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I did not see any question directly about unsprung weight.

What is unsprung weight?

please give a detailed description of what accounts for unsprung weight and how it differs from sprung weight.

List the reasons you want to minimize it, or not.

  • what affects does it have on suspension
  • why does it reduce traction on bumpy roads
  • does it do anything to acceleration
  • what about braking
  • are there any good reasons to have unsprung weight
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    if you want to give a negative give an answer why. I have already searched here and could not directly find this question so decided to post and then answer it.
    – Cc Dd
    Nov 15, 2016 at 10:46
  • 2
    And to agree with @CcDd, answering your own question is completely legitimate.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Nov 15, 2016 at 10:56

2 Answers 2

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unsprung weight is weight that is not being held up by the vehicle's suspension. Sprung weight is vehicle weight being held up by suspension.

Unsprung weight has the downside of overcoming the downward force your vehicle exerts on it through the suspension. This means the upward momentum from a bump in the road can cause your tires to leave the ground. This momentary loss of traction can affect turning, acceleration, and braking.

Less unsprung weight means quicker suspension response, lighter suspension components, and more consistent traction.

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Unsprung weight is wheels, tires, brakes, brake rotors, hubs, and then 1/2 the weight of the suspension members (half the suspension weight is sprung roughly, depending on the geometry and suspension design of the car).

Unsprung weight has about 4x more impact on suspension kinematics than sprung weight.

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  • These are Good points :)
    – Cc Dd
    Nov 15, 2016 at 22:00

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