I got tires today and also got a bucket of wheel weights. The owner of the shop said that I will not be able to get wheel weights after September 25 because of the law that requires steel wheel weights. This is the first I heard of it. What is the scoop?
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Sorry, Grant. That's a California law. The rest of the country may be following. The manufacturers of cars and wheel weights are. Here in Tennessee, lead WW are legal, but all the weight manufacturers are selling zinc weights, which are worse than useless for casting. They'll melt along with your wheel weights, albiet at a higher temp, and contaminate the entire pot.
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Nothing like hoarding. I would get whatever I could. Radiator drippings, cable sheeting, ballasts from boats, etc.
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ballasts from boats
I wish! Live near the ocean and have been to 50 plus large boat yards - NADA.
Their using concrete now
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ballasts from boats
I wish! Live near the ocean and have been to 50 plus large boat yards - NADA.
Their using concrete now
Hmmmmm let's see----
Bullets are to lead to zink as to boats are to lead to concrete. Times are getting hard.
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I am trying to stock up but I can't find anyone who will sell me any!!!!!!!!!! Ebay is all I know of and that MUST be a LAST resort. I mad calls to tire shops and scrap yards today and they either had no usable lead or treated me like I was asking the most ludicrous question I could come up with. They all had existing contracts!! I said well if you sell it to them, perhaps I could buy it instead. Things are really lookin' bad for my stockpile. Sometimes I go to a public range and dig through the burm for a couple of pounds. I'm like a lead-hobo. I AM a lead-hobo. This is not what my mother wanted for me...
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Keep looking. I've made a deal, finally, with an independant shop. Getting about 50# a week. Found another guy in a little town that has 300# for sale, .30/lb. See if you can find a truck (18 wheeler) repair shop. Junk yards. I was told I could pull all the weights I want for $10/bucket.
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Bill
Like you found there are lead wheel weights to be found. Keep looking.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR:fire
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WWell WWell WWell. I finally found some WWheel Wweights! After many calls I decided to just leave, go to the city and stop by every little hole-in-the-wall tire shop untill I scored. That is the only way I have ever gotten any WW alloy. After a couple of rejections a man said that he had some!! I paid $0.40 per pound for dirty WW. Not bad at all. I am pleased. I picked up 255LBs today and approximate that there is another 150LBs waiting for me. Now if I can find som Lino I'll be ready to try some high quality 314299's. If not I might break down and try to find a used stove and thermometer for consistant heat treating; though as an idea it seems like it is an invitation to inconsistancy in hardness. At least I have some alloy that will work no matter what. Thanks for the encouragement. I hope someone else who is looking will read this and “Keep lookin' ”
I know what it feels like to not have alloy and wonder if you will be able to get it. I hope those that are in areas that have already banned WW don't have to pay too much extra for alloy. All our turns are coming.
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how can one determine whether or not the used wheel weights are zinc alloy or lead? fingernail scratch test? thanks
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shjoe
Wheelweights made of lead will melt in a standard Cast pot such as a Lee, Lyman, or RCBS. Zinc WW will float to the top. Takes a hotter temp to melt a zinc WW. Most zinc WW I have seen have raised lettering /numbering.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR:fire
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thanks for the info, Steve. i will have to be more aware of the zinc ww issue. i cant help but think about the “tons” of lead wheel weights we used to salvage back in the 70-80s. wish i had a portion of that now, lol. best, john
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I must be lucky for once, tire shops around me give me used WWs because it saves them on thier hazmat fees. Steve
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shjoe & sart
You guys are tire shop hero's most will shops not be able to sell them after this year but likely will trade for something. My recommendation is get as many 5 gallon buckets of ww you can and set them on the side of your garage until you can melt them. Use the plastic lids if you have them or dtill holes in the bottom of the buckets to let the rain drain through. Go get um they ate out there.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR:fire
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Seeing as nobody here seem's to live near me, I have a suggestion for finding wheel weight's. Most the rancher's around here have a junk yard with old cars in it. Those cars have wheel weight I would think. Gonna check out a few I know here soon.
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absolutely ingenious!. great idea! the older the vehicle the more likely it has lead wheel weights. wouldnt take very long to “harvest” a few pounds. best, john
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Another place I've found them is at salvage yards.
Just keep an eye open. My father in law gave me a truck load of lead recently. Made my 3/4 ton drive kind of funny.
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Most Zinc WW have the letters Zn on them. Iron now bear FE. It's gotten easier to spot them but more frequent.
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A very learned fellow in NM the other day said “that won't happen here” referring also to the USA. I 've got news for everyone, take a look at the Peoples Republic of California. ----Charlie
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