No more wheel weights?

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  • Last Post 24 October 2009
Grant posted this 14 September 2009

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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JetMech posted this 14 September 2009

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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Seabee posted this 18 September 2009

better stock up.

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largecaliberman posted this 18 September 2009

Nothing like hoarding. I would get whatever I could. Radiator drippings, cable sheeting, ballasts from boats, etc.

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John Boy posted this 18 September 2009

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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largecaliberman posted this 24 September 2009

John Boy wrote: 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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Vassal posted this 25 September 2009

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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JetMech posted this 25 September 2009

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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CB posted this 25 September 2009

Bill

Like you found there are lead wheel weights to be found. Keep looking.

Stephen Perry

Angeles BR:fire

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Vassal posted this 25 September 2009

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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hunterspistol posted this 25 September 2009

  At the current time, certified alloy is $4/lb and there are companies that produce alloys that can get it to you for $1.59/lb.  :coffee  Z-bench at Cast Boolits has a group buy for modified wheelweight alloy going right now.  Lead and Brass.com

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shjoe posted this 02 October 2009

how can one determine whether or not the used wheel weights are zinc alloy or lead? fingernail scratch test? thanks

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CB posted this 02 October 2009

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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shjoe posted this 02 October 2009

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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sart256 posted this 13 October 2009

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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CB posted this 13 October 2009

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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Don Fischer posted this 18 October 2009

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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shjoe posted this 19 October 2009

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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pschmidlkofer posted this 19 October 2009

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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corerf posted this 20 October 2009

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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codarnall posted this 24 October 2009

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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tturner53 posted this 24 October 2009

You just gave me an idea. How about if all you guys who support our gun rights move to California. We would welcome you with open arms, believe me. Here it's just a matter of numbers. The antis have control but not by that much. We could turn it around, make this into a gun owner's paradise. Come on, you'll love it here. If I hear one more guy say he's bailing out of the fight in Cal. and moving to Texas I'll puke. Come on guys, get in the fight! Join the NRA and the CRPA now. It doesn't cost that much, way cheaper than moving and knowing you let the sissies push you around!

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