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Thread: Tractor wheel weights lead?

  1. #1
    Boolit Man skytex's Avatar
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    Tractor wheel weights lead?

    I've got an opportunity to pick up 4 massy Harris rear wheel weights. They are very old. 1940-1950 ish. 140 lbs a piece. Was wondering if they'd be lead. It's a long drive just to look at em. Also rear weights in general. Would they be lead?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


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    Nope, cast iron.
    Best,
    Mike

    NRA Life Member
    Remember Ira Hayes

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

    Defcon-One's Avatar
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    I am in agreement, CAST IRON!

    Here's a pick of some:



    Note the rust! You could always ask the seller via telephone, if you still aren't sure.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    Have never seen any of lead but there is always a chance. Check with some demo companies. Lots of old housing had lead plumbing. All the old cast iron pipes were sealed with lead. People used to laugh at me taking the time to take the lead rings out--but no more.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by -06 View Post
    Have never seen any of lead but there is always a chance. Check with some demo companies. Lots of old housing had lead plumbing. All the old cast iron pipes were sealed with lead. People used to laugh at me taking the time to take the lead rings out--but no more.
    Don't pay any attention to the funny looks at intersections, when ya jump out to rescue a WW either. If somebody ask, just tell them your a greenie, doing your part for the enviroment .

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    Lead can't take the abuse, even the axle slip-ons are iron.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master wrench man's Avatar
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    Yep, I use to work at a tractor dealer and every one of the weights I saw, probably over 1000 of them, was indeed cast iron.
    ASE master certified engine machinist
    Brake & Alignment specialist, ricer to class 8

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    idahoron's Avatar
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    I owned several old tractors they are cast Iron. Ron

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    We only ever had one set of tractor wheel weights on the farm that were not iron. We made them ourselves out of concrete because my dad was too cheap/broke to buy iron ones.

    I do remember the guy we bought alfalfa from, though. He towed a big home-made squeeze forklift behind his truck for unloading the hay. He was a friend of my dad's and would sometimes park the forklift on our place for weeks at a time when he wasn't using it or making a long haul elsewhere. The reason I remember was because he had a big hollow welded front "bumper" like a giant pocket for counterweight. It was full of a ton or two of raw lead wheel weights. I was tempted but refrained from "borrowing" any. This was a couple decades ago; I wonder if that machine is rusting away somewhere, abandoned with it's valuable stash of lead?

  10. #10
    Moderator Emeritus


    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    I bought what looked like a tractor wheel weight from a recycler/scrapper.
    he only had one...It was Lead, soft and near pure.
    It was donut shaped with 3 large Brass threaded inserts cast into it, for mounting purposes I assume.

    I don't have a photo, and I'm not sure exactly what it was for, if not a tractor weight.
    Outer diameter was about 20"
    inner diameter was about 8"
    it was about 2" thick

    I cut it in 3 pieces and smelted it.
    Jon
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    Yep iron grandpa made me put his in the truck for traction, back still hurts thinkin bout it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check