Things are getting bad down here in the lower 48. I bought a big washbucket (maybe 150-175 lbs) of weights and have started melting them down. So far what I'm getting out of them is about half lead and half zinc with a few steel weights thrown in for good measure. Got them at a used tire place so thought there would be more lead but not so. Moral of the story, get your wheel weights sooner rather than later cause the lead weights are going away. Hope you CGNers aren't having this problem, but since Canada usually leads the US in things like this, I would think you are.
Wheel weights
- Thread starter reomack
- Start date
I don't even know where to start. Worst bucket so far 50% lead. Best 90% lead. Zinc is usually around5%
That said 50% is not bad at $0.32/lb
Some guy on here is selling range lead for two bucks a pound
That said 50% is not bad at $0.32/lb
Some guy on here is selling range lead for two bucks a pound
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Same problem here in Canada. The zinc and steel weight is creeping up to 50% with lead mostly from older vehicles and trucks (luv those big 3oz plus pieces).
Local metal recycler sells at 1.20/# last year (with chemical analysis, my brick was 3% antimony, 1/2% tin); cheaper than EE prices.
Recall several years ago while hunting for lead read articles saying the industries are moving away from lead.
Anyone know if new tires and tire installers are still using lead weights?
Local metal recycler sells at 1.20/# last year (with chemical analysis, my brick was 3% antimony, 1/2% tin); cheaper than EE prices.
Recall several years ago while hunting for lead read articles saying the industries are moving away from lead.
Anyone know if new tires and tire installers are still using lead weights?
elliott264
Regular
- Location
- Eastern Ontario
new tire weights arent lead. or so ive been told by my mechanic neighbour buddy. he told me lead has been phased out in recent years
Your buddy is right. The only real source left for any volume here is the big truck shops which still use some lead
GM for example redesigned their weights using steel starting in in 2005 and most if not all imports in 2001. Many US states have actually banned lead for wheel weights also
a few weeks back I got up off my fat arse and cleaned 4 full pails of wheel weights that have been sitting in my garage for about 6 or 7 years. There were only about ten pounds of iron and zinc in those pails that I found, and about 600 pounds of lead wheel weights. I'm sure I missed some of the zinc, but I expect that to float off at the lower temp. that I will keep the pot at when I melt it down.
I kept a knife beside me, and any I wasn't sure about, I tested with that.
What I did find was lots of lead weights that had a very thick coat of grey paint on them, making it hard to tell from the zinc without the knife. Once I started recognizing the codes on them, it went a bit faster
I kept a knife beside me, and any I wasn't sure about, I tested with that.
What I did find was lots of lead weights that had a very thick coat of grey paint on them, making it hard to tell from the zinc without the knife. Once I started recognizing the codes on them, it went a bit faster
infideleggwelder
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
last one i picked up was 40 lbs lead and 13 lbs zinc stuff and about 1 lb Fe
i make 00 buck from the Zn/Pb ones it works ok for that. hard on the sprue cutter if you don't cut at the right time. i don't worry about wrinkled or incomplete castings for that. tastes the same to coyotes.
i make 00 buck from the Zn/Pb ones it works ok for that. hard on the sprue cutter if you don't cut at the right time. i don't worry about wrinkled or incomplete castings for that. tastes the same to coyotes.
I thought I'd throw this out there I bought new tires less than a year ago and the weights were lead on my car and zinc on my wife's car bought only a couple of months apart. I'm guessing each retailer will make the move when it's most economical for them to do it.
That explains why Costco uses zinc
I think I may have a problem. I was at CT last week and I found a lead wheel weight on the ground it made the trip worthwhile
So I have a question. I've acquired a yet to be determined amount of adhesive lead wheel weights, a healthy portion of which unused. The MSDS on the boxes say it's lead and antimony, no percentages, but good enough for me. I will post a picture once i get around to taking one.
I've yet to get a casting rig going, but it's on my list, along with some .44 magnum dies and kit. My question is, what kind of stuff is this kind of weight good for, specifically relating to .44 caliber, and will I have to cut it with anything to make it workable?
Also, good sources and recommendations for moulds? Looking for a plinker bullet, and maybe a HP mould if I'm feeling saucy.
I've yet to get a casting rig going, but it's on my list, along with some .44 magnum dies and kit. My question is, what kind of stuff is this kind of weight good for, specifically relating to .44 caliber, and will I have to cut it with anything to make it workable?
Also, good sources and recommendations for moulds? Looking for a plinker bullet, and maybe a HP mould if I'm feeling saucy.
I imagine that the actual percentage of antimony is .25% or less, in other words you will have next to pure lead. Perfect for black powder guns.
You could powder coat and use the lead. My suggestion would be you trade it for Clip On Wheel Weights (COWW).
Molds, try to get them second hand (EE) becuase the canadain doller sucks at the moment
You could powder coat and use the lead. My suggestion would be you trade it for Clip On Wheel Weights (COWW).
Molds, try to get them second hand (EE) becuase the canadain doller sucks at the moment
I finally finished processing these wheel weights.
Out of a total of 625 pounds of wheel weights, there was 92 pounds of waste, including the steel/zinc weights and the clips. I added 12 pounds of 50/50 solder to bump up the tin content a bit, and I ended up with 545 pounds of ingots.
