Modding Pumpers?

[RoadWarrior222]

Hey gang,

With all these lightweight wheel threads around. I was wondering how much some of our "stock" wheels are overengineered. I've heard it said the pumper is among the heaviest, and I've also heard from a rally driver that it's the strongest. Being a fairly straightforward design, i.e. big slabs of metal and no fussy bits, I was wondering what the odds were of lightening one much by drilling holes in the spokes...

... biggish holes, and leaving a min 1/2 inch metal to any edge... properly rounded off and destressed... for off road use only I guess, until proven hardy.

Just as a spitball, methinks it possible to get 8 square inches out, which is about 4 cubes, with weight of the alloy being approx .1 pound per cube... making for about 0.4lb per spoke..

~ 2lb total ... hmm hardly seems worth it...

Thoughts?

[zin]

I don't know, seems reasonable, but I can't think of a worse situation than a wheel failure, even having one come off completely wouldn't be as bad.

That said, I haven't looked closely at them and don't know if they are built that heavy due to low quality materials or??

Mike

[Pat]

I wouldn't. Huge increase in risk for a minimal loss in weight.

[Khajjathefang]

Just dig up some kosei k1s and call it a day

[Keito]

K1's go for mega money these days

[Khajjathefang]

Seriously? They used to be like $150 a pop when I bought my SSRs

[RoadWarrior222]

That said, I haven't looked closely at them and don't know if they are built that heavy due to low quality materials or??

Good point, material quality, they've gotta be cast, and cast cheaply since it was more of a mainstream wheel, there might be allowance for a lot of voids in them.

Probably all round easier just to look out for some GM alloys going cheap, they did some surprisingly light ones. (14/15lb)

[cordes]

For the money you would put into that you could probably purchase something else much lighter. Not to mention the fact that you won't be addressing their biggest flaw (in my eyes) that being the 6" width. The cost assumes that you have a machine shop cut them so that they are uniform. I guess a guy could go at it with a hand drill etc., but I wouldn't trust that method at all.

[4 l-bodies]

Seriously? They used to be like $150 a pop when I bought my SSRs
Kosei's with 5x100 bolt pattern are expensive because they don't make them anymore in 15x7. Supply and demand. Other bolt patterns are still inexpensive.

[turbovanman²]

I bought some MB Weapons last summer on Ebay for $310, and they are pretty light, just gotta be patient.

[22shelby]

JT has a set of borbets that would suit your needs well!! http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?64088-NEW-IN-BOX-Borbet-15x7-CB-Wheels!-Set-of-4!

i think your thinking into this a bit too much, why ruin a perfectly good set of pumpers when there are PLENTY of options out there.... go on craigslist and looks for the honda guys... they have alot of light weight wheels out there and you will find em cheap!! PLEASE dont destroy a good set of pumpers :(