Fishin for wheel weights

[pstew]

I still hit the local gas stations once in a while to see if they got wheel weights I can bum off them. You win some you lose some. This one was a loser......


I pull into the gas station and fill up a tank of gas. While I'm paying....


Me: Say, you guys do many tire changes around here?

Joe: Yeah, we do lots

Me: Whadda you do with the old wheel weights?

Joe: Oh, we save em

Me: You recycle them?

Joe: No, we save em, they're getting real expensive.

Me: You save em?

Joe: Yeah, we put the old ones back on.

Me: ahhh, well thanks then.


(note to self... don't come here for car work)

[44mag1]

Ive seen this in mexico but never in the states. kinda funny

[oneokie]

Have heard that story from 4 different shops that I used to get weights from.

[beagle]

I've run into that occasionally as well. Most shops realize that any money saved by reusing old weights is far outweighed in labor to accomplish that. Most shops use new weights around here./beagle

[DLCTEX]

I've talked to a large number of shops in our area that reuse WW. There may be a reason some cars lose WW. It should be illegal IMHO. DALE

[eka]

I had one tire shop tell me they reused them also. I figured it was just a quick way to get rid of me.

Keith

[kmag]

Had 4 tire shops in this area tell me that they reused them.

[Southern Son]

A mate of mine that rides motorcycles told me that he was riding along one day and as he was passing a car going in the same direction he said that something hit him in the neck. Hurt like all get out so he pulled over. As he was unzipping his leather jacket he found a wheel weight stuck under his collar and a monster bruise forming on his neck. He told me that he was talking with a mechanic who told him that the wheel weight probably was a re-used one that had come off the car he was passing. Mechanic said that the clips are not really made to be clipped on more than once and that each time the a wheel weight is used the clip will weaken because they are not really spring steel, they are just sheet metal.

On a good note I had to go and do a computer course for 4 days in another town not far from where I live. There are only two tyre shops there. For 2 six packs I got two full 10 litre buckets from one shop. The second shop only had half a 10 litre bucket. They didn't want anything for the 1/2 bucket but I gave them a couple of six packs because the last time I went there a few months ago they gave me two and a bit buckets full for nothing. I ended up with one and three quarter buckets of clip on weights and half a bucket of stick on weights after I threw out all the Zinc and steel weights.

[EMC45]

Had a few shops tell me the reuse story. Should be illegal.

[mdi]

I believe it is illegal in some states because they fly off easier than new. Of course it is illegal in California. (BTW lead WWs have been outlawed in Cal)

[mtgrs737]

I have a couple of shops that don't reuse them, been getting them for a couple of years now. This is the result:

[leadeye]

I have a couple of shops that don't reuse them, been getting them for a couple of years now. This is the result:


Now that's a good source! I need to find a few of those.

[dwtim]

Illegal? Everybody on this forum "reuses" wheel weights. :mrgreen:

[Ghugly]

Ive seen this in mexico but never in the states. kinda funny

Almost all the smaller shops around here reuse wheel weights. If there is a problem with cars tossing wheel weights, that may be a lot of the reason.

[runfiveswife]

i have had one shop around here tell me that they are hazardos waste. so when i go in next time i am going to ask them if they should have food in the same store that they have hazardous waste in. They were real jerks, i even told them that my husband had a hazmat

[compass will]

I was in the garage business for 13 years. Ran my own for 2 years, but found I could make more money running someone elses garage. (plus then I was able to work normal hours).

Anyway, we used to reuse weights at times. I mean we kept some in stock, but when they would run out or needed a large one you normally did not stock, we thought nothing of picking some out of the bucket.
You just have to crimp the steel tight before putting them back on. Never felt bad about doing it either.

Back then the charge for Mount and Balance included the weight. Some places actually now charge additional fees for new weights, then hazmat disposal fees for keeping the old ones.

[jack19512]

I have a couple of shops that don't reuse them, been getting them for a couple of years now. This is the result:








mtgrs737

Where exactly in Kansas did you say you live? [smilie=1:

[mtgrs737]

mtgrs737

Where exactly in Kansas did you say you live? [smilie=1:

Just follow the Yellow Brick Road!

[MT Gianni]

I was in the garage business for 13 years. Ran my own for 2 years, but found I could make more money running someone elses garage. (plus then I was able to work normal hours).

Anyway, we used to reuse weights at times. I mean we kept some in stock, but when they would run out or needed a large one you normally did not stock, we thought nothing of picking some out of the bucket.
You just have to crimp the steel tight before putting them back on. Never felt bad about doing it either.

Back then the charge for Mount and Balance included the weight. Some places actually now charge additional fees for new weights, then hazmat disposal fees for keeping the old ones.

If you have ever seen a weight come off of a spin balance machine your shop will not reuse them again.

[chewie]

mt. i bet that would be exciting.

[Alvin in AZ]

Anyway, we used to reuse weights at times. I mean we kept some in stock, but when they would run out or needed a large one you normally did not stock, we thought nothing of picking some out of the bucket.
You just have to crimp the steel tight before putting them back on.
Never felt bad about doing it either.


Yeah the steel is ever'bit as good when re-bent as before.
It's all about care and attention to detail when installing the weights.
I don't like the idea of using weights that are heavier than 1+1/2 oz tho. :)

Hardly ever do I need to put more than that on a wheel but if I do,
I use two or three weights.

Don't you even think about telling me what I do is "dangerous".
You get on the road, you take your chances. ;)
But besides that... ;)
I haven't ever lost any of the wheel weights I've installed.

The steel has not weakened from the bending it has increased. :)
SS, don't believe anything you hear about steel metallurgy! :)
There is way-more BS about it out there, than there is correct stuff.

Are the used weights that are flying off because of the lack of care?
If you silly ******** that want stuff illegal...
Make being too stupid to care, illegal. ;)

Anyway the steel clip does need to be bent back and not too far.
Also the lead (Pb alloy) needs some re-bending so it'll fit snuggly too.
The lead bending part goes for new weights as much as used weights.

Do you care about the details or are you like those that are doing sloppy work? ;)

Alvin making new friends on cast boolits in AZ