RE: 50/50 weight distribution

["Jeff Lloyd" <Jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael, the 50/50 distribution is over the 3300 lbs of the car even if the
box is enormous and weighs 150 lbs (which I'm sure it doesn't) your only
adding 5.5% of the total weight, if the box is located on the rear bumper,
1/2 of it's weight is transferred since you are not removing anything from
the front so 2.75% every 1 feet you move the center line of mass of this box
toward the center of the car you reduce that number by 10% (over the length
of the car) for example if you put the box in the center of the car there is
0% disruption in the weight distribution, so lets say it sits 3 feet forward
of the rear bumper that is 70% of 2.75% so 1.925% will transfer with a 150
lb box..  So you are looking worst-case 48/52-weight dist, if the box is 75
lbs (more realistic) you are transferring less then 1% 49/51 that is better
then any Porsche!!!

The biggest problem is the weight, increasing the moment of inertia, which
will slow down
Acceleration (positive and negative) and decrease maximum cornering
potential.  But once again this change is minimal, for the purest there are
free air subs that mount to adapters that can be mounted under the rear deck
and you can buy subs with aluminum baskets to reduce weight.  Overkill IMHO
but you can only add 2-3 lbs a piece

Feel free to ask any questions

Jeff Lloyd
BMW pilot since '93
Audiophile since birth


- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-bmw@domain.elided [mailto:owner-bmw@domain.elided]On Behalf Of Michael
Reilly
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2000 2:57 PM
To: bmw@domain.elided
Subject: 50/50 weight distribution

When I bought my new 330Ci I was told how BMW's have a perfect 50/50
weight distribution which improves handling and helps in wet or snowy
conditions. The battery was mounted in the rear to help achieve this
balance, and it is not advised to weight the back in the winter, etc.

Well I am in the process of having a professional level stereo system
installed, and while I haven't lifted it, I'm told the sub box is
quite heavy. So I'm assuming that I'm upsetting this balance and
wonder what that will do? (Does this balance account for people
sitting in the car too?) Should I consider somehow adding weight to
the front to fix the balance?

Just curious, I don't really know.

Michael

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Reilly
Webmaster
Rochester Institute of Technology
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Marketing Communications Department

Email: mcrnmc@domain.elided
Phone: (716) 475-5722 V/TTY
Fax:   (716) 475-5623
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


- --
to be removed from bmw, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe bmw" to majordomo@domain.elided

------------------------------