3G TL (2004-2008)
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View Poll Results: Do you keep your spare tire in your car?
Yes, it doesn't make any difference.
82.19%
Hell no, my car handles better without it.
17.81%
Voters: 146. You may not vote on this poll

Poll: How many of you removed your spare tire?

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Old 05-12-2008, 08:49 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Houston
^ Actually, mines weights 35.5 lbs including jack, since it's in a bundle. When I took mines out, I did notice the diffrence in take off.
35lb out of a 3600lb car.

If you can notice a performance difference like that you might think about hiring yourself out to some race team to back up their performance monitoring computer.

Leave the gas out & you can save another 119lbs
Old 05-12-2008, 08:50 PM
  #42  
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I took mine out for one day when I took out everything I possibly could to make the car as light as possible...I didn't notice much if any of an increase in power, in fact it seemed slower if anything...it did seem to handle a little better though.
Old 05-12-2008, 08:56 PM
  #43  
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^ Be sure to release the parking brake.
Old 05-12-2008, 09:16 PM
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Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory
35lb out of a 3600lb car.

If you can notice a performance difference like that you might think about hiring yourself out to some race team to back up their performance monitoring computer.

Leave the gas out & you can save another 119lbs
So what your telling me is that all the people who are removing their spare tires before racing that I see on a weekly basis are totally stupid.....and that AMS....Buscher Racing....ect are also dumb asses because they dont know what they are doing when they remove the spare?

I mean...I see your point....but its NOT that it doesnt work or isnt effective weight loss....its that its not exactly practicle for everyday use. That I understand....but to ridicule the practice as unfounded shows ignorance.....that or the 100 or so people I see do this weekly at races are ignorant, which some happen to be professional drivers.
Old 05-12-2008, 09:31 PM
  #45  
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Rule of thumb is that with every 100 lbs lost you generally see a gain of the 1/10th in the 1/4 Mile.
Old 05-12-2008, 10:20 PM
  #46  
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omg...another one of these flame-attractive threads. I say go all the way - remove spare, jacks, air filter, glove compartment, passanger and rear seats, cassette player...
Old 05-12-2008, 10:52 PM
  #47  
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i removed mine and kept it off...
Old 05-12-2008, 11:04 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by MichaelBenz
So what your telling me is that all the people who are removing their spare tires before racing that I see on a weekly basis are totally stupid.....and that AMS....Buscher Racing....ect are also dumb asses because they dont know what they are doing when they remove the spare?

I mean...I see your point....but its NOT that it doesnt work or isnt effective weight loss....its that its not exactly practicle for everyday use. That I understand....but to ridicule the practice as unfounded shows ignorance.....that or the 100 or so people I see do this weekly at races are ignorant, which some happen to be professional drivers.
If that was all they were removing yes its a feel good waste of time. I never had a spare in any of my race cars but then I never had much of an interior or anything else like air, radio, power windows etc in them either.

BTW my street strip car ran with its spare intact never seemed worth the bother to take it out.
Old 05-12-2008, 11:28 PM
  #49  
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Even though it'll likely never be used, the spare remains in the trunk. The TL is not a weight-advantaged racer. I check the spare's tire pressure every so often, too.

Originally Posted by MichaelBenz
So what your telling me is that all the people who are removing their spare tires before racing that I see on a weekly basis are totally stupid.....and that AMS....Buscher Racing....ect are also dumb asses because they dont know what they are doing when they remove the spare?
I don't think the spare was all they were removing from street cars. I used to pull out the spare, tools, jack, and would have removed everything from the glove compartment if it weighed more than 2 lbs. total when I was running autocrosses. Although my interior was intact, pieces of my stock air filter setup could be found on the ground next to the spare to balance out the rear weight reduction since it was legal to run an open air filter. I'm sure all that helped me run at least .0001 second faster per lap.
Old 05-12-2008, 11:44 PM
  #50  
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and i bet aleast half of you that keep the spare in the trunk fogot their Acura key lock somewhere at home and not with the car so when you have a flat you cant open your wheels because your wheel lock is there...hehe i know i keep my in the glove box. ^-^;
Old 05-12-2008, 11:45 PM
  #51  
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Yeah & Buscher racing does not even have a full size radiator in the car.
Old 05-13-2008, 12:19 AM
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Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory
Yeah & Buscher racing does not even have a full size radiator in the car.
I dunno....they were just in town last weekend racing against AMS and I didnt have a chance to get out there...lol. Funny thing is....they got pwned by a local IndyHP club member in the autocross that had a new evo with about no mods...lol. Luke Wilson FTMFW in a lower class even...lol. I do have to admit though...Luke is one hell of a driver.
Old 05-13-2008, 12:31 AM
  #53  
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I don't know why people are going nuts with weight reduction. Sure if you have a light ass civic that's light to begin with or you are racing in the F1 it makes sense. 258hp V6 pulls plenty enough for regular driving. You put a passenger in the car and that 150lbs extra just shot down all your efforts. You want fast and light? Buy a motorcycle.

I keep my spare.....and a bigass 75lb speaker box on top of it for my subs. I hardly feel any difference, it is very subtle. If anything I probably improved my weight distribution. The car still accelerates as brutally at WOT as before.
Old 05-13-2008, 06:42 AM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by MichaelBenz
So what your telling me is that all the people who are removing their spare tires before racing that I see on a weekly basis are totally stupid.....and that AMS....Buscher Racing....ect are also dumb asses because they dont know what they are doing when they remove the spare?

I mean...I see your point....but its NOT that it doesnt work or isnt effective weight loss....its that its not exactly practicle for everyday use. That I understand....but to ridicule the practice as unfounded shows ignorance.....that or the 100 or so people I see do this weekly at races are ignorant, which some happen to be professional drivers.
I think what he ment was that there is no way youre going to notice a seat of your pants difference. Yes every little bit helps in weight reduction in racing, but that small of an amount of weight being removed by itsself would only really be noticed on a time slip
Old 05-13-2008, 06:48 AM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by MWalsh9152
I think what he ment was that there is no way youre going to notice a seat of your pants difference. Yes every little bit helps in weight reduction in racing, but that small of an amount of weight being removed by itsself would only really be noticed on a time slip
Bingo _ maybe few hundredths if you are phenomenally consistent. An average driver will not see anything.
Old 05-13-2008, 07:55 AM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory
Bingo _ maybe few hundredths if you are phenomenally consistent. An average driver will not see anything.
In autocross....a few hundredths of a second can be the difference in first place and fourth...lol. Thats the point I guess.
Old 05-13-2008, 07:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Will Y.
Even though it'll likely never be used, the spare remains in the trunk. The TL is not a weight-advantaged racer. I check the spare's tire pressure every so often, too.


I don't think the spare was all they were removing from street cars. I used to pull out the spare, tools, jack, and would have removed everything from the glove compartment if it weighed more than 2 lbs. total when I was running autocrosses. Although my interior was intact, pieces of my stock air filter setup could be found on the ground next to the spare to balance out the rear weight reduction since it was legal to run an open air filter. I'm sure all that helped me run at least .0001 second faster per lap.
I know what/why they are doing it....I kinda run the autocross program for the SCCA in the Indy Region....so I do know what I am talking about here.
Old 05-13-2008, 10:33 AM
  #58  
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People removing their spares in Acura TLs.... I thought this was a ricer civic thing as I would always see people doing this in civic forums when I had one but nevermind....
Old 05-13-2008, 11:48 AM
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We will all just have to agree to disagree on this one....but trust me....racing with a spare tire is NOT the way to go. Is it practical to drive around like this every day in a daily driver....probably not. I do....but I also work 1.5 miles from my house. If I go out on a road trip, I put it in for the trip. I dont only remove the tire....but everything from the trunk but the carpet, basically meaning jack and tools, ect.

And I know....the Acura TL isnt exactly a born race car....but its what I have currently and I do my best. Its a challenge to keep up with the subies and Evos of the world.

If you examine the results of the survey here....it basically states (right now) that about 25% of the people remove the spare. My guess....about the same amt of people that probably actually have EVER taken their car to a track. Seems about right to me.
Old 05-13-2008, 12:40 PM
  #60  
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I'm sure all that helped me run at least .0001 second faster per lap.
You know what I don't like about some people? People with sarcasm.... I am in complete disagreement with your statement...


Everything MichaelBenz said, totally agreed. Well said. +1+1+1+1+1+1.....


.
Old 05-13-2008, 01:23 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by Manual Transmission
You know what I don't like about some people? People with sarcasm.... I am in complete disagreement with your statement...

Did you read the full post? Sarcasm = or red-text.
I was expanding on MichaelBenz's response to another poster by explaining what we weren't just chucking spare tires out of the street cars during SCCA (San Francisco Region, in my case) and other auto-X events.

However, pulling the weight might matter for a more consistent competitive driver; I'm not sure that it did in my case.

Yeah, it'll help lots during street driving.

And welcome to AZ!
Old 05-13-2008, 02:39 PM
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Spare

Hmmm....I was always thinking of mounting my spare to the rear of my trunk like those old school cadillacs...heh
Old 05-13-2008, 02:51 PM
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I took mine out, i got the acura road service for 3 more years, AAA, and a can of Fix A Flat.

If i remember correctly last time i had a flat tire when i had my accord it took me longer to change because of the stupid factory Jack which took forever to lift the car, than when i called AAA a couple of months after when i ran over some debree.

I do however put it back on when i go on 50+ mile roadtrips.
Old 05-13-2008, 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Will Y.

Did you read the full post? Sarcasm = or red-text.
I was expanding on MichaelBenz's response to another poster by explaining what we weren't just chucking spare tires out of the street cars during SCCA (San Francisco Region, in my case) and other auto-X events.

However, pulling the weight might matter for a more consistent competitive driver; I'm not sure that it did in my case.

Yeah, it'll help lots during street driving.

And welcome to AZ!
I think I was a little too sensitive...

Cheers.

Old 05-13-2008, 06:18 PM
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keep it for daily driving.
remove it for tracking/autocrossing.
Old 05-13-2008, 09:05 PM
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Removing the spare tire leaves more room for dead hookers.
Old 05-13-2008, 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Hi There
Removing the spare tire leaves more room for dead hookers.
lol so the saying "4 doors more whores" is not working for you already xD
Old 05-13-2008, 09:50 PM
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i don't get it. removing the spare from my 2800lb car and i feel a HUGE difference and you guys think it won't do anything for the TL/TLS?
Old 05-13-2008, 10:43 PM
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Old 05-13-2008, 10:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Hi There
Removing the spare tire leaves more room for dead hookers.
Funniest response yet!

Old 05-13-2008, 10:55 PM
  #71  
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A. You won't feel the effect of the weight bias unless you're a track junkie and have the skills to push a car to it's limits.

B. If it's a concern, then relocate the battery to the trunk.

C. If you're REALLY concerned about the weight bias, then get coil overs and have your car cornered balanced with you in the seat.
Old 05-14-2008, 04:48 AM
  #72  
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Old 05-14-2008, 10:20 AM
  #73  
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Originally Posted by 08WDP
lol so the saying "4 doors more whores" is not working for you already xD
both the lines cracked me up

i reckon now people have to write in their signature if they have a spare tire in or not.....its like the most trendy mod.... :P
Old 05-14-2008, 06:55 PM
  #74  
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Old 05-14-2008, 08:02 PM
  #75  
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Gas weighs what? About 8 lbs per gallon? How many gallons does the tank hold? If your comute is only 5 miles each way, why not remove your gass tank and replace it with a gallon container? You will only need to fill up once every 2 days. I'll bet thet the tank itself weighs more than 35 lbs.
Old 05-14-2008, 08:23 PM
  #76  
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Originally Posted by Krazylegs
Gas weighs what? About 8 lbs per gallon? How many gallons does the tank hold? If your comute is only 5 miles each way, why not remove your gass tank and replace it with a gallon container? You will only need to fill up once every 2 days. I'll bet thet the tank itself weighs more than 35 lbs.
Because I go places that are farther than 5 miles away sometimes...

...and my car's a lease.
Old 05-15-2008, 06:03 PM
  #77  
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Originally Posted by ifirahse
My daily commute is about 5 miles round trip every day. That's why I removed it, since I'm never too far from home.

If I was like you guys, driving over 20 miles a day, I'd definitely keep the spare too.

My point Exactly! Keep your spair in the car and check its air pressure regulary!
Old 05-15-2008, 06:06 PM
  #78  
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Old 05-15-2008, 06:10 PM
  #79  
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Originally Posted by ifirahse
My daily commute is about 5 miles round trip every day. That's why I removed it, since I'm never too far from home..
So at 5 miles a day exactly what is the actual benifit in taking it out?
Old 05-16-2008, 10:01 AM
  #80  
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If you want to travel lighter I think it would be smarter to find a lighter rim than removing the spare. Safety comes first. A can of Fix won't always work if the pucture is on the side or you damage your rim while falling into a hole. Lighter trunk will offset your car balance providing less favorable front-back weight ratio, it may save some gas though... but not enough to be worth it. fill up your spare with Nitrogen, and it will preserve the pressure longar and won't retain as much water (which weights more)


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