Light weight battery.

[Badaz01]

I am looking into doing weight reduction on my 2001 cobra and one of the options I came across is a light weight race battery. Anyone have experience with these and what are the pros and cons. I would keep a trickle charger on car when not in use for prolonged periods. Thanks in advance.

 

[FIREBALL]

Many on the market and many of them dont last long, If its not critical for you to reduce 20lb then it will not be worth the money.

 

[Corbic]

I am looking into doing weight reduction on my 2001 cobra and one of the options I came across is a light weight race battery. Anyone have experience with these and what are the pros and cons. I would keep a trickle charger on car when not in use for prolonged periods. Thanks in advance.

What are you doing with the car?

My buddy used a Rural King lawn mower battery for years without problem. However, his car was a project/race car and didn't need constant restarts, hard starts, winter driver, etc.

 

[FIREBALL]

Well havent heard back from OP but if your still stuck on going with lightweight battery here are 2 options, first one has been a popular one at a good price and 13lb. Second one is one of the lightest standard (group 51) automotive batterys coming in at 27lb. (but might be too tall)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/dui-5575b/reviews

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/.../acdelco-battery-group-size-51r/51rps/6237084

 

[Badaz01]

Well havent heard back from OP but if your still stuck on going with lightweight battery here are 2 options, first one has been a popular one at a good price and 13lb. Second one is one of the lightest standard (group 51) automotive batterys coming in at 27lb. (but might be too tall)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/dui-5575b/reviews

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/.../acdelco-battery-group-size-51r/51rps/6237084

Ok thanks for the input. I have 410 gears in my car now and had it dynoed at 310 rwhp and 318rwtq. I am trying to help my power to weight ratio. Don’t know if I’d be better pro charging or not. Then again I hate to slap a 7000 dollar procharger on and blow my stock bottom end.

 

[Badaz01]

My car is 98 percent gonna be street car. Just trying to help power to weight ratio. Was thinking of a procharger but I hate to slap something like that on with a stock bottom end. If only this stuff didn’t cost so much money lol.

What are you doing with the car?

My buddy used a Rural King lawn mower battery for years without problem. However, his car was a project/race car and didn't need constant restarts, hard starts, winter driver, etc.

 

[Corbic]

Best bet is prolly just relocated a one size down battery to thr trunk. Maybe even a Miata battery.

Better weight distribution and maybe 5lb savings.

 

[xblitzkriegx]

I'd recommend a battery relocation before battery reduction.

 

[FIREBALL]

Also some aftermarket racing/sports seats will probably reduce 40lbs. and something Im not a fan of but a rear seat delete will reduce some lbs.

 

[Corbic]

Also some aftermarket racing/sports seats will probably reduce 40lbs. and something Im not a fan of but a rear seat delete will reduce some lbs.

Oh yeah, standard weight reductions


Seats
Rear Arms
K-member
Front Arms
Exhaust
ABS

 

[Relaxed Chaos]

These are for real batteries.

LITHIUM BATTERIES, MICRO-STARTS – Antigravity Batteries

Squeezed out with help from the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[shurur]

These are for real batteries.

LITHIUM BATTERIES, MICRO-STARTS – Antigravity Batteries

Squeezed out with help from the svtperformance.com mobile app

Had a lithium battery in my nexus catch fire...didn't help that I cracked it over my knee..but still..just saying..

 

[Badaz01]

Oh yeah, standard weight reductions


Seats
Rear Arms
K-member
Front Arms
Exhaust
ABS

I have upr chromoly k member and control arms, exhaust is done fully, and I think I may go with the seats and maybe tubular bumper supports aluminum radiator maybe about it. Don’t want to gut my 1 in 125 cobra. Or I could just say hell with all that procharge the bitch and hold my breath and pray it doesn’t blow up.

 

[Blkkbgt]

I'd recommend a battery relocation before battery reduction.

Based on what exactly?

 

[xblitzkriegx]

Based on what exactly?

based on redistributing 50-70lbs to the rear will be far more beneficial than just removing 10-20lbs off the front alone.

 

[Blkkbgt]

based on redistributing 50-70lbs to the rear will be far more beneficial than just removing 10-20lbs off the front alone.

Interesting. This reminds me of a thread over on corral where a person asked about weight reduction vs weight distribution. Jack Hidley chimed in responded with something along the lines of overall weight reduction is better than weight distribution.

With that said I am not a fan of the typical battery relocation to the trunk aft of the passenger rear tire for anything other that a car built for the strip with little street driving.

Why? Because you're still placing the battery outside of the 4 corners of footprint. The weight distribution benefits are accomplished by leverage. This same leverage works on the suspension but now in the opposite location. Drivers side forward of the wheel to passenger side aft. Yes there is a benefit to having that weight over that tire but only off the line.

Also consider that few if any performances vehicles in this day and age place the battery outside the 4 corners of the car.

Assuming you're willing to intall a smaller lighter weight AGM battery and what I've read from Jack my opinion is the best location for the battery would be in the passenger side rear butt well. Placing the battery there keeps it low and inside the footprint of the car. Problem is most sanctioning bodies and tracks don't allow the battery inside the cabin.

Where do you install it then? There are only two locations in my eyes. One is between the rear shock towers as far forward as possible and maybe biased to the passenger side. The other is in the spare tire well centered and forward.

By ditching the spare and placing the battery there you would still be shaving weight but would also be keeping the battery lower in the car.

Just my. 02.

 

[xblitzkriegx]

Yep.

Agree with pretty much everything with the caveat that moving more weight around for better distribution is better than removing less weight overall given the likelihood OP is drag racing. I also agree with your placement options and reasons for them given the context of intent.

Moving the battery to the rear, either over the axle, behind tire, or in spare tire well, will still be a better choice than saving ~18lbs. Instead, you could move 30lbs+ to the rear of the car, so -30 off front and +30 in back. ANY car will benefit from being less nose heavy, regardless of intent, even if it's just a DD.

 

[Corbic]

Why? Because you're still placing the battery outside of the 4 corners of footprint. The weight distribution benefits are accomplished by leverage. This same leverage works on the suspension but now in the opposite location.

Also consider that few if any performances vehicles in this day and age place the battery outside the 4 corners of the car.

Battery is already outside the four corners and held down by flimsy plastic tab.

It's on the extreme end of the damn car, a car that is already nose heavy. So anywhere behind the front tires is an improvement. Also, moving it to the trunk floor is likely a COG improvement as well.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Battery is already outside the four corners and held down by flimsy plastic tab.

It's on the extreme end of the damn car, a car that is already nose heavy. So anywhere behind the front tires is an improvement. Also, moving it to the trunk floor is likely a COG improvement as well.

That's my point, why go from one extreme to the other? As I've stated Jack Hidley's opinion is lower weight over better distribution and I share that thought process.

Additionally I didn't say that there wasn't an improvement by moving the battery behind the passenger rear tire. I simply expressed my opinion that there were better locations for it.