Bucket-O-Wheel weights

[trixter]

I went to the local tire store and got a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights. First time since '83. SHOCK and DISMAY, OK, WHATEVER. Going through it I seem to have the garden variety samples. The good old good lead wheel weights, have a very nice curve to the back of them, but the questionable ones seem to be more square cornered. I've put a couple of them in the pot, but they float (non lead) then there are the stick-ons, some lead and some not, pretty easy to tell by trying to bend them.

Am I missing anything? Thanks for the suggestions and help I am going to get

[Hardcast416taylor]

If the weights have a raised "shield area" in front of the clip - it`s iron not lead. Look on the front of the weights for "FE or ZN" this is iron or zinc. The sure way to weed out the iron weights is test then with end nippers or side cutters. If you can`t pinch into them, they`re iron. The zinc ones ore weeded out by low temp smelting - 500 to 550 degrees - as zinc melts at near or over 600. Keep the stick - ons seperate as they are usually soft lead to be used on a later occasion.Robert

[birdadly]

Iron ones will stick to a magnet. Also a lot of them seem to be bolted on, or riveted or something. Iron seems to be pretty easy to pick out while Zinc ones can look like lead. However, they do 'TING' moreso than lead when hit against concrete. -Brad

[darkroommike]

I've heard there are now ceramic wheel weights as well?

Wish my tire dealer would cut me loose some ww, I do thousands $$$ with 'em every year even offered to PAY what they are getting from the wheel weight company for returns but no joy. These guys sell me tires and service all four of my vehicles, might be time to look for a new dealership.

[leadbutt]

You spend all that money with them and they dont hook you up in the least? You should have already found a new tire place. If they arent looking after you presonally then what makes you think they are looking out for your vehicles?

L. Bottoms

[t_dickinson]

Zinc melts at 787F. If you keep that pot at 550 and the ambient air is cool, you will waste ALOT of time and fuel. Pure lead needs to be over 600F I believe. In a cast iron pot (my experience) the lead on the outside will not want to readily phase to liquid.

You can safely melt at 700F and the zinc wieghts will float right to the top.

I've done 700 lbs this way. I pull out the lead stickies and everything else goes in the pot. I don't have time to inspect each weight.

Of course, I do scan then a handful at a time and pull all the trash and if I happen to see a Zn or Fe I will cull it. But that's just to save room in the pot; not because I have any fear of getting Zinc'd at 700.

Note: I've read that die cast Zn will phase (melt) at around 715 but this is not what they use in Zn weights (in my experience).

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[jnovotny]

I agree with tdickinson,seems to have a good handle on melting down his ww.

[Old Iron Sights]

Was wondering about some ww's I picked up. Has FE stamped on it but it's not magnetic. Hmmm... Too hard to be lead though.

The place I get my tires sells them for 40¢ a lb or whatever the scrap dealers are getting.

[mac1911]

dark room mike, make sure to pull of your tires wheel weights before you get new tire or balance. At least you wont be giving them any more lead. I have the same problem. Most shops have switched to steel and zinc WW as they are being pushed by the manufactures of such items.
One place I used to get my WW actually gets above current scrap plus 10% off new iron WW lb for lb for the scrap

[darkroommike]

Since my tire store is not taking care of me I stopped at a couple of others, first stop sold ww for $35 per bucket and was out. I drove past MY tire dealer and stopped in to make friends with another store, the asst. manager was going to give me weights but as I was loading told me the boss said they needed $25 for a bucket, they had three buckets, took $60 for all three and helped the old man load the buckets into my truck.

I got home, told the wife of my happy day, she gave me a funny look and stated she thought I now had enough lead. Wimmen! what happens if I can not find any more lead next time I need some! I suspect wheel weights will go the way of 50/50 solder, linotype and babbit metal so I grab it when I can! I'll keep looking, thank you. Monday I need to smelt into ingots.

So my haul was three buckets at 155# or total of 465#; mostly lead, some zinc and steel with the usual crud and stems. For sixty bucks that's about 13 cents per pound.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=35975&stc=1&d=1316899329

[jsizemore]

Mike, Tell the wife that their gonna quit making lead wheelweights but not wimmen. I guess you can tell I ain't married. Got plenty of wheelweights and guns.

[bunkysdad]

I am a mechanic and I look through our wheel weights regularly, and I am finding more junk than it is nearly worth fooling with. Also, besides iron and zinc, I am finding steel wheel weights on many of the European cars these days. The good weights are the old fashioned "P" weights that are designed for the steel wheels(with hubcaps) of yesteryear and some less expensive models. As more and more cars come with Aluminum wheels they tend to have the less desirable weights.:-?

[WHITETAIL]

:CastBoolitsisbest:What you guys are saying is right.
If you do bisness with a tire store
they should at lease sell the weights
to you if not give you some to keep you coming there.