Anyone have a bare steel wheel 15" x 3-1/2" or 4" to weigh?

[fullmetaljacket]

If any of you by chance have a bare Steel 15" x 3-1/2" or 15" x 4" wheel laying around, would you be so kind as to weigh it and let us know the weight?
Just making a comparison against another wheel in aluminum.

 

[Badvert65]

The closest I can come is a 15 x 5.5 stock steel factory truck rim. It comes in at 39 pounds.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

The closest I can come is a 15 x 5.5 stock steel factory truck rim. It comes in at 39 pounds.

Wow. 39Lbs? Is that an accurate number and is it with a bare rim and no tire? Very important to my test.
In either case, Thank you. I guess I can do the round about math by deducting a full inch off your wheels numbers and come up with rough guesstimate. I'd still like a closer assessment to a 15" x 4" but much appreciated.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

Did Mopar ever make a 15 x 3.5 or 4" steel wheel? MAYBE in the 1940's??

 

[mopar 3 B]

Did Mopar ever make a 15 x 3.5 or 4" steel wheel? MAYBE in the 1940's??

Them would have been 16".

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Did Mopar ever make a 15 x 3.5 or 4" steel wheel? MAYBE in the 1940's??

Yes, they did make narrower wheels back in the 40's and 50's. I had a pair long, long ago from a '41 Plymouth or something. They had these funny looking snap type brackets for some kind of a hub cap.

I'm referring to fairly recent standard wheels that have been custom narrowed to a 3"-1/2 or 4"
To break the news, I now have probably the first pair of Bogarts "Steel" look alike aluminum wheels that weighs 17 Lbs bare. Attached below.
I want to check if that number makes the wheel worth while against a real steel wheel.

 

[33 IMP]

I would think that the early fifties plymouths and dodges might have had a 15x4 wheel, before the forward look cars went to 14s. Forties cars were 16s i think. I have some weights for various 15x3.5 aluminum rims, but with skinny street tires on them. I can say that my 15x3.5 , 15x8.5 autodrags/skinnies and slicks combo is more than eighty pounds lighter than a steel 15x6, 15x8 T/A radial street combo. I can get you a weight for a centerline 15x3.5 prostock with a short goodyear frontrunner tomorrow, if that helps.
Sorry, no early fifties bare steel rims.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Some one still have a 15" space saver spare.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I would think that the early fifties plymouths and dodges might have had a 15x4 wheel, before the forward look cars went to 14s. Forties cars were 16s i think. I have some weights for various 15x3.5 aluminum rims, but with skinny street tires on them. I can say that my 15x3.5 , 15x8.5 autodrags/skinnies and slicks combo is more than eighty pounds lighter than a steel 15x6, 15x8 T/A radial street combo. I can get you a weight for a centerline 15x3.5 prostock with a short goodyear frontrunner tomorrow, if that helps.
Sorry, no early fifties bare steel rims.

Yes, I ran those 50's era wheels on my '65 back in the early 90's. they had a funny offset that brought the wheel out the well a little more than average.
I have weight figures for centerline auto drag 15" x 3-1/2" at 11-3/4 Lbs for a bare rim. Depending on the tires make and style over all total weights may vary.
For instance, here is a weight analysis that I conducted many years back on several items we all like to run on our street/strip cars.
Here goes:
An old school Super Stock/Formula 1 tire weighed in at a poultry 23 Lbs. each.
A Moroso 2 ply Drag special weighed in at a feathery 13-1/2 lbs despite the manufacturers number of 11 Lbs.
A centerline auto drag 15" x 8" in which I now run with a special hub cap to make it seem like a stock steel wheel comes in at 14-1/2" Lbs for the bare rim.
In this thread, I am trying to get to the bottom of what I think might be a mistake on my part as to the weight of the old steel 15" X 3"-4" wheels. I want to compare my new aluminum STEEL look-alike wheel to those numbers. Yes I am still on a quest for weight reduction during the Winter months. Just look up my couple of feature articles in both Mopar Action and Mopar Muscle under the headings: "Let there be light" and "Light is might" or just google "the worlds lightest all metal B-body.

 

[Badvert65]

Wow. 39Lbs? Is that an accurate number and is it with a bare rim and no tire? Very important to my test.

Crap, my eyes must be gittin worse. OK, I double checked my weight chart.
The 15x5.5 stock truck steel rim WITH a 165R15 tire+trim ring+cap weighs 39 pounds. A bare steel 15x7 COP rim-only weighs 25 pounds. This was measured on a digital medical scale.
Sorry about the bad info earlier.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Crap, my eyes must be gittin worse. OK, I double checked my weight chart.
The 15x5.5 stock truck steel rim WITH a 165R15 tire+trim ring+cap weighs 39 pounds. A bare steel 15x7 COP rim-only weighs 25 pounds. This was measured on a digital medical scale.
Sorry about the bad info earlier.

Thank you. I was like..... Whhhat? LOL.

 

[Badvert65]

Thank you. I was like..... Whhhat? LOL.

I am truly sorry about that. I am very weight conscious with my race car and have weighed practically everything. If I get a chance, I will look for a bare steel (stock) rim to weigh.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I am truly sorry about that. I am very weight conscious with my race car and have weighed practically everything. If I get a chance, I will look for a bare steel (stock) rim to weigh.

Thank you. Much appreciated. No apologies needed. Sometimes memory serves us not so clear, neither do some scales. I'm going to start another forum soon to jot down all my craziness on the Jenny Craig sickness as Hemi-itis here calls me. It will be called "Arithme-tricks: What have you done to lean out the numbers and fat"

 

[33 IMP]

I'm well aware of your diet quest. Congrats, and thanks for info and help.

 

[Badvert65]

Well, I weigh everything I can and document everything. Once I have some numbers, I usually start looking at the various parts to see where I can shave a few pounds.
One of the things I have discovered that was surprising.
Drum 13.4lbs used smooth drum w/spring, 10 x 2 1/2, 73 A body
Drum 17.6lbs new smooth drum, plain, 10x2 1/2
Drum 19.8lbs new, finned drum, 10x2 1/2
Everything I weigh is via the same digital medical scale just to keep things relative. I was surprised that the used drum was over 4 pounds lighter than the new one despite looking identical. I am going to get some brake rotors turned down to the minimum jus to see what the weight difference is.
One of many side projects.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Well, I weigh everything I can and document everything. Once I have some numbers, I usually start looking at the various parts to see where I can shave a few pounds.
One of the things I have discovered that was surprising.
Drum 13.4lbs used smooth drum w/spring, 10 x 2 1/2, 73 A body
Drum 17.6lbs new smooth drum, plain, 10x2 1/2
Drum 19.8lbs new, finned drum, 10x2 1/2
Everything I weigh is via the same digital medical scale just to keep things relative. I was surprised that the used drum was over 4 pounds lighter than the new one despite looking identical. I am going to get some brake rotors turned down to the minimum jus to see what the weight difference is.
One of many side projects.

Let me WEIGH in on a few things. FUN FACTORY FACTS.
FACTORY drum set ups, which are lighter than FACTORY disc setups, tend to differ in weight from each other depending on the source of manufacturer. Some may use different metal recourses where as perhaps there is more iron, nickel or some kind of pan cake mix in one drum and less of the stuff on others.
My findings as far as fins are concerned is that finned drums are heavier compared to their smoothie counterparts by virtue of the content and real estate in the fins themselves. Doesn't look like much, but trust me true it can make a difference in pounds not ounces.
Now here is a trick that can be had.
Say for instance, a new rear end is at task. Well, an order for a Dana or 8-3/4 rear can be had with any type of flange end welded on. A GM flanged end can be part of the axle ends thereby utilizing GM backing plates along with a GM system, axles with a GM bolt pattern themselves. Whalla, GM ALUMINUM drums cut down the weight even more.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Well, I weigh everything I can and document everything. Once I have some numbers, I usually start looking at the various parts to see where I can shave a few pounds.
One of the things I have discovered that was surprising.
Drum 13.4lbs used smooth drum w/spring, 10 x 2 1/2, 73 A body
Drum 17.6lbs new smooth drum, plain, 10x2 1/2
Drum 19.8lbs new, finned drum, 10x2 1/2
Everything I weigh is via the same digital medical scale just to keep things relative. I was surprised that the used drum was over 4 pounds lighter than the new one despite looking identical. I am going to get some brake rotors turned down to the minimum jus to see what the weight difference is.
One of many side projects.

I would be careful to not cut to the point where you render the disc useless via too thin pad area and premature fade or red hot plate.

 

[33 IMP]

Centerline prostock 15x4 (i think they are four) with 23x5x15 goodtear front runners, 23 lbs, without lugs and caps. Same wheel with chinese 165 street tire,26 lbs. Same wheel with 165 and a tube, 29lbs.

 

[Gpuller]

I thought that weight Badvert was a little heavy. I have 15x10 steel cop wheels, they are 40lbs ea.

 

[Badvert65]

The 'used' plain drum is the original one from my 65 Belvedere. I got the car with 60,000 original miles and I am fairly certain the drums are original. I did look into the GM aluminum drums, but they couldn't be adapted for use with the Mopar brakes (GM are 9.5 dia).
turning down the brake rotors would only be to the minimum indicated on the rotor itself. It isn't a whole lot of difference (a tenth of an inch or so).
rotors with 'cooling holes' save about a half pound over stock replacement rotors.