The cost of weight savings (highline fenders)

[The4bangertj]

Curious to hear thoughts on this. Motobilt highline fenders vs genright highline fenders both with their Black Friday sale (30% for Motobilt, 15% for genright) for the 4in flare set just the front costs 1,100 for motobilts before sale and 1,450 genrights but after sale price motobilts are 770 and genrights are 1,230. This is just a rough number of outter fender, inner liner, and battery box of the front.
Question is the $460 dollar difference worth the weight savings?
I don’t see much difference in design especially with the goal of 35s I’ll have more room for either so the biggest difference is really weight.

 

[steelhd]

I don't have any experience with either one but may go with highline so am watching for responses. Seems that fitment is more important than the minimal weight savings.

 

[JMT]

I had an opportunity to go with some used steel GR fenders, but I could never pull the trigger. I waited and am happy I got aluminum. I've wanted the GR stuff for a long time, but I did look at MotoBilt too. You may want to look at Crawltek too. I'm non-hiline.

 

[The4bangertj]

I had an opportunity to go with some used steel GR fenders, but I could never pull the trigger. I waited and am happy I got aluminum. I've wanted the GR stuff for a long time, but I did look at MotoBilt too. You may look at Crawltek too. I'm non-hiline.

I want a flare to keep me from getting with the cops too much and I don’t wheel nearly as hard as most on this forum to really need no flares(maybe one day I’ll regret saying that) but I don’t think crawltek has a flared option. If I did go genright I’d be getting aluminum for sure. Between the 2 of Motobilt and genrights I like both of their looks almost equally and would run a “cowl armor” that covers the weird vents on the motobilts so it’ll look more stock styling. Just genuinely interested if people would say that they would save for aluminum or not in this aspect since design isn’t as noticeable as other things like suspension design.

 

[PNW_LJ]

How much weight difference is there?

 

[The4bangertj]

How much weight difference is there?

Hard to get an exact number for both since motobilts website says approx 86 pounds for the outter and supports that come with the fenders for both sides( was told that’s the shipping shipping weight they use). Genright claims 9.3lb for the aluminum outer per side so under 20 for both but no battery/fender support since you have to pay for separately and they don’t have a weight on that. That being said my friend here just got ps steel fenders and they were heavy for a fender but maybe 20-30 pounds per side at most so I’m curious to see how much the motobilts actually weight outer to outer vs the genrights. So long story short around 50lb difference but can’t be exact.

 

[jjvw]

If such things are important to you, then a goal in a build is to add weight as slowly as you can. Small amounts of weight savings across multiple modifications will add up into a rig that could have been much heavier.

 

[Irun]

If such things are important to you, then a goal in a build is to add weight as slowly as you can. Small amounts of weight savings across multiple modifications will add up into a rig that could have been much heavier.

What he said!

 

[PNW_LJ]

Agree with jjvw here, since they're so similar, it's all in how much you value building light. With my build, I'm trying to do it "right" the first time, so 50 lbs would be worth the price difference, even if it meant putting off the purchase.

Though I gotta say in my opinion, your current DIY highline looks the best. Was never a fan of how the Genright highlines look on 35s.

 

[The4bangertj]

If such things are important to you, then a goal in a build is to add weight as slowly as you can. Small amounts of weight savings across multiple modifications will add up into a rig that could have been much heavier.

That’s exactly my worry. I already have front and rear bumpers, skid, and sliders all in steel. The only other weight addition I can think of is aluminum corner armor (definitely will not go steel there), an engine skid (I want to go full tuck with something that is or is close to the savvy skid which is aluminum, and maybe a better cage or something (cage is an idea but not decided in anyways). So is 50lb more than what I already have going to change much? Have I already gone too deep with steel that it’s added too much? The only other weight savings I can think of swapping I already have is skid (trans and gas tank), sliders, and a front bumper since I use my hitch on the rear to much to go away from a steel rear bumper.

 

[The4bangertj]

Agree with jjvw here, since they're so similar, it's all in how much you value building light. With my build, I'm trying to do it "right" the first time, so 50 lbs would be worth the price difference, even if it meant putting off the purchase.

Though I gotta say in my opinion, your current DIY highline looks the best. Was never a fan of how the Genright highlines look on 35s.

Definitely agree on doing it right and thus the concern. I definitely like the look of the stock highlines for many reason but because of the passenger side is replaced with some cheaper replacement it’s beginning to fall apart where all the red paint is chipping (have painted it a few times already) and because of the actual metal being thinner and me bending it for the highline aspect they are a bit warped to where if I can do the fender aspect right I would like too and not have to fix my fenders every summer like I have.

 

[JMT]

That’s exactly my worry. I already have front and rear bumpers, skid, and sliders all in steel. The only other weight addition I can think of is aluminum corner armor (definitely will not go steel there), an engine skid (I want to go full tuck with something that is or is close to the savvy skid which is aluminum, and maybe a better cage or something (cage is an idea but not decided in anyways). So is 50lb more than what I already have going to change much? Have I already gone too deep with steel that it’s added too much? The only other weight savings I can think of swapping I already have is skid (trans and gas tank), sliders, and a front bumper since I use my hitch on the rear to much to go away from a steel rear bumper.

I think if you can save weight anywhere it adds up. I know the rig will wheel differently when lighter. I can feel it just removing my hardtop or removing the spare from the tailgate. I’ve seen some people throw in the towel because they’re rig is so heavy already, but I don’t buy that philosophy.

 

[The4bangertj]

Sounds like there arnt a lot of places to actually loose weight, so when you can, you should. And the aluminum fenders is one of those.

 

[PNW_LJ]

Sounds like there arnt a lot of places to actually loose weight, so when you can, you should. And the aluminum fenders is one of those.

Another thing to consider is unsprung weight vs sprung weight. In my experience, unsprung weight has a much more significant impact on acceleration/weight/handling than the same amount of sprung weight.

So if you want to get back lost performance and already have steel armor, perhaps choosing a lighter wheel/tire package might get you more bang for your buck?

 

[jjvw]

.... I’ve seen some people throw in the towel because they’re rig is so heavy already, but I don’t buy that philosophy.

They insist they don't want to be sheep.

 

[jjvw]

Another thing to consider is unsprung weight vs sprung weight. In my experience, unsprung weight has a much more significant impact on acceleration/weight/handling than the same amount of sprung weight.

So if you want to get back lost performance and already have steel armor, perhaps choosing a lighter wheel/tire package might get you more bang for your buck?

Stability and control on the rocks is improved wherever weight gain is kept to a minimum.

 

[PNW_LJ]

Stability and control on the rocks is improved wherever weight gain is kept to a minimum.

I can't imagine shaving 50 lbs off the roof being equivalent to shaving 50 lbs off the axles in terms of the effect on stability.

 

[The4bangertj]

Another thing to consider is unsprung weight vs sprung weight. In my experience, unsprung weight has a much more significant impact on acceleration/weight/handling than the same amount of sprung weight.

So if you want to get back lost performance and already have steel armor, perhaps choosing a lighter wheel/tire package might get you more bang for your buck?

Already am running aluminum rims and Bfg tires (I’ve been told they’re a light tire in comparison) and accelerating with them is fine. Like jjvw just said I’d be more worried with stability especially since I can feel the difference of a hardtop vs soft so much I want to take the hardtop off this summer for wheeling. (I love the topless feel too but the weight is noticeable)

 

[jjvw]

I can't imagine shaving 50 lbs off the roof being equivalent to shaving 50 lbs off the axles in terms of the effect on stability.

Leverage. The higher the weight, the more effect it has.

 

[PNW_LJ]

Leverage. The higher the weight, the more effect it has.

Agreed, that’s what I said.