Its hard to tell for sure. I think I want to believe that it is lighter. I can put it on a scale when I take it off to paint it. When I assembled it I bolted the plate to the car and the put the tube through the plate letting it sit as far in as it needed to be. Then I tack welded it on the car. There was about 2 inches sticking through the back of the plate that I am going to cut off so that may help reduce some weight. Holes could also be drilled in the square tube to reduce weight without compromising strength. You can even buy square tube with holes in it in a regular pattern. Similar to the stuff they hold street signs up with.