protected] (Apr 18, 2006)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*

Well they are not OEM style but the 18" Hartmann Evolution R5 wheels are in the 22lb range for only $260-wheel. I can't guarantee that they will effect your MPG though.


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## a2gtinut (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? ([email protected])*

still too heavy.
http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif 
17s should be less than 18lbs and 18s less than 20lbs.


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## raceware (Sep 28, 1999)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (a2gtinut)*


_Quote, originally posted by *a2gtinut* »_still too heavy.
http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif 
17s should be less than 18lbs and 18s less than 20lbs.



Why more than 1 lb. ?


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## MaxwellMoulton (Jul 26, 2006)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (raceware)*

race ware..get a clue...if you have a tdi that gets 45-50 mpg and you long beaches on your car instead of the factory steelies, you honestly dont think you would get worse gas mileage by at least 2? your going to call wolfsburg? no one would listen to a word you would have to say because your an idiot...the reason they can get away with putting heavier wheels on vr6s and 1.8ts is because they already get like 25mpg on a good day, and therefore heavier wheels wont have the same affect, however it could be like 1mpg or so...which in my mind is worth it, i drive a rabbit, its not fast, why not get better mileage...thanks for your profound knowledge about the subject though, keep chuggin.


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## TechMeister (Jan 7, 2008)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MaxwellMoulton* »_race ware..get a clue...if you have a tdi that gets 45-50 mpg and you long beaches on your car instead of the factory steelies, you honestly dont think you would get worse gas mileage by at least 2? your going to call wolfsburg? no one would listen to a word you would have to say because your an idiot...the reason they can get away with putting heavier wheels on vr6s and 1.8ts is because they already get like 25mpg on a good day, and therefore heavier wheels wont have the same affect, however it could be like 1mpg or so...which in my mind is worth it, i drive a rabbit, its not fast, why not get better mileage...thanks for your profound knowledge about the subject though, keep chuggin.


Sorry but raceware is correct on this one. It's extremely unlikely that you would loose 2 mpg from a heavier wheel weight. Different tires or pressures would cause a different rolling resistance which is much more significant than wheel weight. Changes in weather would have more impact than wheel weight. If a lighter wheel weight made a significant difference in mpg, all car companies would be using super light wheels to increase their mandated CAFE requirements. You will be wasting a lot more money buying lightweight wheels than the fuel savings you might obtain even if you could get an increase of 2 mpg, which is very unlikely.


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## gehr (Jan 28, 2004)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (TechMeister)*

I love the Vortex.....where else can you ask a question, get the right answer and make fun of the people that give the correct answer.........
















S M R T.....I mean S M A R T


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## khriz (Jun 19, 2007)

politics.


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## MaxwellMoulton (Jul 26, 2006)

*Re: (khriz)*

MORE UNSPRUNG RECIPRICATING WEIGHT=POORER GAS MILEAGE. Plain and simple. You can keep arguing, but i think this thread should just die because you people are misleading others. The reason why car companies like VW may not use lightweight wheels is a cost/benfit issue, not because its not possible. Now it may be true that VW did not make any lighter wheels. The reason they wouldnt is not because they couldnt increase gas mileage, its because the consumer couldnt afford the technology (forged wheels ,ie fuch). My question was there any VW wheels lighter than others that were possible just made out of a cheaper material making them lighter, obviously vw wouldnt use forged wheels. Thanks though guys.


_Modified by MaxwellMoulton at 9:35 AM 1-30-2008_


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## raceware (Sep 28, 1999)

*Re: (MaxwellMoulton)*

*Sorry Max but you're very confused here...*
Unsprung weight has NOTHING to do with rolling resistance or flywheel effect or even mpg. Unsprung weight has an effect on suspension motion and lighter is easier for the shocks and springs to control, but that has nothing to do with better mpg. Even if you could save 20 lbs. total on (4) lightweight wheels, that won't get you .5 mpg improvement
VW and other car companies would use a lighter wheel in a heartbeat if they could see 2 mpg on a Diesel or 1 mpg on a gas engine powered car. They spend MILLIONS each and every year looking for ways to increase fuel economy. If light weight wheels provided this they would be using them as a car mfg. would only pay a few Euros more for a light wheel over the std. wheel they use. Raising the sticker price by $25 is not an issue if VW or any other company could get better CAFE numbers.
It's not the weight of the wheel that affects mpg, it's primarily rolling resistance of the tires. 
Enjoy.


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## raceware (Sep 28, 1999)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MaxwellMoulton* »_Dont read this tread...misleading.

_Modified by MaxwellMoulton at 9:36 AM 1-30-2008_


I think you mean *THREAD*, not tread.







Tread would be part of a tire.


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## MaxwellMoulton (Jul 26, 2006)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (raceware)*

thanks for the correction, i do agree that unsprung weight has more affect on suspension, you are right, however saying that heavier wheels does not have an affect on the flywheel effect? maybe on the high way not so much, but in stop and go traffic? what your saying is that it takes the same energy for an engine to move a lighter resistance and a heavier resistance, doesnt make much sense does it....also i agree that your tires influence mpg, that wasnt my question though...you have many facts, however i think some are a bit ???? and in your *Thread* post you say that it would be possible to get .5 mpg better? so at least you are now admitting its possible. But i gaurentee that when my father put long beaches on his diesel he lost 1-2 mpg. Thanks, and goodnight.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3564782

simular topic i found with interesting ideas.


_Modified by MaxwellMoulton at 1:25 PM 1-30-2008_


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## raceware (Sep 28, 1999)

*Re: Light weight oem VW wheels? (MaxwellMoulton)*
























No I did NOT say you *would* get .5 mpg with lighter wheels, I said that you *WON'T* get .5 mpg improvement with lighter wheels !
*"Even if you could save 20 lbs. total on (4) lightweight wheels, that won't get you .5 mpg improvement"*

Sorry man, but it just ain't gonna happen.


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## tuneko (Sep 7, 2011)

Lightest VW wheels are from VW Lupo 3L, Size is 4x14" and the weigth 10.14 pounds (4.6kg). They are casted magnesium. Main reason is that they cost so much that there is no sense to put them in regular cars, with the minor fuel saving gains they have. Those cost 260€/piece on VW dealer in Finland.

On cars that are designed to be most fuel efficient they have some lighter wheels but not usually even magnesium. Porsche has some nice lightweight wheels on their cars, which poles are hollow on the inside. Reason is mostly related to better handling properties.

Effect to fuel consumption comes from weight. every 10% you lose your cars total weight has effect fuel consumtion 2% on the highway and 4% on the city. On wheels the weight gains are bigger due to that they rotate, same as flywheel and all other engine components.

Also if wheels are designed aerodynamically the effect can be even greater on highway speeds.


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