Click On Wheel Weights - Newer Cars Are Not Using and CANNOT USE - Information On

Stopped at our GM dealership for car repairs and ended up with the bucket of wheel weights. During your discussion it was mentioned that on many GM new cars the lip on the aluminum rim was becoming so small that clip on wheel weights would not work. This requires the wheel weights to be installed on the inside of the rim and with stick on weights and the weights were not lead. Since this dealership works on all vehicles that helps gather up the traditional clip on weights.

Another issue are the aluminum rims. Pounding on a clip on wheel weight on the lip can fracture the protective coating on the rims and allow corrosion to to ruin the rim such as I experienced.

Was going to pass on bucket of weights but after hearing this they came home. Slowly and surely clip on weights are less and less. Just thought I'd share this.

Lead wheel weights became a thing of the past about 6-7 years ago when my WW suppliers started sending me zinc and steel WW...and stopped manufacturing lead COWW to go green. WW Manufacturers slowly have been transitioning this way since the mid 90's. It sucks on the automotive end since the harder weights spring back and normally come off while driving vs the softer lead COWW bend around the shape of the lip of the wheel to stay in place better preventing come backs. Stick on soft lead WW are still being made and are expensive when purchasing new for automotive use. I'm sure they will go away in time since they are not cost effective and zinc stick ons are also manufactured and "green". In the last couple years plastic WW have even come out.

Most five gal buckets I have been filling in the last couple years will have about a gal or so of lead if your lucky.

Good thing I stocked up years ago and have a life time supply of COWW lead.

In the next couple years those 5 gal buckets everyone is complaining about will have zero lead in them.

I'm waiting for the price of lead to sky rocket to the equivalent of gold so I can sell off my ignot pile and retire. Lol

My theory is that they, and all lead, will get more scarce and harder to get as time goes on. So, get it while you can! Me and a buddy just bought 20 buckets, right at 2800#. They are still in my truck this morning! Stand by for more smelting pictures after it cools off!

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Originally Posted by lightman

My theory is that they, and all lead, will get more scarce and harder to get as time goes on. So, get it while you can! Me and a buddy just bought 20 buckets, right at 2800#. They are still in my truck this morning! Stand by for more smelting pictures after it cools off!

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Courious if even half that is lead. If you get bored weigh the final ignot tally and let us know.

I'm expecting this haul to provide a very high yield. These are older weights from a guys private stash and a quick look did not find a single iron or zinc weight. I'm sure there has to be a few, but I'm expecting mostly lead. If so, I'll be going back for the rest, maybe that many more.

unfortunately I started to late, when I began, ww's where already hard to find, very hard! luckily a scrapyard sells lead for 1$ per lb , but it is mainly plumbing lead, I don't ever see harder lead.

Take a look at the truck tire shops. I don't go to the chains, just local owners. Truck wheel weights are still primarily lead, 3-6 oz weights are common and one shop I go to is still buying and using only lead weights. The same companies car shop is using mixed lead and steel.

Seems like a good reason to invest in a bullet trap. You get to recover more of your stash.

those pesky commercial casters are probably killing themselves by now not being able to just phone the foundry's and purchase lead.