Lead Wheel Weights ?

[kweaver]

Is there a market out there for lead wheel weights made like the cast iron ones? Before I fire up and try making them I'd like to know if I could sell them and what price the market could bear. I'm guessing they'd be around 42 (?) pounds per side = 84 per set as opposed to 26 per side = 52 per set for cast iron.

I'm set up for casting aluminum , zinc , brass and small amounts of iron so lead wouldn't be a problem, just dangerous to breath.

 

[bbrigham]

I was going to do the same thing, a local recycler I talked to wanted almost $300 for 300# of recycled lead, didn't feel like getting raped this week so figured i'd wait till I get enough used wheel weightsfrom the garage.

 

[acasteel]

yeah i would buy a set of those! I would just wear a mask ken! Does paint stick to lead very well?

 

[kweaver]

I doubt that Cal. would allow them to be shipped in. Epoxy sticks good and powder coat too. I've never really used anything else.

 

[acasteel]

Well for my dads job, He installs and sells mounts for hospitals to hold monitors and this one custom installation he had to buy lead weights to balance out the mount.

So if it was in a hospital then im sure its ok lol

 

[lbaker]

Would be good Ken. I have 4 lead bricks, never weighed them but put an eye bolt thru each and they are really handy when extra weight needed.
No need here to say be careful. You already know.

 

[kweaver]

Lyle - I'd bet that I've got heavy metals in my system. I started melting lead on the kitchen stove when I was around 12. I use to make my own solid 12ga. deer slugs in a tin foil mold. It's a wonder I never blew up my old Model 12. Smoke dectors don't like lead fumes either. My hands have trembled since I was 16 and Id say that was partly what started it.

Lead is hard to get around here but I found some on the net, a guy is offering to sell me 150 pounds for a little less than $1 per pound. That offer is only good for 2 days though at best.

Brendan - I've always seen lead go for $1 per pound. Use to in the 80's new lead for lure making sold for that. If he was willing to sell it to you as you say "recyled" meaning he's already melted out all the wheel weight tabs , battery acid and whatever else it may have came from then that was a good enough price to have taken. When I buy old diesel pistons to melt they are still pistons and I'm paying for the steel inserts in them which I have to melt out. The inserts weigh more than the aluminum.

 

[rwilke]

KENtuckyKEN,
I think lead wheel weights are a great idea!
I'm sure you could sell a few sets of those babies! With a nice powder coat or good epoxy paint, they'd be GREAT!

As you know already (but for the sake of others thinking about maybe trying it);
1st) You must be VERY careful of any trapped moisture in the charged material and in the molds as it can cause molten metal "popping"; and,
2nd) To ensure adequate ventilation when melting & pouring it so you don't breath the molten metal fumes.

I'm guessing you've also thought of this already, but I'll spit it out anyway - Will you use some sort of attaching bolt sleeves? If you simply drill through the lead and run a bolt through the raw hole, the bolt will likely "wallow out" the soft lead hole in a short period of time. Whereas, if you tapped in short piece of metal pipe or tubing into the hole, then ran the bolt through the tubing, the bolt wouldn't work on the soft lead surface.

Just my 2 cent thoughts,
Ryan W

 

[kweaver]

Moisture? What moisture?

 

[rwilke]

 

[tdrudis]

Was wondering what i could use to copy my cast iron weights in lead. Do you think a plaster mold would hold up to the heat.

 

[tcbusch]

I had an idea for lead "filled weights". First, cut 2 10" disks out of 1/8" thick steel. Basically making a plate. Next weld 4 bolts onto one of the plates that will fit into the wheel bolt holes. Now weld an 8" high ring onto the edge of the plate. This will effectively make a 10"x8" coffee can. Build a very hot camp fire in the back yard and place the coffee can in the middle and fill it with the lead wheel weights. Place the other plate loosely on top. Build the fire bigger then let it burn out over night. After it cools weld the other plate on top and your done.

 

[tdrudis]

Terry,

My friend used old brake rotors from his GMC Sierra. We filled the slots with house insulation so it wouldn't pour out the sides and set a piece of tin flashing in the center to cover wheel stud holes. Bolts were welded to it to fit in the rims. Although they are cast iron they can be welded. Or you could drill through them and use long bolts. They weigh about 120# each and only stick out 1'' past the rim

 

[tdrudis]

Break rotor weights
Hit the return key please.

 

[eford]

I must be sittin on a gold mine of old batteries! Like was said, gotta get rid of the unwanted junk first. I don't think I'd try to do it tho, got a young nephew who is very curious each time uncle Earl works on his tractors. Have a good story on how smart he is for only seven, will have to tell sometime.

 

[dsauve]

We bought a JD 830 15 years ago on the farm that had bad tires but pulled like a team of oxen. When the tire dealer came to change the tires we found out the PO had filled the tires with powdered lead. We had a heck of a time getting rid of the lead and still haven't figured how to fill a tire with the stuff. That rig never pulled like it used to after that.

 

[jkoenig]

I recently bought a pair that someone made. I ran across them with a tractor sor sale. I couldn't afford the tractor, but picked up the weights. 57# each I think. I haven't fitted them on yet to know how much they stick out.

Can they be painted? They're raw lead now.

 

[digger]

Jim K.
Any lacquer or enamel automotive/Cub/Tractor paint will stick to lead as long as the first coat is thin.

Just make sure to wear gloves when you mess with those weights. Some folks have nasty reactions to lead.

 

[glippert]

Ken - Did you ever start making the lead wheel weights? Just wondering how they turned out - got any pictures?

 

[tmarkle]

Ken,
I just saw this thread for the first time today.
Some of my buddies and I thought about doing the same thing. I have been reading some books on sand casting but I can't find much info on sand casting with lead. besides what has been mentioned here, is there anything else needs to be done different when casting lead as opposed to aluminum or brass? What type sand mixture would you recommend? Petrobond? oil mixed? water mixed?