Weight Reduction

[slakker]

Debating whether or not to remove my a/c. I use the windows, for real, but is it worth it. I had my car weighed at a weigh station. As is it weighs 2620 on a 1/4 tank of gas. Pretty good so far on the reduction. What would the A/c pump, pulley, bracket and all associated hoses weigh? Anyone done this and weighed it before, if not any logical guesses?Thanks

[black180sx]

does the ac work? I have done lots of weight reduction and chose to keep the ac because mine blasts cold air quite nicely. I never use it but its nice to know i have it cuz hardly any guys i know have theirs working. Im not sure about weight, maybe 20 lbs?

[nlzmo400r]

hm, i think after the compressor and hoses, pulleys, brackets etc. you're probably just up and over 3o lbs. Personally i would put it in, but its all personal preference. If its going to be a total track whore, then dont worry about it, but if its going to be driven daily and such, better off putting it in there, although u live in PA apparently, so i dunno. Here in New Orleans, no A/C means no car

[nismofan14]

I removed my ac last winter during a ka rebuild. I live in PA and summers without the ac is ok. The only ppl that complain are passengers.

[spec-u-later]

Mine was about 60 lbs total after all hoses and brackets are removed. I also took off the fan shroud because I broke it while removing it.It didn't work anyway.

[slakker]

sixty lbs are worth it, I am not sure about 30. I share the same veiw as nissan does about passengers when they gave us these back seats. Seeing as how there gone. I dont have a shroud either, I have an electric fan Yea the a/c does work pretty well, I dont know yet thanks alot guys

[240dreams]

removing the ac will also allow more airflow to through the bumper to the engine and reduce some resistance b/c its one less belt to turn. mine is off.

[karay240]

If you can live w/o the AC, go ahead and remove it. Removing the AC is probably the cheapest, most effective thing you can do in weight reduction (besides yanking body panels off). Unless you are very serious about speed and handling, I don't think that it's that big of a deal, though.

There are many parts out on the market that contribute to weight reduction (CF hood, hatch, fenders, doors, lighter weight wheels, plexi glass windows etc. etc.) None of these I have listed are cheap by any means, but make the car consederably lighter.

Taking out the sound deadening stuff is sorta effective, espacially when done in conjunction w/ other weight reduction mods. You can also cut out excessive material from the doors (not the outside parts), but if you do, don't forget to spray pain over the holes to prevent rust.

[89240sxdude]

I took mine out when i rebuilt the ka and the compressor alone was probly about 20 pounds and the condensor probly another 20 and the fluid and hoses probly another 20. im really not very good on estimating wights:ylsuper but there was a pile of junk in my garage like u wouldnt beleive lol

[slakker]

Thanks

[eddiec]

the ac was the first thing i took out. compressor and the mounting bracket are the two bigggest weights. behind that would be the condenser. dont forget the cooling unit in the dash as well. the lines are aluminum so their no big deal. to the extreme you could cut the loom and extract the now unnecessary wiring.

[89240sxdude]

i just cut the lines at the firewall. i didnt even bother messing with the dash

[cosmo]

This might sound stupid but I've never been able to get a good answer.

If you take out the A/C will that also get rid of the heater? Or is that a separate peice? Living in Iowa I'd need that heat come winter

[89240sxdude]

it wont cus the radiator coolant is what heats your car and its on totallly different system

[cosmo]

cool, thanks:D

[eddiec]

the cooling unit in the dash is actually easy. on the s13 just pull the glovebox. a couple screw in each corner holds the box in. a good tug and its out. i just removed the cooling unit and put the box back in so that the blower fan can push air to the heater.

[slakker]

Awesome thanks alot. I am still deciding. Ohh choices...choices

[Hijacker]

eh. who needs AC. just put the top down...oh wait

i was discussing this with my mechanic friend today, and he says the average 240 AC system weighs around 40-50 pounds if you leave some of the hard lines in (he leaves them in just in case someone might want to add AC back to the car)

[SpeeDDrifT]

Taking out the sound deadening stuff is sorta effective, espacially when done in conjunction w/ other weight reduction mods. You can also cut out excessive material from the doors (not the outside parts), but if you do, don't forget to spray pain over the holes to prevent rust.

i have a video where they did this to a ae86 and they said it saved 40lbs.....inside and out......a lot of work....once again A LOT of work.

[TXMike240]

Anybody take out the backseat? How much does that weigh? How much do the stock s14 seats weigh? Thanks.

[BadMojo]

I would leave it in, unless this is a dedicated track car and not your daily driver. Are a few tenths of a second in the 1/4 mile worth disgusting armpit stains the size of Montana?

I live near Philly, and it gets hot as hell here. After a few consecutive days approaching 100 F, you'll probably miss that AC.

[slakker]

Yea I live near state college. It does get a little hot up here. The on ly reason I am still decviding is because it works so frucking well. Ice cold even after being 15 years old. If it ever goes then its gone. It is so cold

[ride4lame]

I would wait till it breaks or something.its alot of weight...but there is other stuff like sound deadening, rear seats, interior panels and crap like that, which i would replace first

[89240sxdude]

my back seat wighs like nothing. the bottom part is just foam and fabric and the back supot is just foam fabric atatched to a thin piece of wood. so the whole shebang wighs probly about 4-8 pounds lol

[free240]

good excuse to never have to drive your girlfriend, ever. :icesangel

At least it works for me, just make sure she has a car

[BoostFab]

texas heat isn't pleasant, especially when you're stuck in traffic. i keeping my AC.

[slakker]

I already have everything else out, except for the ac. i am tryingIt isnt just the weight advantage though. you also get to remove 2 pulleys and be down to running only 1 accessory belt. That has to be better than an underdrive pulley. You are removing like 40 percent of the accessory loss. But like I said it works so well. I am going to cut out the spare wheel well next and fashion a plate over it.

[navysnail]

i would leave the ac if it blows cold. it uses R-12 and it is a better refrigerant now illegal to be manufactured. if you ever want it back it will cost you like 50 bucks a bottle of r-12 or you will have to convert to r-134a, which will not be as cold. also technicaly you cant do it by your self because it is illegal to vent any kind of refrigerant into the atmosphere. furthermore it is poisonous, so you might want to take it to a shop.

[tonynalli]

removing the ac, power windows, power locks, power steering,back seat, sound material, is all good. but the first time you have a girl in your car, they will laugh at you and more then likely wont ever ride with you again.

[hondahunter180]

dude, to be honest with you, i took out my ac and pwr steering and i kind of regretted it, my friend had an sr20 with both ac and pwr steering intact and he gets great performance, and its also easy to park and it is comfortable in the summer, i dont think its worth it unless you are only driving the car part of the time like to the track or on the weekends, oh yea when it was hot girls would be like turn on the ac, and i would be like i took it out and they would just start laughing, it sucks, LEAVE IT IN MAN!!!!!!!!