Alternative to Lead Wheel Weights?

[Joe Marconi]

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[DewayneP]

Our state, NY, isn't considering the ban, it has enacted the ban. We will be unable to sell or install lead wheel weights as of April 1,2011. I am seriously looking at the 3M stick on roll wheel weights. That way I only have 2 numbers to stock and I have any weight I need at my fingertips. I'm curious to know if anyone else is using the 3M system. It is expensive from the start, but I think it would be cheeper than stocking all of the weights in different clips.

[CARMandP]

Another wonderful example of the government sticking its head in where it doesn't belong. Hey, lets outlaw a needed product with no good known replacement on the market. What a bunch of idiots.

[Joe Marconi]

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[DewayneP]

Here's the NY law:

 

Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a

2 new section 37-0113 to read as follows:

3 S 37-0113. LEAD WHEEL WEIGHT; PROHIBITED.

4 1. ON AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN ANY PERSON REPLACING

5 OR BALANCING A TIRE ON A MOTOR VEHICLE REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED UNDER

6 ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF TITLE FOUR OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, SHALL NOT

7 USE A WHEEL WEIGHT OR OTHER PRODUCT FOR BALANCING MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELS

8 IF THE WEIGHT OR OTHER BALANCING PRODUCT CONTAINS MORE THAN 0.1 PERCENT

9 LEAD BY WEIGHT.

10 2. ON AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN, A PERSON SHALL NOT

11 SELL OR OFFER TO SELL OR DISTRIBUTE WEIGHTS OR OTHER PRODUCTS FOR

12 BALANCING MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELS IF THE WEIGHT OR OTHER BALANCING PRODUCT

13 CONTAINS MORE THAN 0.1 PERCENT LEAD BY WEIGHT.

14 3. ON AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE, A PERSON MAY NOT

15 SELL A NEW MOTOR VEHICLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH A WEIGHT OR OTHER PRODUCT

16 FOR BALANCING MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELS IF THE WEIGHT OR OTHER BALANCING

17 PRODUCT CONTAINS MORE THAN 0.1 PERCENT LEAD BY WEIGHT.

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD14006-04-0

A. 8687--B 2

1 4. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE

2 FOLLOWING MEANINGS:

3 A. "NEW MOTOR VEHICLE" MEANS A MOTOR VEHICLE THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE

4 REGISTERED UNDER ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF TITLE FOUR OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAF-

5 FIC LAW THAT HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY SOLD TO ANY PERSON EXCEPT A

6 DISTRIBUTOR, WHOLESALER OR MOTOR VEHICLE DEALER FOR RESALE.

7 B. "PERSON" MEANS ANY INDIVIDUAL, FIRM, ASSOCIATION, PARTNERSHIP,

8 CORPORATION, ORGANIZATION, OR JOINT VENTURE.

9 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

I don't have a problem usin steel weights, or whatever they want. It's just a pain to switch. Bada has a full ine of clip-on weights as well as stick on. I have a problem with the statistics they are using. I, personally have never lost a wheel weight on any of my vehicles. I put over 40,000 miles a year on my 2 vehicles as well as friends and family and customers. We have all never lost a wheel weight. I'm not sure why they think we lose millions of pounds of weights every year and automatically that equates to millions of pounds of lead in our ecosystem. As far as I know, lead doesn't melt in rainwater. Like I said, I will use steel, no problem, as long as I can balance the wheel.

[Joe Marconi]

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[DAVE]

We have not made the switch yet, but I have been researching it for about a month. We are in Missouri which does not have the law, but it will be coming in the near future. From what I have read it is best to make the switch on our time, rather than waiting until we have to do it. That way we don't get stuck with a shelf full of lead inventory. I know some of the nationwide distributors will buy your lead back if they have another state they can unload them on. Bada steel clip on weights is probably the way we will go. The 3M is awful expensive per ounce compared to the clip weights. That brings the next question, how much do you up the cost of wheel balance to offset the added expense. I figure it needs to be atleast 30%, but then do you price yourself out of the market because the competition hasn't switched? I guess that's when you push the "green" aspect of it.

[DewayneP]

I agree, the 3M is expensive per ounce, but then it is only 2 part numbers to stock. I don't sell a large quantity of tires or balancing. Heck, you might even ask me why I do it. I am considering the 3M system (or Bada, they have a similar roll weight system) simply because I won't have hundreds of dollars tied up in clip-on weights I won't use. Also, in a small shop the space is at a premium. Anyone have any further insight? Anyone using steel or zinc weights yet?

[Joe Marconi]

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[gravysuckinpig]

Here's the NY law:

 

Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a

2 new section 37-0113 to read as follows:

3 S 37-0113. LEAD WHEEL WEIGHT; PROHIBITED.

4 1. ON AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN ANY PERSON REPLACING

5 OR BALANCING A TIRE ON A MOTOR VEHICLE REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED UNDER

6 ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF TITLE FOUR OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, SHALL NOT

7 USE A WHEEL WEIGHT OR OTHER PRODUCT FOR BALANCING MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELS

8 IF THE WEIGHT OR OTHER BALANCING PRODUCT CONTAINS MORE THAN 0.1 PERCENT

9 LEAD BY WEIGHT.

10 2. ON AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN, A PERSON SHALL NOT

11 SELL OR OFFER TO SELL OR DISTRIBUTE WEIGHTS OR OTHER PRODUCTS FOR

12 BALANCING MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELS IF THE WEIGHT OR OTHER BALANCING PRODUCT

13 CONTAINS MORE THAN 0.1 PERCENT LEAD BY WEIGHT.

14 3. ON AND AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE, A PERSON MAY NOT

15 SELL A NEW MOTOR VEHICLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH A WEIGHT OR OTHER PRODUCT

16 FOR BALANCING MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELS IF THE WEIGHT OR OTHER BALANCING

17 PRODUCT CONTAINS MORE THAN 0.1 PERCENT LEAD BY WEIGHT.

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD14006-04-0

A. 8687--B 2

1 4. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE

2 FOLLOWING MEANINGS:

3 A. "NEW MOTOR VEHICLE" MEANS A MOTOR VEHICLE THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE

4 REGISTERED UNDER ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF TITLE FOUR OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAF-

5 FIC LAW THAT HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY SOLD TO ANY PERSON EXCEPT A

6 DISTRIBUTOR, WHOLESALER OR MOTOR VEHICLE DEALER FOR RESALE.

7 B. "PERSON" MEANS ANY INDIVIDUAL, FIRM, ASSOCIATION, PARTNERSHIP,

8 CORPORATION, ORGANIZATION, OR JOINT VENTURE.

9 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

I don't have a problem usin steel weights, or whatever they want. It's just a pain to switch. Bada has a full ine of clip-on weights as well as stick on. I have a problem with the statistics they are using. I, personally have never lost a wheel weight on any of my vehicles. I put over 40,000 miles a year on my 2 vehicles as well as friends and family and customers. We have all never lost a wheel weight. I'm not sure why they think we lose millions of pounds of weights every year and automatically that equates to millions of pounds of lead in our ecosystem. As far as I know, lead doesn't melt in rainwater. Like I said, I will use steel, no problem, as long as I can balance the wheel.

 

 

I think it is more a matter of where do the old used weights get disposed of after they are removed from the wheel, im sure there are shops that just throw them in the trash - which means they end up in a landfill somewhere. ??

[CARMandP]

I recycle mine and get money for it. Why would you throw the weights out when someone will pay you for them

[Guide]

Having shops in NH and MA we have tried different weights to see what is going to work. 3M's wheel weighs are great, on new rims. They fall off on old rims and lets face it in the weather we have here, its a rare feat for a rim to be dry and free of debris. Currently we are using "steel" coated stick on weights. Very flexible and very sticky. Steel clip on weights I have been using for over a year and other than them being bigger Price wise is pretty close.

[Junior]

I recycle mine and get money for it. Why would you throw the weights out when someone will pay you for them

 

Same here, I push recycling pretty hard. We recover almost everything and recycle it. Wire scraps, unusable wheel weights, bolts, rotors and other scrap metal. Every few weeks I make a trip to the recycling center and make a few hundred extra bucks with whatever bin is full at the time. Well worth it.

 

I'm going to watch this thread, I'm also interested in what works best. I looked into this a year ago to try to be in front of the trend and pitch the "green" angle but no local suppliers carried anything but lead stuff. I don't want to deal with the lead anyway. Sick of even yelling at techs who handle the weights without gloves on.

[Southeast Tire Co.]

Our state, NY, isn't considering the ban, it has enacted the ban. We will be unable to sell or install lead wheel weights as of April 1,2011. I am seriously looking at the 3M stick on roll wheel weights. That way I only have 2 numbers to stock and I have any weight I need at my fingertips. I'm curious to know if anyone else is using the 3M system. It is expensive from the start, but I think it would be cheeper than stocking all of the weights in different clips.

 

We sell a ton of tires and use a whole lot of wheel weights. I'm in Louisiana and, by reputation, I'm sure we will be one of the last to adopt the ban. I have priced the alternatives and I have not found anything on the market that is as cheap as lead. We will price accordingly and pass the cost on when the time comes.

 

I got a free demo of the 3M system a while back. I think it is excellent but more than double the price per ounce of lead stick-on weights, which are already more expensive than clip-ons. We are being forced to use more and more stick-on weights due to modern wheel design which is driving up costs.

 

We try to offset this cost by only making 2 bulk purchases a year for our wheel weights. I have found that there is quite a bit of flexibility in pricing when dealing with the major tire supply companies (Myers, McGee, American Tire Distributors). We have each supplier submit bids and pick the lowest. We are able to get a 35-40% price reduction off their list prices using this method. I would assume you could do the same in the future with alternative weight options to drive costs down.