Truck and Bus Wheel Weights

[Stevejet]

I suggested to some folks on another site that they check bus (school/commercial) and heavy truck garages to obtain the big wheel weights (1 to 3 1/2 pounders) that were used on the big dual wheel assemblies. These weights will crack or break (don't know why) and are usually discarded. I started back in the 1970's by getting weights from Greyhound and Trailways and the Utah State Roads Dept. and school district bus garages.

A fellow responded that he didn't think they used lead weights on the dual heavy truck/buses anymore. Anyone know if that is true?

[shotman]

they are not the same as car WW they have babbit in them they work good for cast boolets make a hard boolet good for high speed they make a big mess in a shotmaker car WW have about 6%antimony truck WW have about 40%babbit shotman

[Down South]

One of the places that I pick up WW does big trucks plus lots of cars. I'll usually get 10 lbs or so of the big truck weights every time. I just mix them in with the smelt. It never occured to me that they were made of a different material. They have a dull grayish color just like regular WW. I was thinking that Babbit or alloy containing high concentrations of babbit remained shiney.

[gcollins]

I bought 25 lbs of truck wheel weights here 3 months ago I like them, wished I could find more. If everything keeps going up, a person won't beable to drive anywhere to buy anything!
Greg

[218bee]

From my understanding most truck tires now use a powder inside the tire and this avoids the use of weights, so they may be drying up fast

[alamogunr]

A couple of years ago I got about 200# of truck wgts from a tire store. They were brand new but the clips wouldn't hold to the rims. At least that is what I was told. I never thought about them being anything but regular WW metal. So far no problems. The guys in the shop gave them to me. After I got home with them, It occured to me that the owner may not have wanted to dispose of them and maybe get a refund. They sure did give a good yield in ingots.

[compass will]

I picked up a bucket of these a couple weeks ago, I just melted them into the rest of the wheel weight mix. Never thought they would be different. You do get about the same waist as normal WW since the clips are so big.

As for my pickup truck, I run these disks behind the rims that have an outer ring with "something" in the ring. balances the tires great!

I been slacking on the wheel weight pickups lately. I am sitting on around 300 lbs if ingots plus 1 bucket of raw WW. I will be casting .22's this summer which should stretch the supply, but if I start casting for the 45-70 I could suck them up pretty quick.

[mtgrs737]

I have a pallet of brand new WW I got from a guy that bought out mechanic shops 25 years ago, he sold them to me for 10 cents a pound and I took all he had. There are a lot of truck weights in the lot, I have been saving them as they most likely contain more tin and antimony than todays weights, and certainly no Zinc weights! I am needing to do some smelting before the heat comes up here in Kansas, I have 5 full buckets of WW's to do an a bucket of tape weights and pipe to do.

[Stevejet]

So, dual and heavy wheel assembly weights are still being used. Good! Thanks

[shotman]

the truck weights work great for casting boolets but if you want to make shot dont put them in the mix the new ones and the import weight are made of 100%zinc they cast ok in the steel molds but not good in aluminum ---nice thing about them you can drive up to 3000fs --rick

[uncowboy]

I first started making bullets with these when I staryed casting. A Friend had an endless supply. When it dried up I missed it. So much less bother and scrap and dirt compared to car WW. I should have stocked up when they were free. Now I can't evem buy WW from any of the tire shops. J.Michael

[JSnover]

Interesting... I'm driving from Mass to Mississippi in a couple of months. This oughtta give me something to do while I stretch my legs at the truckstops........

[jawjaboy]

All of these are 4 to 16 ouncers. I separate the truck weights from the regulars. These are what came out of the last two 5gal buckets I picked up.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IM000651.jpg