cronikles wrote:Since you brought it up, does anyone know how much the stock wheel and tire assembly weighs for the 04 solara?
I was thinking about upgrading my brakes too, but theres no point if the weights are about the same.
I meant to weigh one of my OE 17" wheels/tires, but I forgot to do this before I sold 'em. I know that the 18" TRD wheel weighs 24.5 pounds plus another 24.5 pounds for the Michelin Pilot Sport P225/45/18 tires.
But its not an increase in wheel/tire weight that makes it necessary to upgrade your brakes. So you add let's say another 50-100-150 pounds to the weight of the car. What difference does it make if the weight increase is from new wheels, a person in the back seat, or some junk in the trunk? Weight is weight.
The only time you need to worry about upgrading your brakes is when you increase the external diameter of your tires. This is most commonly done on SUV's when folks want to really fill-up the open space around the wheel wells. The increase in tire diameter can put a strain on the OE braking system, but not because of the increased weight, but because of the increased rotational forces (torque) of the larger diameter tires.
The only time you need to worry about an increase in wheel/tire weight is that if you pack on too many extra pounds here, you may affect your spring/shock rates and your ride/suspension quality, and to some degree handling characteristics.
by pontfirebird73 » Sat Sep 04, 2004 9:25 pm 
