Wheel Balancing wheights

[tornitore45]

What are they made of, these day that lead is banned?

[SteveM]

In the US, lead weights are still available.

They are coated, which I guess helps in lead leaching out.

Steve

[tornitore45]

Sure, but when I asked for their "toss away" at the tire store they said: "nowadays they are rarely lead". I grabbed a coffee can worth of them and found about half to be something else. The file roughly like aluminum, harder than lead and not gummy as lead.

[Mr Ron]

They probably are made from the same material used for fishing weights, but I don't know what that is.

[Russ Hanscom]

Possibly a zinc alloy.

[AllenH59]

They are zinc in Canada....

[tornitore45]

I did calculate the specific weight and is in line with being Zinc.
Now what is repurposed Zinc good for in a home shop? I think I can melt it.

[mcostello]

Would make great castings.

[liveaboard]

galvanizing?

[TRX]

Zinc has been the most common that I've run into, but some seem to be metal (iron?) powder in a plastic matrix. Nastier than the coated ones if you accidentally drop one in the melting pot.

[STRR]

Wheel weights are Zinc or Lead if they are "clamp-on". They can be Zinc, Lead, or Steel if they are the stick/tape on types. Most, NOT ALL, clamp-on Zinc weights are coated with a sealing material such as a plastic compound. Lead weights can be plain or coated. The easiest way to tell them apart is to look for the material type abbreviation on the weight; Zn for Zinc and Pb for Lead. You can also tell by hitting/banging them on something metallic. The lead will have a very dull thump sound while zinc will have a tinnier sound.