September 28, 2011
Wheel weights: new choices
Lead-free legislation and lengthening service intervals keep the wheel weight industry in a state of transition
By: Bob Bissler
Perfect Equipment’s zinc clip-on weights have a similar appearance and installation process as lead weights.
What started as a ban in the European Union has become a movement in the U.S. It is a movement away from lead. Lead-free wheel weights are sweeping the U.S. marketplace, and manufacturers and dealers are taking a new look at this often-overlooked part of tire maintenance and service.
Using wheel weights to balance your customers’ wheels is important for a smoother ride. Other advantages include better gas mileage and more even tire wear. Traditionally, the industry has used lead wheel weights. Now that’s changing.
California, Washington, Vermont, Maine, Illinois and New York have enacted laws that ban or limit the use of lead wheel weights. Four more states have wheel weight legislation that is pending.
“The transition away from lead wheel weights started with a ban on them in the European Union, on July 1, 2005,” says Kevin Keefe, vice president of marketing for Hennessy Industries. “What happened was automobile manufacturers in the United States that sold vehicles in the EU had to figure out how they were going to deal with that issue. General Motors took the lead and decided they would change over 100%, for all vehicle production, to lead-free weights.”
Keefe says a manufacturer’s alternative to a 100% changeover is to have two different platforms, one for lead and one for lead-free wheel weights. In the current economic times, that isn’t cost-effective. Switching away from lead wheel weights across the board will be the most profitable move in the long run.
“After GM analyzed all the available substitutes they determined that from a long-term cost perspective and from ultimately an environmental perspective, that steel was the best choice,” says Keefe. “So we worked very closely with General Motors to develop the first steel wheel weight manufactured in the United States. In 2005 we started plant conversions.”
Keefe says the large national chains with operations in states that enacted lead-free legislation had somewhat the same choice that GM had. They had to either convert in the states that require it and use lead in the other states, or make a change across the entire operation. That is what many large dealers and mass merchandisers have done.
“Lead-free is growing consistently and every year we are producing fewer and fewer lead weights,” says Mark Aiken, vice president of sales and marketing, Plombco Inc. “Demand for lead is going down and what we’re seeing are markets that aren’t required to do it, actually choosing to do it. Some do it to be corporate citizens; some do it to get ahead of the game and not have to deal with this when it’s forced upon them.”
Aiken believes that when there is a rule making and an implementation of lead-free wheel weights, it will be difficult to get anyone to take back lead weights. There will be no use for them, and inventories will have to be disposed of properly or recycled.
“We’ve seen a huge trend of lead weight demand going down,” Aiken explains. “Lead weights will eventually be gone, but not until there is legislation.”
Wheel weight manufacturers have more to worry about than just legislation. Another factor that has an impact on the wheel weight industry is the increasing length of service intervals for new vehicles.
“New car manufacturers are putting more miles in between rotations and between rebalancing,” says Brian Hodge, marketing director, International Marketing Inc. (IMI). “Five years ago on my car it was rotate and rebalance every 6,000 miles. Now new cars can go 20,000 miles, or more, without rebalancing. They get rotated at 10,000, and then again at 20,000, but only rebalanced if the customer requests it.”
What weights are on the market?
With shifting regulations and an evolving marketplace, wheel weight companies are challenged to keep up. The main manufacturers each have products that are unique. They have also found ways to be cost-efficient with materials that are more expensive than lead.
3M Wheel Weight System
The 3M Wheel Weight System combines a lead-free wheel balancing material with 3M Acrylic Foam Tape adhesive. The product provides an all-in-one, securely attached wheel weight balancing system. The 3M Wheel Weight System consists of a flexible, conformable material available in an easy-to-use, self-dispensing package used with a stand and cutting device. Features include 3M’s Attachment Tape technology for dependable attachment. The system provides an all-in-one, securely attached wheel weight balancing system.
“Our lead-free composite construction delivered on a roll hasn’t changed,” says Kyle Lasenby, business/marketing manager, 3M Automotive Division. “But we consistently work with our customers to develop new profiles that fit the needs of the market.”
Sign up for our Enews and receive the latest news, trends, and product information right in your e-mail inbox.